The one that marked the end of the first decade of the noughties, and the stunning news that El Bullì in Roses, Costa Brava—for years the most influential restaurant on earth—would close its doors for dinner in 2011. It was also the year, as many of us felt the grip of the recession tighten, that we began to place greater value on breaking bread with our friends, family and neighbours. We stayed home, cooked more and spend our Euros in the markets. Michelin starred chefs downgraded to tapas bars and bistros (Ferran and Albert Adrià will open their new tapas venture, Tickets Bar, on Paral.lel in February, but its open for cocktails as of next week) and we saw the rise of gourmet burger bars, sandwich joints, and sit-down deli’s. Places that were affordable, but fancy enough for a night out.
Mediterrasian – combining the delicacy of Japanese cooking techniques with the products of the Mediterranean - established itself well and truly on the dining landscape and Vietnamese restaurants out-opened Japanese ones. Pop-ups didn’t much happen in Barcelona, though I’d say keep an eye out for them in 2011, but private dining rooms in people’s apartments flourished (ditto). El País reported the rise of restaurants polivalentes (multi-purpose) where dinner also came with books, literature, art or performance; menus became digitised; and we shouted less about organics and more about locavores.
As usual I ate and drank my way around more than my fare share of places some memorable, some memorably grim. On the whole though, I felt that standards had risen as people demanded more for their money and seemed less willing to put up with that old nonsense of style over substance. Producers like Carpier, purveyors of anything smoked, and Els Casals fine charcuterie are becoming the new foodie stars, outshining the chefs. The same is generally true of wines, particularly the small, maverick makers some of whom are eschewing the D.O. in favour of dancing to the beat of their own drums.
I’m still waiting on a great, new breed of cava makers to emerge. For now my favourites remain as they’ve always been: Albet I Noya, Llopart, Parxet. But I’ve drunk some fantastically good wine for under €10. The best white of 2010 for me was the multi-award winning Alma de Blanco, 2009 Godello, from the D.O. Monterrei in Galicia. It’s crisp and fresh with bright notes of pears and spices. It goes brilliantly with everything. In the red camp I loved Este 2008 from the Bodegas Alto Almanzora in Almeria, which is a Vino de la Tierra. It combines several grapes and is big on berries with sweetness and silkiness on the tongue thanks to French and American oak. For just trying wine by the glass, the best newcomer was tiny Bar Zim in the Barri Gòtic, run by the charming Francesc who chooses extraordinary small production suppliers and sells them by the glass.
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