Quick bites: El Sifó d’en Garriga
One of my favourite restaurants in Barcelona, La Cuina d’en Garriga, recently opened a snack bar and vermutería just next door to its bright red facade on Consell de Cent, between Passeig de Gràcia and Rambla de Catalunya. With walls clad in shining white tiles below exposed brick, and lined with vintage soda siphons and tall mirrors, the aptly-named El Sifó d’en Garriga is a non-stop kitchen specialising in ‘simple’ dishes. However, these snacks, tapas and sandwiches have much more to them than meets the eye.
The Girona-born owner, Helena Garriga, comes from a family of soda siphon producers, and this legacy has greatly shaped the decor and cuisine of her new eatery. El Sifó d’en Garriga was conceptualised as a place for a drink and a snack with friends, or perhaps a pre-dinner aperitivo for those awaiting their table at La Cuina d’en Garriga.
The fresh and vibrant hummus of green peas, tahini, cumin and mint was exceptional, spread on slender toast rounds and crunchy slabs of coca de cristal bread rubbed with ripe tomatoes and drizzled with fragrant olive oil from Tarragona.
The origins of its gourmet products are extremely important, hence the proud presentation of Nømad coffee, Baluard and Forn Sant Josep bread, Cinco Jotas jamón, and Zallo tuna, among others. Of the 30 or so dishes on the menu at El Sifó, 12 are cured meats and cheeses, while olives, crisps and anchovies make up much of the aperitius section. The larger platillos include a unique salmon tartare that is served in a shallow bowl, surrounded by an intensely citric and thick vinaigrette of kumquat, mint and basil, which exploded with racy acidity and heady herbaceousness in the mouth.
All in all, apart from toasted bread and the six grill-pressed sandwiches, the majority of the menu is served cold or room temperature. There are some modern sandwiches, but I prefer the classics. The pepito of thin, grilled steak is a must, as is the sandwich of spreadable sobrassada with honey and fresh cheese, a heavenly combination of sweet and salty. There are various vegetarian options on the menu, and perhaps the most delicious (after the pea hummus) was the falafel. Instead of frying the mix of chickpeas and herbs as in a traditional falafel, here they make it into a purée and spread it on seed-studded bread with vegan soy yoghurt and preserved lemon rind; just one of many pleasant surprises at this little locale with big character.
El Sifó d’en Garriga, Consell de Cent 308, T. 93 215 7215, Mon-Fri 8am-midnight, Sat-Sun 9am-midnight