FOOD

Food is a very important issue in this part of spain

 

Catalonia has a rich culinary tradition. Typically Mediterranean flavors predominate in Catalan cuisine. These include olive oil, garlic, onions, tomatoes, nuts, and dried fruits. People here love gazpacho, tortilla de patatas, and paella as much as in the rest of Spain. It has its own identity. A favorite Catalan dish is escudella I carn d'olla, a boiled meal-in-a-pot comparable to the French potau-feu. Meats and sausages are simmered with vegetables; the broth is then served with pasta as a first course, with the rest served as the main course. Catalonians are fond of mushrooms. About six dozen edible varieties grow in their homeland. Mushrooms often appear sautéed as an appetizer (tapas) or as an ingredient in soups, sauces, and stews.

 

Catalans also mix meat and seafood in the same recipe—it’s called mar i muntanya, which means “sea and mountain” in Catalan—in a way that seems rather odd in the rest of Spain. And Catalans have a huge tradition of pork sausages—fuets, butifarras—but they don’t use paprika in them, like in chorizo. They also like garlic A LOT, in their most distinctive sauces aioli ["garlic and oil" in Catalan], or romesco. They have quite unique ways to treat vegetables, burning their skins to get them a smoky flavor, like in escalivada, or to thicken sauces in fish or meat stews. Flour is never really used, but a “picada” (an almond, parsley and garlic mix) gets added at the end of the cooking process. They invented one of the best things in the whole world: pa amb tomàquet, toasted bread scrubbed with ripe fresh tomato, garlic, salt, and olive oil. In the beginning of the year they have Calcots. This is a traditional kind of food, a vegetable like a sping onion (not the same) prepared outside on a fire. The Calcots are burned black and when, taken from the fire, are wrapped in newspaper to yarn. When they are ready to eat, the inside part of the calcot is pulled out and dipped in a almond sauce. A nice tradition to spend some time outside with family and friends. The Calcotadas are done in January until march..

 

Not a surprise that Catalonia has a very high concentration of Michelin starred restaurants, perhaps more than any other place on Earth. With a fantastic selection of fresh local produce at their disposal Catalan chefs have always led the way in Gastronomic innovation. Ferran Adria and his ground breaking restaurant El Bulli, is quite possibly the most famous chef in the world.

 

EL CELLER DE CAN ROCA

Named best restaurant in the world in 2013 and 2015 by The World's 50 Best Restaurants, this place, 2km west of central Girona in a refurbished country house, is run by three brothers. The focus is ‘emotional cuisine’ through ever-changing takes on Catalan dishes. The style is playful and a full range of molecular gastronomy techniques is employed. The voluminous wine list arrives on a trolley. Book online 11 months in advance; if you haven't, you can join a standby list.

 

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Of course the food is good at, but even more important is the overall experience that makes it worthwhile visiting this place.

 

Finding a good restaurant in this area is not very difficult, you can visit many places and we like to share some of our favorites with you.

Besalu

Restaurant Curia Real

Plaça Libertat, 8-9, Besalú, Girona, España

Tel +34 972 59 02 63

 

Menu of the day: 25 euro incl. wine

 

Good quality, terrace with view over the bridge. Lunch and dinner

Pont Vell

C/ Pont Vell, 24 BESALÚ 17850

España

Tel. +34 972 59 10 27

 

A la carte: +/- 50 euro incl. wine

 

Good quality, terrace with view over the bridge. Dinner from 20.30h.

Oliveras

Calle Pau Clarís, 13, 17850 Besalú España

Tel. +34 972 59 03 92

 

Menu of the day 9,50 euro incl. wine

 

Nice buffet menu. Possible to eat in the garden. Only lunch from 13.00h.

La Cova Criolla

Ganganell, 2, 17850, Besalu

España

Tel. +34 972591344

 

Pizza and empanadas: 10 euro incl. wine

 

Nice housemade food.

Dinner from 19.00 h.

Can quei

Sant Vicenc, 4, 17850, Besalu

España

Tel. +34 972590085

 

Typical Catalan dishes: 15 euro incl. wine

 

Lunch and dinner

Around besalu

Carles Antoner

Placa Major, 17745 Lladó

España

Tel. +34 972 55 37 11

 

Nice fresh lunch menu: 14 euro incl. wine

 

Catalan cuisine

Lunch and dinner

Marisqueria GILS

C/ Sant Mer, 111 Baixos, 17820 Banyoles 

España

Tel. +34 972 57 28 52

 

Lunch menu: 17 euro incl. wine

 

The best seafood in the area

Lunch and dinner

La Carpa

Passeig Darder, s/n, 17820 Banyoles 

España

Tel. +34 972 58 28 25

 

Lunch menu: 12 incl. wine

 

Food is ok but the setting is fantastic

Lunch

Can Roquet

Plaça de l'Esglèsia, 17246

Romanyà de la Selva

España

Tel. +34 972 83 30 81

 

 a la carte:  40 euro incl. wine

 

Nice food, well presented, great setting

Lunch and dinner

Raku

Plaça del Firal, 3, 17121 Corçà

España

Tel. +34 972 63 02 40

 

Tapas

 

Very tasty food

Lunch and dinner

Els jardins de la merce

Pujada de la Mercè, 10, 17004 Girona

España

Tel. +34 972 22 68 45

 

Menu degustacion :  25 euro incl. wine

 

Several dishes to try, nice garden

Lunch and dinner

Compartir

Riera de Sant Vicenç, s/n, 17488 Cadaqués

España

Tel. +34 972 25 84 82

 

Plates to share, high quality, +7- 60 euro

 

Lunch and dinner

Artusi

Plaça de les Castanyes, 6, 17004 Girona

España

Tel. +34 972 48 73 27

 

a la carte :  +7- 40 euro incl. wine

 

Nice. modern restuarant with mediterranean food

Lunch and dinner

Can Mia

GIV-5147, 6, 17843 Palol de Revardit

España

Tel. +34 972 59 42 46

 

Typical Catalan dishes, 22 euro incl. wine

 

Lunch and dinner