El Bulli 'The World's Finest Restaurant'

fawlty · 14th February 2010, 04:56 PM

Never heard of it, but there again I am a bit of a Philistine when it comes to la comida. Anyone been?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...rmanently.html

Jules · 15th February 2010, 08:55 AM

Or to put it another way... when was the last time you spent £200 a head for a meal?

annabwashere · 15th February 2010, 10:20 AM

Not me personally, as I am not a fan of high cuisine. But friends have said it is overrated.

Anyway, the article is wrong. El Bulli is only closing for two years, not permanently, so there's time to get on the waiting list if you so desire.

MCP · 15th February 2010, 11:08 AM

No, from what I understand it's closing for some time, opening for a period of (I think) six months, then shutting for good, and then Ferran Adrià plans to open an academy for the research of advanced cooking.

Of course it was and is expensive...but what's wrong with a bit of high-value experimentation from time to time? I'd have gone if I could afford it.

Legazpi · 15th February 2010, 01:46 PM

Yes it was/is regarded as the best restaurant in the world by "those in the know" - it's along the same lines as Heston Blumenthal's "The Fat Duck" in the sense that they are quite scientific about their creations and use odd techniques (often involving liquid nitrogen). I can't say I dine there regularly

ValenciaSon · 15th February 2010, 01:50 PM

I wonder if the academy will allow the public to sample their academic pursuits.

delgado · 15th February 2010, 03:12 PM

Looks like I'll just have to settle for Mugaritz and Arzak then...

Ben · 15th February 2010, 03:15 PM

In El Pais today he states again that the 'closing' news was misquoted - he's just going to shut temporarily then change it to a 'fundacion' en 2014. I ate in Arzak once, but it's so long ago that I think I was too young (27) to appreicate it!

delgado · 15th February 2010, 03:55 PM

Going slightly off topic, the owner of Arzak is actually a really nice guy, he does a lot in the local community here, and often offers free meals as prizes in community events....
I know a guy from the barrio that won a meal there, and after he had finished the owner came over to his table to ask him how it was... The guy (politely and half jokingly) said to him "the food was nice, but I'm still hungry, I would have actually prefered a nice big plate of egg and chips"

.... The owner said (not in the least bit offended) "fine, wait a second, I´ll see what I can do" and had the chef cook him his egg and chips, which were also very nice, or so I'm told.

As for the food, I can't really say, as I've never eaten there and don't intend to. I guess that we are kind of spoilt here with so many very good restaurants in such a small area, with the food costing a fraction of the price (although still a bit expensive compared to other parts of Spain). "¡es que vamos, yo me conformo con el menú casero pues!"

dimonió · 15th February 2010, 05:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by delgado

Going slightly off topic, the owner of Arzak is actually a really nice guy, he does a lot in the local community here, and often offers free meals as prizes in community events....

There was a really interesting article in the January Spanish edition of Conde Nast Traveler magazine with Juan Mari Arzak pointing out his favourite places in San Sebastian, such as Resaca, Tamboril, Aloña Berri and Bergara ("el mejor bacalao ajoarriero que se puede encontrar").

He sounds a really down to earth guy and says of Adria Ferran - "yo me emociono cuando como lo que cocina Adria, pero también se me saltan las lágrimas con unos huevos fritos con chorizo".

I'm taking a copy of the article when we go to SS in May. Sounds as though it's going to add a good few inches to my waistline!

TotallyKen · 24th March 2010, 05:20 PM

So you can´t afford to eat in El Bulli or get a reservation there ? Not many people can but here is an interesting article from The Times from 2008 about the restaurants in the vicinity of the famed restaurant where the staff from El Bulli like to hang out and dine.

There´s also the restaurant at the El Bulli Hotel in the province of Sevilla.

El Salto · 8th April 2010, 06:28 PM

El Salto is the Rolls Royce of restaurants and waterfalls

dimonió · 26th April 2010, 10:40 PM

Are we going to have to rename this thread now ??

http://www.abc.es/20100426/vivir-via...004261751.html

Gem · 14th May 2010, 12:51 PM

I ate at Can Roca at Christmas... was a bit creamy, moussey and essence-of for my largely uneducated tastebuds. An experience nonetheless.

14th February 2010, 04:56 PM	#1
fawlty Super Forero Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: San Javier, Murcia Posts: 198	El Bulli 'The World's Finest Restaurant' Never heard of it, but there again I am a bit of a Philistine when it comes to la comida. Anyone been? http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worl...rmanently.html

15th February 2010, 03:15 PM	#8
Ben Hero Forero Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,425	In El Pais today he states again that the 'closing' news was misquoted - he's just going to shut temporarily then change it to a 'fundacion' en 2014. I ate in Arzak once, but it's so long ago that I think I was too young (27) to appreicate it! __________________ Notes in Spanish: Get The Best Free Spanish-Learning Conversations On The Net!

15th February 2010, 03:55 PM	#9
delgado Mega Forero Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Sebastián (Bidebieta) Posts: 378	Going slightly off topic, the owner of Arzak is actually a really nice guy, he does a lot in the local community here, and often offers free meals as prizes in community events.... I know a guy from the barrio that won a meal there, and after he had finished the owner came over to his table to ask him how it was... The guy (politely and half jokingly) said to him "the food was nice, but I'm still hungry, I would have actually prefered a nice big plate of egg and chips".... The owner said (not in the least bit offended) "fine, wait a second, I´ll see what I can do" and had the chef cook him his egg and chips, which were also very nice, or so I'm told. As for the food, I can't really say, as I've never eaten there and don't intend to. I guess that we are kind of spoilt here with so many very good restaurants in such a small area, with the food costing a fraction of the price (although still a bit expensive compared to other parts of Spain). "¡es que vamos, yo me conformo con el menú casero pues!"

24th March 2010, 05:20 PM	#11
TotallyKen Travel Smoothly Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: cantabria Posts: 64	Where to eat when El Bulli is fully booked So you can´t afford to eat in El Bulli or get a reservation there ? Not many people can but here is an interesting article from The Times from 2008 about the restaurants in the vicinity of the famed restaurant where the staff from El Bulli like to hang out and dine. There´s also the restaurant at the El Bulli Hotel in the province of Sevilla.

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15th February 2010, 08:55 AM	#2
Jules Forerito sonriente Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: The Sunny North Posts: 388	Or to put it another way... when was the last time you spent £200 a head for a meal?

15th February 2010, 10:20 AM	#3
annabwashere Forero Senior Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Madrid Posts: 58	Not me personally, as I am not a fan of high cuisine. But friends have said it is overrated. Anyway, the article is wrong. El Bulli is only closing for two years, not permanently, so there's time to get on the waiting list if you so desire.

15th February 2010, 11:08 AM	#4
MCP Super Forero Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 137	No, from what I understand it's closing for some time, opening for a period of (I think) six months, then shutting for good, and then Ferran Adrià plans to open an academy for the research of advanced cooking. Of course it was and is expensive...but what's wrong with a bit of high-value experimentation from time to time? I'd have gone if I could afford it.

15th February 2010, 01:46 PM	#5
Legazpi Mega Forero Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Madrid (Arganzuela) Posts: 834	Yes it was/is regarded as the best restaurant in the world by "those in the know" - it's along the same lines as Heston Blumenthal's "The Fat Duck" in the sense that they are quite scientific about their creations and use odd techniques (often involving liquid nitrogen). I can't say I dine there regularly

15th February 2010, 01:50 PM	#6
ValenciaSon Hero Forero Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Silver Spring, Maryland, USA Posts: 4,923	I wonder if the academy will allow the public to sample their academic pursuits.

15th February 2010, 03:12 PM	#7
delgado Mega Forero Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: San Sebastián (Bidebieta) Posts: 378	Looks like I'll just have to settle for Mugaritz and Arzak then...

8th April 2010, 06:28 PM	#12
El Salto Forero Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Glasgow Posts: 10	El Salto is the Rolls Royce of restaurants and waterfalls

26th April 2010, 10:40 PM	#13
dimonió Super Forero Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Durham / Mallorca Posts: 199	Are we going to have to rename this thread now ?? http://www.abc.es/20100426/vivir-via...004261751.html

14th May 2010, 12:51 PM	#14
Gem Forero Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 24	I ate at Can Roca at Christmas... was a bit creamy, moussey and essence-of for my largely uneducated tastebuds. An experience nonetheless.