In the Beginning

Albert Adrià put his entrepreneurial talents to good use in 2006, when he opened Inopia Classic Bar in Calle Tamarit alongside his childhood friend, Joan Martínez. The establishment quickly came to be considered a groundbreaker in Barcelona’s gastrobar sector, since this was one of the first times that a fine dining chef tried his hand at informal culinary offerings. In 2011, Adrià took another decisive step in his career, signing up with the Iglesias Group – a standard bearing gastronomic concern run by three brothers: Juan Carlos, Borja, and Pedro. The Group’s success can be traced back to popular seafood restaurant Rías de Galicia, opened three decades ago. Currently, it has expanded into consultancy for no less than the Barcelona Football Club, among many other clients.

It’s 41º in Here

41º (now known as 41º Experience), launched in 2011, was elBarri’s first venue. Starting out as a cocktail bar, it aimed to find the perfect marriage between cocktails and snacks, something which El Bulli had already managed to do successfully. Within its first year of existence, the restaurant had formulated a tasting menu, which features 41 haute cuisine creations – including snacks, finger foods, cocktails and drinks – many of which obtain their inspiration from countries as far off as Scandinavia, Mexico, Japan, and the Mediterranean. The dessert list alone is vast, containing eight sweet bites including a green tea and mandarin ‘sable’ and a black grosella meringue with yoghurt ice-cream and lemon. The restaurant achieved its first Michelin star in 2013 and was named the 74th Best Restaurant in the World at the 2014 Food Oscars.

Tickets and the Tapas Way of Life

Tickets, physically connected to the 41º cocktail bar but boasting its own entrance, pays homage to ‘tapeo’ as a way of life. At this restaurant, also opened in 2011, contemporary and traditional dishes sit side by side, and eclecticism reigns supreme. Directed by Fran Agudo in the kitchen and Xavi Alba in the dining room, Tickets invites tapas lovers to experience haute cuisine through the once-humble tapas. For this writer, an unbeatable dish is undoubtedly the bone marrow with aubergine, flame grilled and served within a slab of bone.

Pakta: Big in Japan

In 2013, Albert Adrià’s love for Japanese and Peruvian cuisine led to the establishment of Pakta (meaning ‘union’ in Quechua): a restaurant headed by young Chefs Kyoko Li and Jorge Muñoz. The aim was to delight savvy diners with fusion dishes bearing a Mediterranean air. Diners can opt for the tasting menu or order à la carte. Restaurant Magazine deems the fried Causa chicken with chicken and tarragon mayonnaise as the star dish though, in our opinion, few things beat the spicy tuna tartar with puffed quinoa and soy wafers, served on a paper fine nori seaweed crisp. The tasting menu, meanwhile, is lengthy indeed, with a heavy focus on sushi and ceviche. The ingredients list is vast and contains fresh fish, corn, ají peppers, yuca, algae from around the world, and flavourful flower petals.

Bodega 1900

This venue was opened in 2013 to pay homage to the ‘fer el vermut’, old-style bodegas that play an important role in Spanish and Catalan tradition. Here, the menu comprises cold cuts, pickles, preserves, homemade stews and more. Many dishes are cooked in a Josper oven, using only fresh, seasonal ingredients. Niño Viejo and Hoja Santa In 2014, Adrià joined Paco Méndez to offer diners a gastronomic journey into the heart of Mexican cuisine. The idea was to create a ‘double concept’ restaurant that specialised in two areas. Adrià was intent on paying homage to Mexican tacos and street food through dishes served in an informal, laidback setting – thus, Niño Viejo was born. Hoja Santa, meanwhile, uses the ingredients and techniques of traditional Mexican cuisine to create a dining experience that is faithful to the Mexican culture.

Niño Viejo and Hoja Santa

In 2014, Adrià joined Paco Méndez to offer diners a gastronomic journey into the heart of Mexican cuisine. The idea was to create a ‘double concept’ restaurant that specialised in two areas. Adrià was intent on paying homage to Mexican tacos and street food through dishes served in an informal, laidback setting – thus, Niño Viejo was born. Hoja Santa, meanwhile, uses the ingredients and techniques of traditional Mexican cuisine to create a dining experience that is faithful to the Mexican culture.

Enigma

In January 2017, one of Barcelona’s best reputed restaurants opened its doors: the aptly named Enigma, focused on solving gastronomic, scientific, and artistic mysteries, as its name would suggest. Just a stone’s throw away from 41º Experience, Enigma is a mysterious, ethereally designed venue in which water seemingly flows down from the ceiling, clouds hover above the table, and chairs are reminiscent of seashells floating in an ocean storm. Food and Wine Gazette notes that Adrià spent upwards of €3 million on the interiors.

Enigma aims to present a new way of enjoying a dining experience. Journalist Pau Arenós called it a “post-restaurant,” not in the sense of ‘after’ but of ‘beyond’. A team of 28 delicately prepare, cut, slice, cook, and present nearly 40 different dishes, considered the highest expression of the abilities of Albert Adrià. The combinations are bold and risky and the restaurant itself (known in Barcelona as a ‘culinary amusement park), one in constant evolution.

Enigma is indeed a unique experience. Guests book a seat online, paying around €100, which is subtracted from the final bill. The client receives a code the staff types into a machine, which enables guests to enter a dreamlike world. Dishes range from pea teadrops and frozen caviar to the Air pancake with pine-nut paste. The creations are so elaborate and visually impactful that you will be tempted to upload every single one to your social media pages. A word of warning, though: any photos must be taken for personal use and cannot be shared without prior authorisation from the restaurant.

WORDS MARISA CUTILLAS PHOTOGRAPHY © MOITORNE.COM

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