Growing up in the kitchen of the family restaurant can prove to be one of the best hands-on…read moretraining in the culinary arts, as it did for Chef Sergi de Meia. In his namesake restaurant in Barcelona, he creates an authentic Catalonia-inspired menu using only certified local ingredients that are sustainable, organic, and ethically sourced wherever possible. Sergi de Meia's commitment to not only outstanding cuisine, but also to the environment and the community is impressive. A friend and I enjoyed an outstanding dinner at Sergi de Meia. The staff was wonderful, providing impeccable and attentive service that goes above and beyond the standard of hospitality. I thought the restaurant design was beautiful, and while the space is narrow and deep, the décor is light and contemporary, which makes for a great atmosphere. We share similar tastes, so my friend and I each ate the same dishes. We started with a taste of cauliflower cream, with pea shoots and crushed nuts. The cream was smooth and the nuts added a crunchy texture. The local asparagus with sheep's cheese cream and herbs was fresh and earthy, the vegetable tender and not tough, while the cream was salty and seasoned with the right mix of herbs. We also tried eggs and potato riojana style, and the flavors really gave a sense of the famous region of Spain. During the main course, we enjoyed fresh fish from the local market, with fresh green peas, chanterelle and saffron, which added a beautiful dose of color. We also loved the dish of local sheep, pumpkin, egg and cheese, as the texture provided an outstanding mouthfeel and is the epitome of local comfort food. For dessert, the server recommended the specialty chickpea fritters with cream, which use the traditional Catalonian chickpea flour. They were sweet and dense, a perfect way to end the delicious meal.

My partner and I made reservations a few weeks ago from California. We noted the crab allergy…read moreonline, the Chef was on top of it when we arrived. It was incredible to think that the Chef that arranged the menu, brought our food, gave us a bit of a story behind the dishes. All while looking over as the crowd steadily built through our dinner. It is such a rare dinning experience. We had a prefix menu with some options to select from. The timing was great, not fast giving you time to enjoy every bite. The food was hot which was important since it was such delicate dishes. So much flavor, we tried food outside our comfort zone and loved it. Chef Sergi really nails the pairings in food selection. I do not believe you can get a better meal than here in all of Barcelona. We only wish he had a restaurant in Los Angeles, California.