Even knowing the laziness that many Barcelonans feel when thinking about going down to the Gòtic neighborhood and mixing with its tide of tourists, we can guarantee that the excursion is worth it if Mercer Restaurante is the destination. The hotel (listed as a monument) and its essential main restaurant are located very close to the Cathedral, in a quiet and somewhat hidden street. The building has been conquering travelers who love luxury with history and unique accommodations for more than a decade. But also to gastro addicts who demand talent in the dishes, top service and an environment that makes the feast a complete experience. Whether visitors or citizens tempted by the evolution of Xavier Lahuerta ‘s cuisine .
Located in the historic center (Lledó street), the Mercer was born under the distinctive sign of the buildings located on a part of the Roman wall of ancient Barcino. It had the honor of becoming a luxury hotel with a delightful rehabilitation (between past and future) by architect Rafael Moneo. And the luck of hoarding everything from medieval arches to pieces from different periods that dazzle the traveler who seeks more than ephemeral accommodation in those 28 rooms and suites.
Entering into gastronomic matters , in their short history the restaurants (led by Jean Luc Figueras) have had an irregular trajectory, but also the opportunity to refine their offer in recent years. You have finally hit the nail on the head with the informal option of the Le Bouchon gastrobar . This goes beyond the tourist cover, and within the plan of honoring the best neighborhood bars, it vigorously introduces local specialties at surprisingly good prices for a hotel of its category.
More than tourist cover
From the Russian salad to the Barcelona bomb or the oil-smoked sardine, among the most conventional tapas, you can make the leap to dishes with a lot of cooking background. Like their wonderful meatballs stewed with Mediterranean cuttlefish , tripe with chickpeas or knuckle with polenta. Without overlooking their explosive macaroni with white chocolate sobrasada.
The gastrobar, with direct access from the street, is possibly the most rounded option that can be found in the old part of the city at the moment, light years away from some tourist aberrations, cloned designer spaces or stale bars that populate good part of the center.
A high-rise kitchen
Whether or not one stays in Mercer, the gastro-jewel in the crown, its eponymous main restaurant, which has gone through various stages to find its identity , now also deserves to be a local pilgrimage point. Architecturally, it already refines the senses: high ceilings, wooden beams, stone and centuries of history, favored by the dim lighting of its orange tree patio, are a perfect setting. Lahuerta displays an elegant and tasty cuisine , which gives no respite to the joy of the palate. He defines it as “contemporary and with a Mediterranean soul”, but what he likes to boast about is that “the cook must cook , remember the chup chup and add technique”, he explains to us.
It is difficult to choose a table because every corner has some attraction. It has an impressive private room in one of the 76 watchtowers of the ancient Roman wall of Barcelona, great for small celebrations. But the light from its orange tree patio provides other corners with charm and more or less privacy.
New stage of Lahuerta
Chef Xavier Lahuerta (Barcelona, 1975) inherited his passion for the kitchen from his grandmothers and began his path many years ago with Figueras. He also learned from Xavier Pellicer, Santi Santamaria, Carles Gaig, Ferran Adrià and Carles Abellán, and after cutting his teeth in some of the best Catalan cuisines for two decades, he signed as executive chef at Mercer in 2019.
It was not his first time in this house, where he had already led the kitchen years before for a brief period. However, upon his return, his proposal had been nourished by the inspiration of his travels, a high-level curriculum and a greater influence of the roots of the country’s cuisine, based on local ingredients.
The pandemic and a recent downturn delayed his project, which is now flowing and finding a grateful audience among travelers and Barcelona residents returning to the Gòtic.
It defends “few and well-prepared ingredients”, health on the table and the emotional experience . But far from being boring cuisine, each bite is an explosion of flavor, of balance between the sea and the mountains, between the star ingredient and its dressing. If a dish has become “iconic” of the house, it is the smoked eel with golden apple , varnished with anise (pastry elements often appear in its recipe book) and salsify. So addictive that one would repeat on each visit.
From the current menu we also tried the mushroom cannelloni with Perol sausage (in the filling and as a decorative element in the presentation) and topped with prawns (slightly marked on the grill), with an explosive bechamel sauce executed with the head of the prawn . Contrast is once again the best ally of the combination, but each of the ingredients clearly stands out and exhibits the quality of its pantry.
Carnivores and gourmands
Equally resounding was the old beef tenderloin aged 30 days with baby carrots and truffle zest, which releases all its aromas when the cooking juice of the meat is poured over it. It is presented with a creamy tupinambo and a mussel. Another possible proposal is braised beef tenderloin.
On the menu, another ace for carnivores is the suckling goat with sage with sweet potato puree with cinnamon and citrus. While among the fish, the fish from the grilled market and with vegetables never fails.
The menu, not very long but sufficient, also includes a successful Brothy rice from the Dehesa de la Albufera, with Mediterranean prawns and artichokes from El Prat among its main dishes.
As lighter starters, the zucchini carpaccio with umami tuna tartar or the salad with pomegranate and pickled artichokes also stand out.
Complete tasting
Those who are undecided can immerse themselves in Lahuerta’s cuisine with its 90-euro tasting menu, to which they can add the 45-euro pairing that Lluis Roig selects as Food and Beverage Director, guiding the diner through the wines and the general experience.
The menu begins with olive texture and crunchy tapioca and displays two starters and two main dishes along with one of their desserts.
In the sweet section , the chef looks for healthy proposals with low sugar content. From the forcefulness of the cold chocolate Coulant with toffee sauce with flake salt or the delicious chocolate Tonka bean with miso cream. To lighter options, such as Lemon Cream with Basil Sorbet or Lichy and Raspberry Compote with Milk Chocolate 10.
The wine list is expanded and well advised by Roig. That day he did a good territorial tour of the Empordà (TramuntanArt, garnacha roja) in Tarragona (La Lleona Cartoixà de Marina).