While I wanted to write first about last night's Michelin-starred CAN GAIG, I must defer until later for that. Today, I had what may be the best meal of my life. It surely rates in the top ten, and is the best lunch I ever had on earth! You will have to go to Barcelona, and you will have to reserve as well because BOHEMIC(Carrer Manso, 42 not far from the Mercat de Sant Antoni--the large iron market pavilion-tel 93-424 0628).
Not nly does BOHEMIC not have an internet site, it seems that NOBODY here in town knows about it either. While it is a well kept secret at this point, the chef's name is circulating, and Michelin is investigating!
The small bistro has only ten marble topped tables with green and white checkered cloths, some 19th century antique touches and lots of early 20th century B&W photos and posters. It is an adorable family- run establishment with the mother and father serving and their son in the kitchen. Indeed, Chef FRANCESC GIMENO is in the kitchen with only one other person, his sous-chef XAVIER ALCALA. While Francesc can manage English, he speaks French quite well. They have a minimal English menu, since most of the tapas items change so often and are on the blackboards. Xavier speaks English quite well and will help you to translate and order as well. Tasting are available, but I needed to refrain from overeating again.
I ordered a glass of white wine as got PARDES XAREL-LO 2006 from Penedes which was full of great flavors and some minerality and went superbly with virtually every dish, so I had a couple more glasses of the same. I asked if I could taste one other wine but the AN QUIBIA from the Balearic Islands off the coast (Mallorca) was pretty bland and I went back to the Pardes, It was served with some Wasabi Peas and then two beautifully homemade rolls (one dark and one light) on a platter with long crunchy tentacles of bread on each end (like Dali's mustache!) There was olive oil and sea salt and then a small chest came which was opened to reveal five sea salts for the tapas: coarse black, finer red, a very fine yellow, a Himalayan Rock still in rock form with a grater, and a fifth salt. This reminded me of our recent visit to Naples and SEA SALT on a lower key. The music playing was mostly opera, with hints of Piaf and others making for an even better ambience.
The amuse was what an amuse should be: HAMACHI on a bed of purified seaweed and sea vegetables (as the chef explained) topped with tobiko and a white yogurt foam, perhaps in homage to the new chemistry so admired her in Barcelona. On the side was a small sorbet like whipped seaweed/sea vegetable swirl also topped with tobiko. I knew from the first bite that if the food to follow was this good, I was in for a humongous treat.
My first dish was PESOLS de LLAVANERES-CLOISSES a la Minute I una emuslsio di Menta or roughly translated PEAS & CLAMS. This dish was not only beyond divine, the presentation should get an award. A slate platter was brought with a large glass filled with the warm fresh peas in a thick broth which I have no clue what was therein. Next to it was a cast iron mini-pot filled with a layer of sea salt and then a layer of rosemary twigs; two gorgeous uncooked calms sat atop this. My server was the chef's mom, and since I don't know her name, I will refer to her as "mom." "Mom" lit a long lighting utensil of wood (I can't remember what they are called) and touched it to the rosemary which ignited and burned for about a minute, she then covered the dish with a glass top and cooked it for another minute so that the fire went out and the clams opened up. I got this on video and am still amazed at how much FUN it was. It did not end here, the dish simply put me in heaven (I later told Francesc, "je suis en ciel...") ad with a touch of the fine red salt, the peas were the best I have ever had anywhere, and apparently a fresh delicacy now in season here.
The second tapas was POP EN PORROSALDA which is local OCTOPUS in a sinfully decadent LEEK CREAM SAUCE with tiny spots of darker Olive oil for presentation effect. Again, each bite was a revelation, each taste a sensation, and I could not believe how nobody knew about this place. I arrived way to early for lunch in Spain at 130pm, and it was now 230pm and only one other couple had arrived. By the time I left at 330pm, only one table was empty!
The final tapas was a very traditional one: MADONGUILLES & SEPIA or simply MEATBALLS and CUTTLEFISH. The small meatballs were in a rich dark sauce with small pieces of the tender fish for flavor, and believe you me, these were the tastiest meatballs I ever had.
I knew I could manage no more, so I settled for what Xavier said was the lightest dessert: MUSCAT CAKE in KAFFIR LIME Sauce with COCONUT SORBET. It was just perfect with a small rectangle of the cake which had raisins and was dark, but not dense, the sauce being thin and full of lime flavor, but not overwhelming also had some cooked peppercorns in it for spice. Need I say more? A glass of local VINO NARANJA or Orange wine from Bodegas IGLESIAS (bodegas means winery) rounded out the meal before I ordered a coffee. The bartender, who pretty much stayed behind the bar, delivered the espresso, and before I could take a sip, "mom" whooshed over and placed a different cup in front of me proffering HER coffee saying, "este mio." It was superb and came with some tasty after the meal sweets: a cold egg-yolk frothy shot glass somewhat akin to a smoothee, a small miniature chocolate muffing and a superb disc of white chocolate mounted on a small stick like a lollipop and smattered with some sea salt and dried apricot. OMIGOD!
So, all I can say is, that if you get anywhere within 100 miles of Barcelona, make a detour and while you might want to eat at El Bulli, don't miss BOHEMIC!
