Enoteca: Paco Pérez’s obra maestra

In the past decade, the Spaniards were able to achieve a level of distinction and authority in the culinary world that no other can rival.  Every year since 2002, a Spanish restaurant has placed as one of the Top 3 restaurants in the world.  In fact, Chef Ferran Adria’s El Bulli ranked No. 1 for 5 of the past 10 years.  Today, although the top spot is comfortably claimed by Noma of Denmark, the 2nd and 3rd seats are taken by restaurants from Spain.
To expect good food from the Spaniards, therefore, is simply inescapable.
We decided to sample Barcelona’s finest fare at Enoteca—one of Barcelona’s Top 10 restaurants and led by Costa Brava’s pride, Chef Paco Pérez.  Rated with two Michelin stars, we knew we were in a for an amazing evening of good food and—given that the name of the restaurant literally translates to “wine repository”—several glasses of amazing vino.
Located at Hotel Arts, guests of Enoteca will be greeted by no less than luminous modern elegance and classy detail:

We opted for the tasting menu with wine pairing which had us feasting over 17 dishes and 5 different kinds of wine.  They served a full vegetarian ensemble for my other half whilst I opted for the regular offering.
Each dish that was put in front of us was absolutely delicious.  True to Chef Paco Pérez’s style, ingredients are very simple allowing the taste to shine.  But what I love the most is that each plate was nothing short of beautiful.  The prelude of Catalan-inspired amuse-bouche were dainty, elegant and at times even delicate.  The rice dishes were plated so precisely that you can almost measure where each scallion ring sat, or where every sunflower sprout fell.  And consistent with the rest of the works of art in the city, Enoteca did not hold back on the infusion of colour–electric green, bright orange, or even both at the same time.
My favourite plates are the caprese salad with its ensemble of spheres, the very elegant rice and prawn plate, and the very colourful dessert plate aptly called “green, forever green.”

Three hours after the first gazpacho was served to us, we headed home fed, full and without doubt, full-fledged fans.  If you ever visit Barcelona, I definitely recommend a meal at Enoteca.  Click the images below to see the full-size photos from the evening, followed by the spectacular wine list:

From the cellar:

Blanca Cuisine 2008 D.O. Cava
Pinot Noir, Chardonnay
Valldolina Xarel·lo 2010 D.O. Penedès
Xarel·lo
Londoño Blanco 201 D.O. Ca Rioja
Viura, Malvasia, Garnatxa Blanca
Algueira 2007 D.O. Ribera Sacra
Mencia
Jorge Ordoñez Seleccion Especial 2008 D.O. Malaga
Muscat de Alexandria

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