Mercat de la Boqueria- Barcelona, Spain

A trip to Barcelona wouldn’t be complete without at least 1 trip to the fantastic Mercat de la Boqueria, one of the largest and most famous marketplaces in Europe.  Although you will be one of about a thousand tourists at any given time, it’s a must-see place that showcases the local food culture, fresh catches from the sea, and most importantly the live spirit of the hard-working merchants.  Located in La Rambla in the Gothic Quarters half-way between Plaça Catalunya and the beaches (right in front of the Metro stop Liceu), it’s easy to spot the wrought iron entrance to this famous market.  Although the market can be historically dated back as far as the early 12oo’s, it settled into its current location in the early 1800’s.

Just in front of the entrance is a wonderful jamón shop that specializes in the marvelous jamón iberico de bellota, cured ham made with free-range acorn-fed Iberian pigs that have the most flavorful and aromatic fat.  The men behind the counter will skillfully shave as little or as many slices as you want, from a wide range of selections.  You can also buy pre-sliced vacuum sealed packs to take home with you.  I had a few slices of the Joselito Gran Reserva 2006 ham- the intense nutty aroma instantly perfumed my nasal passages as the tender marbled fat melted quickly on my tongue, leaving a faint delectable aftertaste and a smile on my face.  At 169 Euros a kilo, it wasn’t cheap, but it was worth every bite.  There are many more jamón stalls scattered throughout the market, so you can get your fix every few minutes as you slowly browse.

I loved walking through the meat section, slowly checking out the infinite displays of beautifully prepared organ meats from all types of animals.  Most people may quickly pass by these butcher cases in horror or disgust, but I had my nose pressed tightly up against the glass, imagining the tasty dishes that would be created from the fresh tripe, tongue, hoofs and brains.  If only I had enough time to eat everything here…

The seafood stalls also offered a wide variety of local fish and mollusks, even some that I had never seen before.   Everything looked absolutely fresh and beautiful.  They even had about 10 stalls solely dedicated to Bacalao, the Catalan specialty of dried salt cod.  My favorite photo from the Boqueria market is this close up of the razor clams.  Raw, uncensored and strangely erotic, these live navajas looked so delicious.

During my stay in Barcelona, I strategically chose a hotel in the Gothic Quarters that was a short walking distance to the Boqueria market.  I knew that I would be frequenting this market at all times of the day, and my plan worked perfectly.  One of my favorite activities to do was to enjoy the fresh fruit juices at any of the numerous fruit stalls by the entrance to the market.  For only 1 Euro a cup, they offered a wide variety of juices from orange, strawberry, kiwi and mango, to watermelon and pineapple.  I was hooked on the bright magenta colored dragon fruit juice that was light and refreshing.

The wonderful Boqueria market is closed on Sundays, but open from 8am on all other days.  The amazing tapas bars, freshly squeezed fruit juices and hand-carved slices of Jamón Iberico de Bellota are waiting for you.  Come to Mercat de la Boqueria, the heart of Barcelona, and experience how this city center pumps energy and life into the souls of all who fall under its spell.

Mercat de St. Josep de la Boqueria

Random trivia: According to legend, the dragon fruit was created thousands of years ago by fire-breathing dragons.  After the dragon was slayed, the collected fruit would be presented to the Emperor as a treasure and proof of victory.

Tapas, tapas, tapas! – Barcelona, Spain

When one thinks of Spain, the first thing that comes to mind is probably ‘tapas’. A visit to Spain without going to a tapas bar is an incomplete and boring experience.  I love dropping in to tapas bars to grab a quick and tasty bite to eat with a cup of cava, and to meet interesting locals who can teach me more about the wonderful Spanish culture.  Where did this wonderful concept come from?  One theory states that it started when bar owners used to place a slice of bread or ham over glasses of sherry to deter flies.  ‘Tapas’ means ‘lid’ or ‘cover’ in Spanish, so this certainly makes sense.  Another legend states that while King Alfonso X was sick, he was only able to eat small bites of food with his wine.  After he recovered, he ordered all taverns to offer small dishes to accompany alcoholic beverages.  Whatever the case, it’s one of my favorite ways to savor simple and delicious local food.  During my short trip to Spain, I tried to visit as many tapas bars as my schedule would allow.

The Mercat de La Boqueria, the large covered market near the Gothic Barrier in Barcelona, is perhaps one of the most famous markets in all of Europe.  Infinite numbers of food stalls offer fresh seafood, meat and produce.  There are also many charcuterie stalls that specialize in sausages and hams, namely the famous Jamón Iberico de Bellota that is to die for.  I started my tapas adventure here in the Boqueria market, where they have about 20 bars.

Perhaps the most famous of the Boqueria tapas bars is Bar Pinotxo, ideally situated at the entrance of the Boqueria market.  Legendary server Juanito Bayen, sporting a bright green vest with a green bowtie, works with a smile and a wink to serve a never-ending crowd of locals and tourists who wait patiently for a bar stool to open up.  This place is always crowded, and although there are tables to the side of the food stall, it’s worth waiting for a seat at the bar.  That way you can get an up close look at the busy happenings in the small kitchen, and a chance to have a nice chat with Juanito.

We had deep fried bacalao, which is a must-try in Spain.  These dried salt cod fillets are superbly delicate and tender once re-hydrated, and have the most wonderful salty flavor.  The ones at Pinotxo had a nice light crunchy exterior that gave way to a generous chunk of steaming hot moist cod.

My favorite dish here was a plate of tripe stew that Juanito quickly brought over for me after he saw me drooling over my neighbor’s plate.  Absent in any gameyness whatsoever, this stew was rich in flavor and intensity.  A few dollops on torn baguette pieces, washed down with a few gulps of cava,  and I was transported to a different world.

By the time we ate at Pinotxo at around 3pm, most of the food was gone.  The only last item available was this dish that resembled a hamburger patty.  Although it was good, it wasn’t my idea of eating tapas in the Boqueria market.  I learned a valuable lesson at this point- go to Pinotxo early before the food runs out.  They’re actually quite famous for their breakfasts too.

Just around the corner from Bar Pinotxo is Kiosko Universal that specializes in fresh seafood.  All of the fresh selections of the day can be prepared a la plancha or grilled with olive oil.  I was really excited to try this tapas stall, as I heard that they served great razor clams, or navajas.  I love the oblong succulent flesh of razor clams, and I haven’t been able to find a place in Los Angeles that serves them.  Kiosko Universal is much larger than Bar Pinotxo, and has a bar counter that goes all the way 360 degrees around the central kitchen, in addition to extra bar table seating to the side.  We started with a plate of Salteado de Setas, grilled wild mushrooms. The great assortment of fungi was dressed with olive oil, parsley, garlic and sea salt.

I was very excited to finally be reunited with razor clams, but the dish was a bit of a disappointment.  It had the same flavoring and garnishing as the mushrooms, and was even a tad bit undercooked.  I longed for the delicious razor clams at Mary’s Fish Camp in New York City.

The mussels weren’t that great either. Again, same flavor, same garnish, same degree of being undercooked.  We were ready to move on to the next stall.

El Quim de la Boqueria is another tiny tapas bar, farther way from the market entrance, deep into the central area of the market where the seafood vendors are.  I ordered a plate of huevos fritos con chipirones en su tinta, fried eggs with baby squid and squid ink.  Wow, what an amazing dish.  The tender and delicate baby squid, softly enveloped in a veil of runny egg yolk and black ink with just the right amount of saltiness, was divine.  This was perhaps the most memorable and delicious plate that I had in Barcelona.

I struck up a conversation with the gentleman sitting next to me at El Quim.  He was born and raised in Barcelona, and swore by the tapas at El Quim, stating they were the best in the city.  By the way the baby squid dish tasted, I didn’t doubt his claim.  He told me proudly that he’s been coming here for as long as he could remember, at least once a week.  I asked him where else he could recommend for me, and he did not hesitate to give me the directions to Taktika Berri.

The gentleman told me that the waiting list for table reservations is about 2 months long, but the place to go isn’t there anyway- it’s at the pintxos bar up front.  Similar in concept to tapas, pintxos are more representative of Basque cuisine and are small bite-sized morsels held together with toothpicks.  Pintxos, or pinchos, means ’spike’ in Spanish, precisely because of the way these delicate eats are speared with a toothpick or a skewer. Taktika Berri specializes in montaditos, which are pintxos featuring ‘mounted’ heaps of meat, seafood and vegetables on a slice of bread, held together by a toothpick.

As soon as I walked through the glass double doors, I was glad that I trusted that gentleman’s advice.  This place was packed with locals only, and there was not a single tourist in sight.  This was the real deal, and I knew I was in for some authentic Basque delights.  We squeezed our way to the bar and managed to grab a couple of seats.  The system here is such that you must first ask for a plate, which lets them know that you’re ready to start eating.  Then the pintxos commander behind the bar will come around with a plate of one type of montadito at a time, setting it on your plate if it’s something you want to eat.  This process happens only once every 10 minutes or so, reflecting the cultural notion behind pintxos that it’s an adjunct to drinks and long conversation, and not necessarily the main act.

We tried some lovely pintxos here, including deep fried ham croquettes and a savory bacalao cake with potatoes and eggs.  Montaditos included fresh anchovies with diced peppers, chorizo wrapped in bacon, fried sausage, and smoked salmon.  All were simple but flavorful and simply satisfying to the palate and stomach.  I loved the lively atmosphere here, and by being a part of this wonderful experience, I could really see how this style of eating and drinking is such a crucial part of socializing in Spain.  I met a lot of interesting people in the hour that I was at Taktika Berri, including an architect and a science professor at the local university.

At the end of the meal, you get charged for the number of pintxos that you ate, made apparent by the number of toothpicks on your plate.  A simple and smart system.  Ahhh, tapas.  What a joyful way of experiencing food and life!

Bar Pinotxo- Stall 466, Mercat de la Boqueria

Kiosko Universal- Stall 691, Mercat de la Boqueria

El Quim de la Boqueria- Stall 584, Mercat de la Boqueria

Taktika Berri- Carrer Valencia, 169, Barcelona, 08011.  Tel: 934-534-759

Random trivia: Did you know that the Norwegians were exporting salted fish like bacalao as early as 875 AD?

Inopia- Barcelona, Spain

“You know you are experiencing true creativity when you go to a restaurant and have the feeling that you’re eating in a country that you’ve never visited before”
- Ferran Adrià

While in Barcelona, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of strong yearning and sadness at the fact that I was so close to El Bulli, yet so far away.  When will I finally get my chance to dine at the best restaurant in the world?  To feel like I was at least a step closer to fulfilling my dream, I went to Inopia in Barcelona.

Inopia is run by Alberto Adrià, the younger brother and partner of Ferran Adrià, the renowned and famous chef of El Bulli. During the 6 months that El Bulli is open for service, Alberto heads the pastry kitchen at El Bulli, but otherwise he mans the kitchen in his small casual tapas bar in Barcelona.

In stark contrast to El Bulli, this place is very casual and it’s almost hard to believe that it belongs to a chef of such pedigree.  Brightly colored red, orange and yellow Andalucian tiles, bare fluorescent lights and graffiti on the walls decorate this tiny neighborhood joint that only has 1 dining table.  Most patrons sit on the tiny stools by the bar or stand by the counters as they watch fútbol on TV.  In fact, this particular evening the whole city was buzzing with excitement as all eyes were glued to the TV to watch the 2009 UEFA Champions League finals.  In a country that is loco for fútbol, you can imagine the frenzy in the air as their beloved Barcelona team battled Manchester United.

Just as we sat down at the counter, Barcelona scored their 2nd goal and everybody, including the servers, started screaming and whistling.  Their team was on fire, and the place was buzzing with passion.  Many were wearing the red and blue jerseys and cheering on.

Although Inopia doesn’t have an English menu, the server was eager to explain the specials of the day in English to us.  All of the staff were extremely friendly and welcoming.  The menu, like most tapas bars in Barcelona, has a good selection of olives and canned seafood (conservas).  We opted for prepared items to see what Alberto Adrià could do.

The ensalada rusa was listed as an Inopia specialty, so we started with that.  The potato, mayonnaise, red pepper and olive salad was good, but…this was a specialty dish?  Really?  It’s something that I would make half-asleep with leftovers.

There’s a section of the menu called El mundo de la anchoa, or ‘the world of anchovies‘.  That evening there were 6 types of anchovies to choose from, and they were to be ordered by fillets.  Our server told us that the San Filippos, for 1.90 Euros a piece, were the best quality.  These anchoas del Cantábrico en salazón San Filippo were indeed meaty, perfectly fatty, and deliciously salty.

The Torrada Mallorquina was a really interesting take on bruschetta.  Chopped tomatoes, onions and olive oil were carefully spooned over a layer of sobrassada mallorquina, a spicy and smokey chorizo spread.  The ‘air bread’ that they used was crispy, light and delicate, and I could’ve eaten these all night with my glass of red wine.

The moment of victory for Barcelona!

It was around this time that Team Barcelona officially became the champions of the 2009 UEFA League, and the place went crazy. Horns, crackers, shouting, whistling, singing and skyrockets went off outside in a mass celebration hysteria.  It was an amazing experience to be in the middle of this city-wide festivity and eating tapas while soaking it all in.

The plato frío de lomo de atún soasado con escabeche ligero, seared tuna belly with a Montserrat tomato side, drizzled with soy sauce and olive oil, was quite good.  I was surprised to be having this very Japonesque toro sashimi dish at this famous Barcelona digs.  The drizzle tasted almost exactly like ponzu.  The lightly seared tuna belly slices were extremely tender and delicate.

The croquetas caseras de Jamón ibérico were piping hot, straight out of the deep fryer.  It took a whole 5 minutes until we could even get close to it.  The rich interior was creamy, hearty and decadent.  Although my dining partner enjoyed these, I wasn’t blown away.  However, for 1.90 Euros a piece, it’s not a bad deal.

The big and meaty sardinas en escabeche were quite good, well infused with thyme and bay leaf aroma, but it wasn’t as good as the one that I had at Tapaç 24.

The pincho moruno de cordero or lamb skewers, were really good.  Listed on their menu as one of the Inopia specialties, these tender and juicy pieces were delectably seasoned with fennel seed and parsley.  This was my favorite dish at Inopia. 

In another head to head competition, we ordered Inopia’s  Bikini de mozzarella y paletilla Ibérica hervida, the mozzarella and Iberico ham grilled sandwiches.  It wasn’t just the presence of black truffles that made Tapaç 24 the undoubted winner again, but also the quality of the bread and the way it was grilled. 

Although the service was great and the atmosphere on this particular victorious night was incomparable, the food was mediocre at best.  Perhaps I came in with too many expectations, but the food simply fell flat.  After all of the hype and rave reviews, I couldn’t believe that this was all that Inopia had to offer.  I wanted to give Inopia the benefit of the doubt, and thought that perhaps Alberto Adrià was not in house that evening.  But no, there he was, behind the bar and at the grill, and I even got to meet him and chat with him.  He was a charismatic man with a powerful intensity that was almost intimidating, but his food reflected none of that.

Alas, what I thought would be the closest thing to El Bulli ended up being the farthest thing from El Bulli.  Given the number of restaurants in Barcelona whose chefs have trained with the grand master Ferran Adrià, it’s probably better to go elsewhere for spectacular cuisine in Barcelona- Inopia is not worth your time.  Obviously, none of this would even be an issue if you’re one of the lucky few who have a reservation at El Bulli.  As for me, until that happens, I guess I’ll just keep drooling on my A Day at elBulli book.

Inopia

Carrer Tamarit 104

08015 Barcelona

Tel: 93 424 52 31

Tuesday to Saturday: 7pm-11pm

Random trivia:  Did you know that you can get something called clupeotoxin poisoning from eating anchovies contaminated with the toxin?  Death occurs in 50% of people poisoned by clupeotoxin.  If you experience a metallic taste in your mouth and your nose turns blue after eating anchovies, then you’re in trouble.

Gresca- Barcelona, Spain

La Pedrera

There’s a new culinary movement in Barcelona called ‘Bistronomia’, which combines the casual flare of traditional dishes reflective of the local food culture (bistro) and the more refined modern haute cuisine that is often found in Michelin starred establishments (gastronomia).   There are about 15 such Bistronomias in Barcelona which include La Mifanera, Cinc Sentits, Hisop, Alkimia and Embat.  Most are in the trendy Eixample district just north of the Plaza Catalunya, and all offer cutting edge cuisine with fresh local ingredients at more affordable prices.

Young 32 year old Chef Rafa Peña, a Barcelona native, heads the kitchens of Gresca as well as Spain’s bistronomic movement.  I decided to try Gresca for lunch, as I heard that they had an amazing lunch course for €19.  The tiny restaurant is just a few blocks west off of Passeig de Gràcia, the large popular shopping boulevard that boasts Gaudí’s famous Casa Milà La Pedrera.  The space was tiny, accomodating only 7 tables that were beautifully set with crisp white linen tablecloths and shiny silverware.  The decor was minimalist and modern, and the service was generous.

The hostess kindly gave us an English menu and was more than eager to explain each menu item in detail for us.  Although the €19 set lunch menu seemed interesting (fresh sardines that day), there were too many intriguing items on their à la carte menu that I had to try.

After a delightful glass of parmesan crisps with paprika, they gave us the most amazing amuse bouche of foie gras with mango and chives.

I started my meal with the octopus carpaccio with butifarra negra. The playful and geometric plating was astounding.  The thin slices of irregularly shaped octopus legs were like puzzle pieces, neatly laid out on a smooth background of Catalan-style blood sausage.  The periphery of the square display was framed with a refreshing crunchy ‘gremolata’ of mango, zucchini, lemon, cucumbers and onions that evened out the iron richness of the butifarra.  A rich smooth heap of potato purée waited patiently underneath as I carefully broke through its flamboyant cloak.

The onion soup with gruyere and trumpet mushrooms (chanterelles) was quite intense, salty and smoky.  It was so concentrated in earthy essence that it could probably cure any common cold.  Diced vegetables brought a nice crunchy texture to this soup.

I had the Gresca classic of Sant Pere fish with cockscomb and thyme.  The flavorful white fish had a delicate yet confident texture that stood up to the mighty collagenous  crests.  I loved these cockscombs that were tender enough to melt in my mouth but firm enough for me to feel a give on my teeth.

The entrecote steak with potatoes and thyme was simply divine.  My dining partner told me that it was one of the best steaks that she had ever had.  At first, we were both surprised at how large the steak was.  How do they expect us to eat all of this?  Tisk tisk, how sad that so much good meat will go to waste, I thought.  But by the end of the meal, the dish was squeaky clean and we were groaning with pleasure.  Mmmmm….entrecote….

When I return to Gresca on my next Barcelona trip, I would love to try the other Gresca classics: roast pigeon with ginger, smoked duck with langoustines, and a dessert of roquefort cheese with litchi and green apple sorbet.  I highly recommend this quaint Bistronomia where you will get wonderful and attentive service due to the small number of seats.  Make sure you call well in advance for a reservation, as they book up early.

Gresca

C/ Provença 230

Barcelona, 8036
93 451 61 93

Random trivia:  Did you know that the cockscomb stops growing after a rooster is castrated?  Capons, which are castrated roosters, are highly prized in Europe for their tender and juicy flesh.

Tapaç 24 – Barcelona, Spain

As soon as I arrived in Barcelona, I made a bee-line for Tapaç 24, Catalan chef Carles Abellan’s casual and hip tapas bar.  After working at El Bulli with the master Ferran Adria, Abellan opened his hugely successful restaurant Comerç 24 in Barcelona.  Although I would love to explore Comerç 24 some day, I opted for the more casual Tapaç 24 on this Barcelona trip.

They’re open Monday through Saturday from 8am to midnight, allowing  enthusiastic patrons infinite opportunities to enjoy Abellan’s soulful food.  I went for dinner on my first night in Barcelona, and the place was bustling with great energy from an even mix of locals and tourists.  As expected, there was a long line that spilled out onto the sidewalk, but the turnover was very fast and we were seated at the bar tables within 15 minutes.  Although there are a few tables on the sidewalk that allow for al fresco dining in this beautiful and vibrant city, downstairs inside the restaurant is where all of the action is.

The regular menu is printed on a brown paper bag that holds the silverware (similar to Mozza), but there are more daily special menu items on the chalkboards that are at each table.  Although the regular menu was written in Catalan which I couldn’t understand, the daily specials were in Spanish and some of the servers spoke English.  Everybody working there was in a jovial mood and they were more than happy to help make our experience wonderful.

We started off with the Bikini Commerç 24 sandwich, toasted Iberico ham and manchego cheese sandwiches with grated black truffles.  These warm sandwich triangles oozed with that familiar satisfying richness that grilled cheese sandwiches deliver, with the added decadence of truffle aroma.  Although this was good for dinner tapas, imagine the possibilities of what it could do for those late night munchies.  This would really hit the spot.

Unfortunately, they were out of boquerones al limón, fried anchovies with lemon, but we had a plate of chugetas that were probably just as good.  These small deep fried fish were the perfect little snacks to enjoy with our jar of champagne sangria.  With the perfect saltiness, crunchy texture and enhanced flavor from a squirt of fresh lemon juice, these little morsels were highly addictive.  It’s the kind of food where your hand automatically keeps moving from plate to mouth, and it’s impossible to stop eating.  We also had the requisite pan amb tomaquet, toasted bread with garlic, olive oil and tomatoes.

The rabo de toro, oxtail and bean stew, was excellent.  It was a hearty and comforting dish that I can imagine somebody’s mother cooking for hours over the fire.  The tender meat and gelatinous cartilage melted in my mouth in the most pleasant way, blending well with the richness of the full-bodied sauce.  Here I was in Barcelona, silently and happily gnawing away at an oxtail bone with sauce all over my fingers.  Perfect.

As if the Bikini sandwiches couldn’t be a more ideal snack to satiate those late night munchies, here came a plate of Ous Estrellats al Gust (Catalan),  Huevos de payes estrellidas con butifarra negra (Spanish), or scrambled eggs, potato fries and blood sausage.  For the meat, you can choose from blood sausage, Jamón ibérico or chorizo, but we opted for the blood sausage, or butifarra, which is a local Catalan special.  It seemed heavy and oily at first glance and taste, but it was impossible to put my fork down.  There was something about it that made me become a voracious and greedy eater.

Our favorite dish of the evening was the Gambetas al Andaluz .  These fried shrimp were so fresh, that we ate the whole entire shrimp from antennae to tail.  They were garnished with just the right amount of salt to enhance the intense sweetness of the succulent flesh.  What a joy these shrimp were, and this was the moment when it really sunk in that I was in Spain, I was in Barcelona, and this was real tapas.  This dish said it all- fresh delicious seafood simply prepared with nothing more than love, passion, and soul.

The sardinas en escabeche were a hit as well.  The oily and tender flesh was delicately seasoned with olive oil, tomatoes and black peppercorns.  Absent in any fishiness whatsoever, these sardines rivaled its counterparts from the Tsukiji fish market in freshness and quality.  These sardines were so delicious that we ate everything on the plate, including the bones and the tails.

Xocolata Amb Pa, Oli, i Sal (Catalan), Chocolate con sal, aceite y pan (Spanish), or chocolate with bread, olive oil and salt, was perhaps one of the most delightful desserts that I’ve ever had.  We ordered this more out of curiosity as I couldn’t imagine what the dish would taste like, but it ended up being an amazing discovery.  The sweetness and richness of the chocolate ice cream was nicely balanced out by the sea salt, and perfectly smoothed out by the texture and aroma of the olive oil.  I love being pleasantly surprised by new flavor combinations, especially when it involves flavors that we are very familiar with and use almost daily.

Our second dessert was something that tasted like a mix between a cheesecake and flan, with a rich sweet berry sauce on top.  Honestly, the chocolate dessert was such a star that this berry dessert didn’t really leave an impression on me.  I can’t remember much about this dish.

Tapaç 24 is one of those magical places that instantly sucks you in and makes you feel both excited and mesmerized.  The happy vibe,  smiling servers, colorful decor and cheerful music really set the mood for a fun night out.  The whole time I was there I was grinning from ear to ear, and I frequently stopped myself to look around and think, “Wow, I’m really in Barcelona.  This is amazing!”  The music makes you want to get up and dance, and the food and drinks make you want to hug your server.  Everybody there was having a great time, and and the spirit of Barcelona was very much alive.  I’ve already recommended this place to a few of my friends, as I knew they would have a great time there.

Tapaç 24

Comerç  24

269 Carrer Diputació, Barcelona 08007

934 880 977

Random trivia:  Traditionally, oxtail referred to the tail of an ox, or a castrated male.  However, these days it may come from steer or veal cows.

Hatchi series at the Breadbar- Eda Vesterman

The Hatchi dinner series at the Breadbar in Century City, which began in June of this year,  continues in featuring a guest chef every month.  It’s a wonderful 1 night-only event of 8 dishes for $8 each.  After a successful event in September featuring Chef Remi Lauvand, who is now the executive chef at Cafe Pierre in Manhattan Beach (the new menu features tantalizing French dishes like duck rillette and  house-made pâté de campagne), I was very excited to attend the October event.  The guest chef in October was Chef Eda Vesterman.

Chef Vesterman is known for healthy cooking.  She obtained a masters degree in Nutrition and has worked with several hospitals and medical centers to promote healthy living through smart eating.  Quite different in pedigree and philosophy from the other ‘celebrity guest chefs’ in the Hatchi line-up, I thought she was an interesting choice.

The theme for her dinner was ‘The Four Elements’, reflecting her doctrine of honoring beauty and health in unity with nature’s basic elements.  I was touched by the menu card band, stamped with diagrams of the 4 elements of earth, air, fire and water, which was made with plantable paper embedded with flower seeds.

Representing ‘Water’, we started with sous vide scallops 3 ways.  Each was on a bed of parsnip purée and corn butter, and served with 3 different sauces and matching dyed tobiko.  The red sauce was a tart and sweet raspberry sauce that teetered a bit too much on the sweet.  The yellow smelled and tasted of saffron, and the green, my favorite, a spinach basil sauce with microgreens.  We ordered 2 plates, as there were 4 of us, and found a big difference in plating and garnishing between the 2 orders.

Representing ‘Fire’, the filet mignon medallion with potato squares in a porcini and syrah reduction sauce was perhaps the toughest piece of meat I have ever had in Los Angeles.  The plating was very feminine and cute, but the workout that the meat gave my jaws was no joke.  Although the sauce had a wonderful earthy flavor, the quality of the meat disappointed.  At least we had a beautiful bottle of 2001 Lopez de Heredia “Viña Bosconia” Spanish Rioja to keep our taste buds happy.

Representing ‘Water’ again, was the Dungeness crab cake with grapefruit, mint and avocado.  The moist and tender thick flakes of crab meat were good, and I appreciated the playful presentation.

There were 2 dishes representing ‘Earth’, of which one was the butternut squash and roasted corn fritters with micro celery.  I liked the slight kick that the ancho chili sauce imparted on the light and airy fritters, but I couldn’t help but feel a little unsettled with this dish.  8 gourmet dishes for $8 each is the deal of the century, but 3 bite-size vegetable fritters for $8 seemed a bit ungenerous.  I also thought about what 8 dishes I would serve if I had an opportunity to showcase my talent at such a prestigious event, and I definitely wouldn’t choose to serve fritters.

The best dish of the evening was the other ‘Earth’ dish, a wild mushroom and boucheron lasagna with fresh spinach pasta.  The large succulent meaty chunks of mushrooms were heavenly, and the microgreens with vinaigrette livened up the cream sauce.  We put in 3 orders of this dish, and again each order came with different plating, garnishing and flavoring.  What was going on in the kitchen?

I loved the mini breads that our meal came with, each dusted with flour in the ‘Four Elements’ stencil.  There was pumpernickel, sage, poppy seed and sun dried tomato.  Each chewy doughy piece was saturated with flavor and aroma, and we asked for seconds, and thirds….and fourths.

I was really looking forward to the mini duck burgers, representing ‘Air’, after previewing the menu on Breadbar’s website.  I brought my bottle of Spanish Rioja in anticipation of some good duck.  These duck patties were much leaner and lighter than I had imagined, and didn’t taste too duck-y.  Probably a good thing for those who don’t love duck, but it left me yearning for more.  The menu description read ‘ground lean organic duck breast infused with black tea and a special center on whole wheat brioche’.  So what was the special center?  We didn’t find anything in the middle of any of our patties, so we asked our server, who seemed just as confused.  He returned from the kitchen saying the special item was a ‘garlic confit’, but we still couldn’t see or taste it.  In fact, the patty didn’t really have any taste at all, so it was the tomato salsa that really made and saved the dish.  Or was it a plum salsa?  They had the consistency of plum, a little crunchy, but with a wonderfully deep vinegar flavor that I absolutely loved.  Micro greens seemed to be the consistent theme throughout this dinner, reflecting the micro portions.  Overall, a pleasant slider, but we were surprised that only 1 mini slider came with each $8 order.  Of course, it was only appropriate that we each get our own, so in the end 4 sliders cost us $32.  Doesn’t seem right…  Well, at least our fantastic bottle of 2004 Chateau Haut-Bailly Pessac-Léognan from Bordeaux kept us happy.

The wild berry martini we had for dessert tasted like a cranberry cinnamon Thanksgiving sauce.  Although it wasn’t bad, it felt more like a sauce than a dessert.

The other dessert was a green tea-ramisu ice cream, which had a wonderful dark green tea sauce that combined sweet and bitter very well, although the rock hard solid ice cream almost bent our spoons and our wrists.

Hats off to Chef Eda Vesterman for putting a lot of thought into creating a healthy and beautiful menu, as this was probably one of the healthiest dinners that I have had in a while.  She showed me that nutritious and well-balanced healthy food doesn’t need to be boring, and that there are infinite possibilities to having fun while eating right.  However, eating right doesn’t mean eating slight, and I wish she would have been more generous with the portions.  One of my fellow diners was upset that the servings were stingy, and wanted to go get a real burger to feel more satisfied.

This Hatchi dinner at the Breadbar was another interesting glimpse and taste into the world of another chef, and I look forward with great anticipation and curiosity to the next events.  I really hope that the Breadbar continues this event every month.  It’s a fantastic concept and a great experience.

November:  Waylynn Lucas

December: Marcel Vigneron

January:  Ricardo Zarate

http://www.breadbar.net/

Random literature:  Ever wonder how Dungeness crabs mate?  It sounds much more exciting than what we humans do.  Here’s an excerpt I found from “Between Pacific Tides” by Ricketts, Calvin, Hedgpeth, and Phillips.  Read it while listening to Barry White.

“Love making in the Dungeness crab takes place soon after the female molts and her shell is soft, but before the male molts and while his shell is hard. First the male embraces the female firmly, belly-to-belly, holding her this way for several days, stroking her gently with his chelipeds. When she is ready to molt, she signals the male by nibbling at his eyestalks. He loosens his grip, allows her to turn over, and she molts while still confined by his legs. After she molts, the male shoves away her cast off exoskeleton. There is a short waiting period, about an hour, before actual mating, possibly to allow some hardening of the carapace. When the moment arrives, she turns back over, again belly-to-belly, and lifts her abdominal flap to receive the male’s gonopods into her spermathecae, the receptacles in the female that hold the spermatophores.”

Lyon, France

Lyon is the second largest metropolitan area in France after Paris, and as previously noted,  known as the French capital of gastronomy. In part due to famous chefs like Paul Bocuse who put this city on the culinary map, but also from the fact that Lyon is flanked by 2 of France’s famous wine-growing regions- the Beaujolais to the North, and Côtes du Rhône to the South.

Having the international headquarters of the Interpol, Lyon is also historically known as the silk capital of the world. The original medieval city of vieux Lyon is a UNESCO World Heritage site, with its narrow passageways, or traboules, that pass through buildings and link the streets on either side.  Traboules were originally used by silk merchants, or canuts, to transport their products since the 4th century.  The Lyonnais also used them to get rapid access to the  Saône river for transportation of water.

Inside a traboule

Now most of these traboules are private property, serving as entrances to apartments and offices.  Some looked like trash alleys for restaurants, and were not well kept.  We spent some time exploring the numerous traboules throughout vieux Lyon.  The doorway to some looked large, grand and heavily decorated, while others were very inconspicuous.  Most of the traboules were dark and mysterious, and served as a cool refuge from the blistering heat.

Inconspicuous traboule entrance on the right

A short trip on the funiculaire took us up to the top of the Fourvière hill into the great Basilica, from where we enjoyed the breathtaking panoramic view of Lyon.  La Tour Métallique, the TV tower rising high above the hilltop, is a replica of the famous Eiffel Tower and looks gorgeous in the evening from across the river.

Click on the ‘View Images’ button on the bottom right to get a larger view of these photos of beautiful Lyon.

Lyon is a beautiful city with a lot of history and allure.  It’s not too far by TGV from Paris, and it’s worth the trip.  You can experience interesting architecture and art, stuff yourself silly at Les Halles or the bouchons, and take in the amazing view along the rivers before retreating to bed.  My time in Lyon was quite amazing and memorable, thanks to my gracious hosts Guillaume and Nathalie.

Random trivia:  Klaus Barbie, aka “The Butcher of Lyon”, was a famous Nazi leader who tortured and killed many during WW II, including members of the French Resistance.  In Lyon, he was tried and sentenced to life imprisonment for crimes against humanity, and eventually died in jail of leukemia.

La Cour des Lys – Meximieux, France

After a wonderful afternoon spent in Pérouges, we stopped by the neighboring town of Meximieux for dinner at La Cour des Lys.  The ground floor restaurant inside the hotel, which used to be a coaching inn,  has a lot of old world charm.  Flowery wallpaper, antique wooden cabinets and tables, and large wooden embroidered chairs with hefty arm rests inside the dimly lit dining room seemed almost a bit too stuffy for the creative food that came out of the kitchen.

The kitchen is now run by Chef Frédéric Navez, who used to work at the famous patisserie Troisgros.  Although you can order à la carte, there are a variety of set menu options here.  We all ordered the 38 Euro menu called “La Promenade des Plaisirs” with 1 appetizer, 1 main course, and delicacies from the cheese and dessert carts.  Indeed, our new adventure of pleasures was about to commence with a wonderful warm escargot cassoulet.

The first appetizer choice was my favorite dish of the evening.  The foie gras pâté with fig compote was just divine.  It was one of the best foie gras dishes I’ve ever had, and although I didn’t order this dish for my ‘pleasure menu’, I kept stealing some from my friend.  The incredibly flavorful, rich and smooth foie gras fumigated my whole mouth with its deep essence.

I ordered the Mosaïque de legumes, de lapin et de ris de veau parfumé au liseron d’eau, jus froid moutardé, a terrine of vegetables, rabbit meat and veal sweetbreads wrapped in water spinach with mustard sauce.  Despite its colorful and light appearance, the sweetbreads imparted a very hearty and robust taste to this dish.  It was a beautiful feast for the eyes and palate.

One of the main course choices was a filet of dorade.  Interestingly, this fish dish came with a cute little accessory- a live goldfish!

As you can imagine, this goldfish became the main conversation piece of the evening.  We passed it around the table and each of us played with the little fellow.  Although my friend Gregory terrorized it with his fork, most of us played nice and even gave it a pet name.  I wonder what it thought of the big dorade filet sitting on the plate in front of it.  Gulp….

Most of us ordered the Volaille de Bresse (Chapon Bresson) et Royale de lard, sous une cloche de fumée, pomme purée soufflée a l’huile de truffes blanche. One of my previous blog entries about my trip to Burgundy featured the famous poultry from Bresse.  This dish used castrated Bresse chicken, served with an assorted mushroom sauce and presented in a very dramatic way under a cloak of smoke.  See the slideshow below for this theatrical presentation.

The chicken dish was accompanied with a foie gras, smoked bacon and egg purée inside an egg shell.  We had to sip this warm savory pudding through a straw.  I really enjoyed this side dish.  I mean, it’s sippable foie gras and bacon!  Very cool indeed.  Greedy Gregory smashed the perfectly trimmed eggshell to finish off the pudding.

The potato purée with white truffle oil was amazing.  I actually enjoyed the 2 side dishes more than the chicken itself, which was quite gamey and robust.

Les délices de la Bergerie:  we enjoyed numerous ‘delights’ from the cheese cart.  There were many that I had never tasted before, let alone even seen before.  The assortment of cheeses included all types made from sheep, cow and goat milk.

La découverte des Plaisirs Sucrés: My jaw dropped and my pupils dilated when I saw this alluring dessert cart.  As the title indicates, I was ready to discover these sweet pleasures.  My friend timidly asked the server, ‘How many desserts can we choose from?’.  To our joy, the reply was ‘As many as you want’.  Greedy Gregory asked ‘So we can try all of them if we wanted to?’.  The answer was still yes.  Marvelous.

So many to choose from, and so little stomach space left…

We each made our own little dessert plate.  Mine featured a mini baba au rhum, pistachio mousse, marinated pinapple in syrup, a bottle of rosemary and rose essence water, and a side of kiwi purée playfully painted in a treble clef.

Others had chocolate mousse, chocolate mint mousse, marinated prunes, fruit and custard tart, praline tart, macaroons, and creme brulée.  Their plates were garnished with rasperry and passion fruit purées.

We enjoyed our playful and creative meal with a wonderful bottle of 2007 Le Caveau Bugiste Bugey Manicle, a local white wine.  I never imagined that we would encounter such an inventive meal at this small historic restaurant.  From the goldfish to the smoke presentation, the dainty egg shell custard to the decadent dessert cart, this dining experience is one that I still talk about often.

La Cour des Lys

17 Rue De Lyon
Meximieux, Rhône-Alpes 01800
France

Tel: 0474610678

http://www.la-cour-des-lys.com/

Random trivia: Did you know that a pregnant goldfish is called a ‘twit’?

Pérouges, France

If you are ever in Lyon, I highly recommend taking a day trip to the village of Pérouges, only 35 km from Lyon in the Rhone Alps.  Said to be one of the most beautiful villages in France, it is a medieval walled town on a small hill overlooking the Ain River valley.  It’s a charming village that developed in the 14th century around the weaving industry.

Pérouges boasts some of the best preserved medieval buildings in France, and still has intact fortress walls.  It’s a pleasant stroll along the cobblestone streets through narrow alleys sandwiched between old stone houses.  People still live in these original Middle Age stone houses, and it almost seems like one can turn the corner and run into Snow White and the seven dwarves.

The local specialty is a thin sugar crepe/cake called Galette du sucre or Galette de Pérouges. Place des Tilleuls is the centre of Pérouges with a 200 year old tree planted in commemoration of the French Revolution.   There are a few restaurants and bars in the center square for when you need to rest those weary feet after walking on the uneven cobblestone streets. Wear comfortable shoes when visiting this village.  My friend, who was wearing heels, was dying.

The day that we went, there were very few tourists.  Only the sounds of chirping birds filled the air as we quietly immersed ourselves in this medieval world.

Random trivia:  Did you know that Pérouges was the background village for ‘The 3 Musketeers’ movie?

Cooking with friends – Lyon, France

View across the Saône river from the market

Continuing on with my food adventures in Lyon, France…

On Saturday morning we decided to go shopping at the farmers market along the Saône river in vieux Lyon.  My friend Guillaume offered to cook lunch for us, and we were so excited to get a homecooked meal full of fresh seasonal vegetables after our heavy meat-centric dinner at Café des Fédérations the night before.  It was a beautiful sunny hot day with clear blue skies, and the walk along the river was breathtaking.  The outdoor market was teeming with energy and the vibrant bright colors of vegetables and flowers were bursting with happiness.  Here are some photos from the vieux Lyon Saturday farmers market:

We were lucky enough to get fresh morel mushrooms, just at the end of their season.  I’ve never had the opportunity to cook with fresh morel mushrooms, so this was a new experience for me.  I’m used to the dried store-bought version.  These fresh morels were soft and spongy, light and airy, earthy and pungent, and just simply delightful.  Guillaume also bought fresh ris d’agneau, or lamb sweetbreads which I was extremely excited about.

Fresh morel mushrooms

Guillaume’s kitchen is tiny.  There’s really only enough room for 1 person.  It’s barely even tall enough for him to be able to stand fully erect.  I offered to help, but there was only 1 1/2 cutting boards (the 1/2 board was the size of a passport) and a few pairing knives.  How can this tiny kitchen with hardly any fancy gadgets whip out this fancy meal that Guillaume was describing to me?  Frankly, I was a little worried.  However, as soon as I saw him clean the sweetbreads, prepare the morels, sauté the fingerling potatoes in butter, cut the artichokes down to the heart, and throw the peas in boiling water all within a 10 minute period, I knew I could sit back and relax.  It’s not about the kitchen, or the equipment, or the fancy gadgets, or the space.  It’s about the chef, his creativity and his passion.

Cleaned morels and lamb sweetbreads waiting to be cooked

The deep earthy aroma of morels filled the apartment as he sautéed them with butter.  At the same time, he individually and carefully cooked each vegetable before putting them all together in the pot.  He knew exactly how each vegetable had to be prepared to enhance their natural sweetness and character, and he was not cutting any corners.

Chef Guillaume multi-tasking in his small kitchen

Before we knew it, a beautiful pot of asparagus, artichokes, peas, fingerling potatoes, haricot vert and garlic had been assembled on the tiny stovetop.  Meanwhile, he was finishing his morel sauce with cream and white wine from my cousin’s winery that I brought from Burgundy, and cooking it with the sweetbreads in the oven.

Beautiful farmers market vegetable pot

The rest of the crew set the table and decanted a bottle of my cousin’s red wine, Simon Bize et Fils Aux Vergelesses.  We all proceeded to crowd around the small kitchen to watch the chef in action, all the while drooling and wagging our tails.

Table is set, and wine is decanted

This ended up being one of the most memorable and delicious meals of my entire Europe trip.  There is just something so special about being invited into someone’s home and having a homecooked meal.  Shopping together at the market and seeing all of the fresh seasonal ingredients being transformed in front of my eyes in the kitchen also heightens the experience.   Everything was delicious, especially the lamb sweetbreads with morel mushrooms.

Delicious market vegetable pot

Succulent ris d'agneau with morel cream sauce

Of course we had the obligatory post-dinner cheese plate, again all selected by Guillaume at the cheese stand at the farmers market.  It included goat cheese with ashes and pepper, fresh goat cheese from goat’s milk that had just been milked the day before, and a Comté from the North Alps.

After dinner farmers market cheese plate

Guillaume busted out his espuma gun for fresh whipped cream to complement the juicy strawberries.

Succulent market strawberries

What a perfect weekend so far in Lyon, I thought, as I drifted away in a post-prandial snooze on the couch…

Random trivia:  Did you know that morel mushrooms, otherwise known as brain mushrooms, honeycomb mushrooms, or sponge mushrooms, are the official state mushrooms of Minnesota?