41 Degrees of Adventure.........

Surprises await you around every corner!

As many of you know this is one of my favorite sayings and I am forever amazed by how you can wake-up to a normal day and just when you least expect it something absolutely wonderful happens to you.

My most recent experience of this started last Saturday while Sue and I were participating in the Catalonian Cooking Class.  Also participating in the class was a family of three from San Diego: Ted, Michele and their daughter Alexis.  During our lunch conversation they mentioned that they had reservations for four on Wednesday night at the restaurant 41 Degrees.  This restaurant is one of two new restaurants here in Barcelona owned by Ferran and Albert Adria, former owners of the now closed El Bulli.  Ferran Adria is respected as one of if not the best chefs in the world. 

Earlier this summer Sue was singing the blues to me about how much she would love to go to the other new Adria restaurant, Tickets but that it was impossible to get a reservation.  Well, I checked Tickets and sure enough it was nearly impossible to get a reservation and I couldn’t do it while Sue was here.  But they did have two available reservations during the whole remainder of the year.  Both of these were for August 30 (a slow night I guess) one at 7pm and one at 7:30pm.  I immediately requested the 7:30pm reservation knowing Judy would be visiting me then and she would love this.  They quickly came back and advised me that the 7:30pm was now gone but that I could have their very last reservation of the year at 7pm.  I took it and thought I had just won the lottery!

Now things were about to get even better.  Upon learning that Sue would be returning home on Monday Ted and Michele invited me to be the fourth at their table at 41 Degrees on Wednesday night.  I already knew what an incredible opportunity this was, I knew the restaurant was expensive but you only live once and I was not going to let this get away……..by all means I would love to!

I have never had before and I do not believe I will have anytime soon another dining experience that even remotely comes close to last night’s extravaganza.  The restaurant is very small, it seats only 16 persons each night: three tables for 4 and two tables for 2.  We were the first table seated and had the whole restaurant and its entire staff to ourselves.  It is intimate, rich, attentive and entertaining all at once.  Above the bar workspace where the five chefs were busily going about their work hanging from the ceiling is a weaving line of uniquely spaced pieces that appear clear until a show begins.  The first part of the show was sounds and the scenes of the ocean.  Tranquil in nature, the energy and life simply floated through the restaurant, not disturbing the dining experience but somehow mesmerizing and soothing.

During the course of night we were served by several of the most impressive waiters I have ever had the pleasure of being served by.  To name just a few: Sergio Vicente (Jefe de Sala), Marc Alvarez (Jefe de Cocteleria), Juan Serrano (Bar tender) and Cristina Losada (Equipo de Sala).  Our chef Albert Adria was in the house and on a quick trip to the ladies room I brushed shoulders with him as he was exiting the men’s room.  OMG….this can’t get any better!!! 

We were served about 50 very small dishes of the most unexpected contrasts of flavor, temperature and texture. Nothing was what it seemed. The idea was to provoke surprise and delight the diner.  And it did exactly that.  Each time a dish was served the waiter explained what it was, where it was from and how to eat it.  In the beginning we just listened but as the night progressed and we became more comfortable we asked questions first about our food and then about the waiters themselves, all aspiring future chefs and restaurant owners, they to the very last one loved what they were doing.

I can’t describe the food any more, it is too complex, too unusual, I think the only way to really understand this is to experience it.  But I will tell you a few of my favorite items:

·        Elderflower and Raspberry Cocoon (served on a rock and on sticks in a flower pot)

·        Spicy Tuna Tamaki and Eel with Black Garlic Sauce

·        Smoked Beef Toast and Carrot (it looked like Christmas on a plate)

·        Caviar and Hazelnut Oil Caviar and Hazelnut Vodka Shot

·        Chanterelle Mushrooms with Pine Nuts Cream and Black Truffle

·        Black Currant Merengue with Yogurt Ice Cream

I could go on there were 50 of these but I think you’ve got the picture.  Dinner lasted from 7:30pm until 11:15pm and not one of us wanted it to end.  But end it had to.  We said ‘buenas noches’ to our new friends the wait staff and I said ‘buenas noches’ to my new friends Ted, Michele and Alexis!

What a memorable experience, when you’re given the chance I hope you’ll always say,
‘Yes, I’d love to’!