Xerta

It had been six years since Littleboboon set foot in Barcelona last. On our way to Lanzarote island we decided to make a stopover in this beautiful city to meet with old friends.

To celebrate the occasion, we invited them to Xerta, a one-Michelin-star restaurant located in a five-star hotel called Ohla Barcelona.

Xerta restaurant is the domain of the chef Fran Lopez and his brother Joaquim. Fran Lopez is a disciple of Alain Ducasse and one of the youngest chefs in the world to obtain the coveted Michelin star for his cooking.

The chef offers a cuisine from the Delta de l’Ebre to Barcelona. For lunch, the customers have three choices: the Homage Menu with eleven dishes (135 euros), the Delta Menu with five dishes (55 Euros) and the Executive Menu with two starters, one dish of meat or fish and the choice of two desserts and two glasses of wines for 42 Euros, which is a great deal – and what we opted for.

The starters were from the different corners of the Delta de l’Ebre, each bouchée was a delicatessen. The main dishes were Baby Duck with mustard and fines herbs and Sea Bream from Sant Carles de la Rapita, both perfectly cooked and very tasteful. Finally for dessert: a Mango and Passion fruit with nitrogen and yoghurt ice cream, and Milk Chocolate Crab, sandy beach crumble, green rocks and basil cockles. A perfect ending to a great lunch.

The wine served with the meal was a very good white wine called L’Indià from Catedral Del Vi.

The service was smooth and easy going -- and in English.

Fran Lopez definitely deserves his star in the Michelin guide, for his skills and for bringing regional cooking to Barcelona.

Xerta Restaurante

Carrer de Còrsega, 289,

08008 Barcelona, Spain

Tel :  +34 937 37 90 80

.www.xertarestaurant.com