One of my favorite dining experiences in Girona! The food was exceptional--succulent lamb chops,…read morerich and comforting cannelloni, and crispy fried artichokes with romesco sauce that I still dream about. To top it off, the cardamom-infused tea was a fragrant, soothing finish and the desserts...wow. The rustic setting added so much charm, and the owner was incredibly kind and welcoming. Truly an unforgettable meal and experience.

Good food is easy to find in Girona. Exceptional food is more of a rarity. El Cul del Món hits it…read moreon the head; beginning with this beautiful stone building and impressive metal sign that greets you, big and bright windows are welcoming from the dark street outside. Everything about El Cul was divine. The appetizers (Moroccan salad, pumpkin soup, and meat selection) were tasty and just the right portion. The artisanal bread did come with a 1.10 supplement fee - kind of tacky but entirely worth it. And the olive oil? Good grief that stuff is liquid gold. Get the bread for the olive oil alone! My lamb shank entree was a very hearty serving and cooked to perfection. Crispy on the outside and succulent in. My friends had the chicken cannelloni which was much more petite yet still delish. (Save your pasta ordering for Italy. They do great rice dishes in Spain and this was tasty, but vai a Italia per la pasta della nonna!) Other friend's sea bass was cooked to perfection. Chocolate desserts, oh my! Yup, get those too.

This place is off the beaten path but it is worth the drive. We came here because I wanted duck…read moreConfit. Maybe part of the reason I traveled from California. This place is not touristy at all but the Catalan/French influence is strong. It's in a very rural area. I assume everything they cook is sourced locally. Roquefort icecream on a salad anyone? Very relaxed and unpretentious if you're heading up south of France or heading down to Barcelona....they are open at 1:30pm for lunch. Come hungry.

Completely wonderful. Please go here. Seriously, we came back a second night- from an hour away-…read morejust to have another round. Everything is locally sourced (main components at least), fresh, absolutely delicious and deftly prepared. Albert (chef, owner), and La Barretina, were suggested by our Airbnb host who is another local. He is kind and gracious, excited to share his space and food, and proud to serve the quality he does- rightfully so. The place is in the middle of a rural part of Catalonia, and there isn't much going on- making it quite unassuming. The wine selection is completely locally made and held in a separate cellar attached which Albert will help you with. All bottles totally affordable- recommend trying "Mas Polit", we got a second bottle to go! After that, go wild. The menu is phenomenal. It's simple and humble but the food it stellar. Truly special, the flavors will impress and satisfy anyone from the food conservative to any foodie. The cannelloni are house made rich and delicate, onion cake is sweet, savory and unctuous, and the duck is ridiculous. We tried maybe 8 or 9 items between the two nights and everything was tremendous. I could keep going, but I think I've made the point. Please make an effort to get out to this area of Catalonia- it isn't far from Barcelona. The area totally deserves your attention and time and specifically this restaurant is worth the day trip.

We are completely confused. This restaurant is well-reviewed and the owner has published two…read morecookbooks, so our group of 4 were all shocked to be served what could most accurately be described as hospital food. The starter salad was not fresh and not seasoned. The vegetable of the day was overcooked boiled potatoes and green beans with no seasoning. The soup of the day was as thick as glue, and again, under-seasoned. The fresh hake was deep fried and overcooked. The "steak" was a cheap cut, maybe 3mm thin, and looked like something that would be served at a prison. We sat at the restaurant looking at online photos from positive reviews, wondering if we had shown up on the chef's day off. We do not speak Catalan, but when our waitress came to clear our plates, and saw that we hadn't eaten some items, she made it clear that she understood why. We had a dozen items. The pork cheek was decent. The ice cream was fine. The crema was fine. Nothing else. This was easily the worst meal we had in a MONTH in Catalonia.

We came here at the recommendation of a local and I have a feeling that it will be hard to find…read moreanother restaurant during our trip to Spain that beats this place and both value and taste. We were told that the sons of the owners of this restaurant own the 3 Michelin star restaurant just down the street. It's no wonder their kids have cooking chops because the food at Can Roca is as good as home made gourmet food gets. For two people with drinks, our 3 course meal (not counting a poached egg complementary starter) came out to less than 30 euros! We came at the end of the lunch crowd, around 4pm, when they were closing their lunch hours and reopening later for dinner. Despite the odd hour, the restaurant was completely packed but we didn't have to wait long to get a table. The whole place was locals only. Their menu is small and we were told they were already out of quite a few items. We basically told our server to give us whatever they had still available and whatever else she recommended. I can't tell you the names of the dishes but everything was just spectacular. We had these potato croquettes that were so divine, a bit salty from the meat mixed in, but super creamy. Even the potato and peas dish turned out to be really good- simple but satisfying. For the main dishes, we got the ribs with roasted chestnuts, and a stewed beef with mushrooms. The meats were so tender. And then for dessert we got some type of chocolate mousse with cookie crumbles and a coconut cream mousse with pineapple bits. This is the stuff you can expect to get at a fancy restaurant, definitely not at a mom and pop shop. Needless to say, we left very full and will definitely be back next time we are here.

It's been a decade since I came here for my first Tapas in BCN. This is where I realized there was…read morea lot of my peeps that works there and it's nice to feel at home, lol. This was recommended by friends awhile back, I remembered the modern ambiance, amazing Tapas, friendly service and the place was as busy then until now. For this big restaurant caliber, it's pretty crowded yet they do a good job with a fast turnaround. We did the early Dinner and by the time we got out there was already a long line for late Diners. The fact that even after a decade, it's rare that I go back to the same spot let alone they're still around after all these years. You already know that tells a lot and I feel bad for those who didn't have the same great experience, hope they give it another shot. See y'all soon! Salut, Vermouth!

Walking down the street on Rambla and a "Huge Line" has gathered outside Cerveseria Catalana…read more Something special must be happening here to have this big of a crowd waiting. My son had been here last year and thought, it was a solid. We put our name in, went to a nearby park bench to wait and watch people for 50 minutes. The servers outside are grumpy as to many people are crowding the sidewalk and impeding his service. Finally, our name was called, were seated at the bar, and watched a chef make the magic dishes. The menu is huge and I can't help but watch the delicious dishes flying by us. So little time and yet so many great choices, this won't be easy. We began with the beef tenderloin montadito foie gras. It was presented as a open face sandwich on a bagette. We split it as it had a huge piece of foie gras. The tenderloin was tough and the tapas tasted like indivdual components, not a blended or refined profile. The grilled razor clams were nicely cooked, slightly gritty and needed to be washed more thoroughly. The Spanish omelet wedge was spiritual, dish of the night award. The onion made the dish! The sliced fried artichoke was finely shaved, and again lacked a enjoyable flavor that I would order again. The chips with fried eggs and Jabugo ham was different, tasty and a concept I would not of thought about. Delicious! Casveseria Catalanahe was packed and stacked for a reason. A high vibe and energy even in the face of a revolt at the check in desk from hungry dinners. I came say without hesitation, we will give them a second try. The staff was friendly, engaging, warm and a good sense of humor, nothing but smiles. I can't wait for our next trip to Cerveseria Catalana and let them tell me what to order. Good luck and see you sooner than later.

Being a chef. I'm very critical. So here is a true review from someone that know what is talking…read moreabout So we are here at lunch Our server Hamza Is awesome. Menu in 3 languages Food 5 star. Service 5 star. Welcoming very good Not sure what else to say If you want a real experience. And a good taste of spain. This in the place to come to Sincerely. John barbier

Just outside a Spanish farmhouse were we are staying is the town of Figueres and the closest…read moredining option. Tonight we want a change from the hotel and elected to catch a cab into Figueres to dine at Sidreria Txots Figueres. We want a town restaurant and to explore the area. 15 minute taxi ride and we arrived in Figueres at Sidreria Txots for dinner. The place has EDM music and feels like a hip, young person spot. We got a window table to people watch and perused the menu. The Iberico ham croquetts were first with a perfect crunch, soft and savory inside. The mango, pickled onions, stracciatella cheese and lettuce salad had a lime dressing. The flavors were bold, crispy and sweet with mango. An enjoyable treat. Our next selection was the calamari a la planca that was perfectly grilled, drizzled with olive oil and lightly salted. It had a good taste, not overcooked and great charred marks. This was another good choice. Our final selection was the 1/2 grilled pulpo a la braso octopus. This was a huge helping for only one half of an octopus. It was good, just a large portion. The staff was very helpful with the English menu and answering questions. They directed us to where the town square was and the super market. Sidreria Txots Figueres was a decent stop but more of a younger, hipper spot than a quiet relaxing environment. The food was still good. It appears with the crowd dining there that Txots is here to stay.

We were fortunate that the host was kind enough to squeeze us in before the next reservation…read morearrived. I wanted to try everything on the menu, but my wife was not game. For starters: Iberian ham croquette made with sheep milk from Mas Mercè - pretty standard Pâté de campagne with foie micuit, pistachios and pickles - this we didn't finish probably because we were drawn to other things Warm salad of grilled seasonal vegetables, green lettuce sprouts, dried apricots and cured duck breast - really enjoyed this one! Grilled tuna belly with almond Meunière sauce, persimmons, fennel and citrus fruits - can't go wrong with tuna belly, and the sauce was good Sacha omelette with red prawn carpaccio and its juice - I pretty much gave up on this one since my wife doesn't like shrimp, but moments later they offered up a half portion! I like this one a lot! Meat: Wellington fillet with Café Paris sauce, onion and dried plums - this was definitely the best thing we had. It was perfectly cooked and the sauce was amazing. We were too full for dessert, but they felt badly that we had to rush out before the next reservation so they sent us off with sweets. Really appreciated the extra attention the staff gave us to ensure an excellent experience despite not having a reservation. What a good find!

Recommend it? Dios Mio! OMG, YES! (Our BEST meal in our 5-week stay in Barcelona)…read more Return again? DEFINITELY (A MUST HOMAGE whenever in Spain!) Overall: 5+ out of 5 in EVERY ASPECT Taste: 5+/5 Out of this world (if you are into "fine dining" at a NORMAL Average Joe approach/price by the owners of one of the World's Best/3-Michelin "Celler de Can Roca" then you've come to the right place) Quality: 5+/5 Spectacularly fresh, local in every way, including the regional Empordas wines! Service: 5+/5 The young lady was nice and explained in English very elaborately on dishes that we inquired about. Value: 5+/5 If you know, you know. This kind of Michelin-like approach and quality at around $50-80 per head with wine and a shared dessert is UNBELIEVABLY AFFORDABLE and of the HIGHEST VALUE! X-factor: 5+/5 Only a 40-45 min high speed train ride from Barcelona's Estacio Sants metro/train hub to Girona. Day trip in the Medieval town of Girona is excellent. Plenty to see, eat and enjoy. BONUS: Just minutes away, go see the GOT (Game of Thrones) Season 6 filming locations for Braavos such as the cathedral and the Arab Bath, plus a few more! Note: Be sure to book a reservation at restaurant and for your high speed from Barcelona ahead! I booked 1 week in advance for a mid-July lunch.

Hungry after visiting the Dali Museum, we searched for a place to eat. I saw this place on google…read moremaps with some good reviews and the few reviews on Yelp concurred, so we decided to go for it. Boy, were we glad we did. Aside from warm and friendly service, each dish was presented with a thoughtful, artistic touch. The restaurant itself was petite but the clean lines and laid back vibe evoked a design aesthetic that permeated through decor and dishes. Everything was perfectly cooked. The tenderness of the pork and freshness of the vegetables, fish and seafood spoke volumes of the cooking technique as well as emphasis on local and seasonal ingredients. If I had one knock it would be the paella was slightly too salty, but aside from that, bravo! We didn't have time to try desserts but if we ever come back to Figueres would love to visit this place again.

Surreal! Not only was the food a work of art, the flavors were something all-together new…read more Service was phenomenal. Do not miss this restaurant if you are in the area!

While Roses maybe overshadowed by the legend of El Bulli and then Rafa's by those in the know,…read morethere is a place in the streets away from the tourist crush. Walk a few blocks away from the water closer to the residential areas and you'll find Cal Negre. Literally a redone house with a large kitchen/fume hood in the middle of the building. We sat outside on a nice warm day and literally we're on the patio of the house. It's like eating in someone's back yard. Specializing in the seafood from the Cap de Creus that Roses is right off of, they also have some other Catalan fare. However you'd best focus on that seafood. Tiger prawns, langoustines and one of the best l'arròs de llagosta I've ever had. A whole lobster on top of an amazing bed or rice with a bunch of surprises throughout. As I kept digging we found mantis shrimp (galera), small harbor crabs (franqueta?), and txipirones (small squid). So damn good across the board. The family were super nice to us and they could tell we were enjoying their food. One of the servers also took the time to teach us some Catalan so we could learn more about the food. If you make your way up the Costa Brava and pass through this area, drop in, get a pitcher of sangria and enjoy some amazing local seafood