Tickets and Pakta, unlimited flavours
17-03-2015
Albert Adrià (full name: Albert Adrià Acosta, hence the triple stylised “A” in his logo) is the soul of the restaurants grouped under the Bcn5.0 “umbrella”. We visited three of them, the main ones: two unforgettable meals, and a disappointing one
El Bulli orphans are left without parents; still they can console themselves with various stepfathers. One can hear El Bulli echoes at Tickets, the first restaurant in the Catalan series of Albert Adrià: a success that has nothing in common with the traditional restaurant (informal service, chaos, you can eat at the table or at the bar, nothing is elegant except for the food), but which for four years now has conquered gourmands, sold-out is a rule here, even though prices are not quite those of a taperia. The experience is of the highest level and evokes the bullian myth, the genius of the Adrià brothers.
An ode to olives, that is, yet Tickets is much more than that, a fascinating kaleidoscope of flavours and textures. The best, according to our notebook: marinated beef loin on black malt bread, sweet onion, smoked cheese and powdered vinegar; a “banal” Gillardeau oyster was extraordinarily married with yuzu kimchi, yet then you wonder how a simple wild strawberry can enrich its charm with such surprising secondary aromas. We are left speechless even in front of a crazy Raf tomato salad, with basil air, extra virgin olive oil, pistachio oil, mandarin gelatine, milk stracciatella and, again, wild strawberries. Pure magic.
Wild whiting, tiger’s milk, mashed sweet potato, toasted chestnut, caramelised chestnut, porcon mushroom and coriander, a dish signed by Dani Miro, a young member of the team at Pakta
In the face of these splendid experiences, we feel the offer of Hoja Santa fades; while Pakta aims at aromas while keeping them at bay, the taste notes in the Mexican cuisine of Paco Mendez – especially the spicy ones – seem rather out of control. A great delusion, frankly speaking.
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An outdoor trip or a journey to the other side of the planet? One thing is for sure: the destination is delicious, by Carlo Passera
by
journalist born in 1974, for many years he has covered politics, mostly, and food in his free time. Today he does exactly the opposite and this makes him very happy. As soon as he can, he dives into travels and good food. Identità Golose's editor in chief