A three star Yelp rating translates to "A-OK," and that is indeed how my wife, brother in law, and I felt after lunch at Compartir. I chose this much hyped restaurant since the original in Cadaques achieved rave reviews and the team running the show carries 2 Michelin stars. Unfortunately, the food disappointed and represented the worst meal we had in Barcelona.
First, the good. The restaurant is beautiful, with the space anchored by a bold blue bar and punctuated by ornate chandeliers and nautical, Mediterranean accents. The space feels fresh and is eye catching without being over the top. Additionally, our cocktails were quite balanced and refreshing, and likely were the best we tried in Barcelona.
The food did hit a couple high notes. The sardine dish here is stunning, comprising perfectly marinated filets paired with a technicolor array of carrot sauces. Our table also enjoyed the tuna cannelloni, croquettes with tuna, and oysters with ajo blanco and black garlic, though these did not impress to the same degree as the sardines.
Two of the dishes we ordered fell pretty flat. The razor clams suffered from the unnecessary accoutrements of woody asparagus and a thick sauce, which distracted from the otherwise quality shellfish. The signature crab comprised a layer of a mayo heavy crab salad topped with avocado and ponzu. That item bore unfortunate comparisons to canned tuna fish.
Service here was pleasant and professional, though unremarkable overall. Prices aren't eye poppingly high given the Michelin pedigree, but still above average. Compartir appears to predominantly cater to well heeled tourists, which made up the majority of our lunch crowd. Despite how pretty the space is and a couple standout items, I can't recommend the food at Compartir over other restaurants in the area. read more