El Celler de Can Roca
Albert i Noya El Celler Brut Rva DO Classic Penedes
The World: Thai Chicken, Coriander, Coconut, Curry, Lime / Japanese Miso Cream and Nyinyonyaki / Turkish Lamb, Yogurt, Cucumber, Onions, Mint / Peru Causa Limena / Korea Panko Bread, Bacon, Soya, Kimchi, Sesame Oil
Caviar Bauble
Memories of a Bar in the Suburbs of Girona: Campari BonBon, Montse’s Meat Cannelloni, Pigeon BonBon, Breaded Squid, Patata Bravas
Starfish of Cuttlefish
Coral: Escabeche Mussels, Pesto Razor Clam
Green Olive’s Ice Cream
St. George’s Mushroom BonBon
Truffle Brioche
Tomato Spiral, Olive Spiral, Baguette, Olive and Apricot, Cereal Bread, Sourdough, Olive Oil Focaccia, Red Wine Wheat
Consommé Gelee of Red Mullet : Kombu, Saffron, Charcoal, Garlic, Tomato, Fennel
Oyster: Fennel Sauce, Black Garlic, Apple Seaweed, Mushroom, Distilled Earth, Sea Anemone
Langoustine: Sagebrush, Vanilla Oil, Toasted Butter
Mackerel: Stages of Fermented Ganxet Beans
Prawn Marinated with Rice Vinegar: Head Sauce, Crispy Prawn Legs, Seaweed Veloute
Cuttlefish: Sake Lees. Black Rice Sauce
Turbot: Vegetables Fermented in Brine
Duck: Corn, Figs, Foie
Iberian Suckling Pig: Salad of Green Papaya, Thai Grapefruit, Apple, Coriander, Chili Pepper, Lime, Cashew
Charcoal Grilled Lamb Consommé: Tongue, Brain, Scratching, Tripe
Squab Civet and its Parfait
The Plant from Roots to Flowers: Distillate of Sand, Licorice, Tomato Leaf, Cucumber, Chartreuse, Red Fruits, Melon, Orange Blossom, Violet
Pine Wood: Pine Honey Ice Cream, Thyme, Rosemary, Oregano
Old Book: Puffed Pastry, Butter Cookies, Cream of Darjeeling
Mignardises: Juicy Apple, Yuzu Macaron, Chocolate Brioche, Whiskey Ganache
To hear Restaurants, the Food Media and Public Relations companies discuss dining today the entire establishment would seem to revolve around metrics and although the actual impact of Instagram and “influencers” is still undetermined compared to world of fashion there is no doubt Michelin and San Pellegrino’s “World’s 50 Best” list still carry a lot of weight with Chefs, at least enough that a place like El Celler de Can Roca can require reservations a year in advance and still be filled every day despite a somewhat remote location in the city of Girona.
For all intents and purposes a traditional Catalan restaurant, brothers Joan, Jordi and Josep originally opening a place of their own in 1986 next to their parents restaurant and eventually moving to the current location in 2007 after an embrace of the Modernist techniques trickling down from Ferran Adria at El Bulli, El Celler de Can Roca in 2017 finds itself a Michelin 3* property highly ranked on several international lists and with guests playing internet roulette at the start of each month for a reservation often times as far as 390 days away the bar is set high, a perhaps unfair expectation of any ‘meal’ but one that food, service and presentation all set out to meet.
No doubt a polarizing restaurant, its detractors commenting on the unnecessary showmanship and some misfires while fans go on about the 60,000+ Bottle Wine cellar and how well it pairs with the elaborate display of textures and flavors unveiled over three and a half hours, it is after a pleasant drive from Barcelona that most will find themselves parked in a private lot across from the sprawling wooden structure filled with no less than 40 Chefs and an equally large front of house, the visit beginning with a trip through the kitchen before guests are led to tables surrounding a glass-enclosed garden at the center.
Offering two distinct tasting menus, one a collection of classics and the other a “Feast” of flavors from the current season, almost every table within eyeshot going for the later with the restaurant’s volume surprisingly loud compared to most in its league despite only seating 46 diners, it was with a glass of Cava poured that dining quickly got underway, the puzzle-box globe presenting flavors from around the World that must be dialed into position in order to release a rounded Gelatin of Caviar inside.
Now designing their own serviceware for several seasons, a concept similarly adopted by other top restaurants around the world that will frequently see diners plucking items from makeshift Trees, Coral Reefs or textured plates, it was here that a “pop-up” book was used to present memories of the Brothers’ past, the five bites covering everything from Bitter to Sweet, Sour and Salty with the follow-up duo of a Starfish made from diced Cuttlefish and Mussels with Razor Clams equally elaborate in their presentation before canapés ended with a Olive Ice Cream on a tree, Mushroom “Rocks” and fluffy Truffle Brioche.
Expressing a lot of confidence in the staff and high hopes that diners are willing to try everything but true allergens, the use of ingredients indigenous to the area making much of the menu pescetarian, it is after an impressive Bread service that individual plates begin to roll out of the kitchen at intervals of fifteen to twenty minutes, the first of these a clear gelatin of Red Mullet topped with textures including crispy Skin and dots of Vegetables and Herbs all on the backdrop of Saffron while a follow-up of one Oyster divided into five parts focuses the diner on different aspects of the Bivalve’s flavor with the most impressive found in Apple-sweetened Seaweed and the salt-magnifying flavor of Sea Anemone.
Felt to be a little too aggressively ‘fishy’ by the other person at the table, a matter of taste to be sure though the Roca Brothers’ embrace of Iodine and fermented flavors is definitely more prominent than many, course three lightened things up with a plump Langoustine served in browned Butter, Vanilla and foam of Sagebrush while both the Mackerel and Prawn again went bold with the former actually quite enjoyable to everyone thanks to the zig-zagged Bean Paste that grew milder from top to bottom.
Continuing to play with textures throughout the meal, occasionally in the unnecessary ways that have given “molecular cuisine” a bad name but usually to good effect, it was in a plate of Cuttlefish stuffed with Vegetables next to a starchy Sauce reportedly made from nothing but Black Rice allowed to break down that one of El Celler de Can Roca’s best courses was found immediately before its biggest failure, a nicely cooked cut of Turbot that was unfortunately completely lost in what can only be described as pickled Cream.
Taking a step back with heavier proteins, the texture modifications still at play but flavors of Wild Game and farm-raised Animals allowed to shine with accoutrements playing a supporting role, fans of Fowl will no doubt be impressed by both the Duck with Creamed Corn and a fresh Fig as well as the elegantly plated Squab with decorative details made from Offal Terrine while those not shy about nose-to-tail butchery will find both the fatty Pig with crisp Skin and the study of Lamb delicious with the latter gamey in a good way and no two bites of either dish even remotely the same.
Transitioning savory to sweet in levels, “The Plant from Roots to Flowers” moving from top to bottom with a perfume of Sand and Licorice progressing to the flavor of Fruits and Flowers, it was with intentionally unbalanced utensils that guests were challenged to eat Honey Ice Cream with Herbs from a cast iron Tree Stump, Jordi Roca’s new-classic entitled “Old Book” finishing things off in a marvelous Mille-Feuille on its side featuring the distillate of a Book boiled for 48 hours in Oil and Butter Cookie Crisps plus Cream perfumed with Tea.
Now well past midnight, a double Espresso served without the requested Ice fortifying spirits for an hour-long ride back to the hotel, it was with greetings from two of the brothers that guests were sent off after a visit from the Pastry Cart, well over a dozen items offered but staff taking liberties to decide and gifting the table booked a year prior the flavors of Apples, Yuzu, Chocolate and Whiskey Ganache.
www.cellercanroca.com/