Restaurant "Sense Pressa".....No hurries indeed!

Anniversaries, birthdays, after holiday reunion dinners.....yes, that is what has kept me from blogging.  Oh yeah, and a little something called exercise....yuck.  But don't worry, I have managed to go eat at a wonderful restaurant that I would like to share with all my foodie friends.  This is one of those places that when you discover it, you are happy to be amongst those "in the know".  This tiny little place, is called "Sense Pressa", which literally translates to "No Hurries".  Isn't that how all food should be enjoyed?   I mean, it is an obvious concept, but I think that more and more each day, we take our food for granted.  I know, I know, I am one of the lucky ones who doesn't have to be in a car, or office and wolf down food as if tomorrow will never be, never knowing what or how much you are putting in your mouth.  An act to just fuel your body instead of your soul. 
Anyhow, if you are in my part of the world, secure your reservations here well in advance, they are ALWAYS fully booked.  And for good reasons too:  10 tables, amazing, delectable food.

For my boyfriends birthday, we were lucky enough to get a table (actually, he had booked it waaaay in advance without my knowledge) and we promptly arrived at 9pm anxious to sit down all night and sample their delights.

Their menu is quite extensive, but as all my favorite places here, it has a daily off the menu selection.  Which is what we ordered from.

Of course, the meal started off with a bottle of wine.  We tend to stick to whites, only because I have adverse reactions to very strong reds (and most spanish wines are strong and full of tannins, which cause me to have an itchy rash.)  The sommelier recommended a full bodied white to go with our meal.  He explained that it was almost like having a red, that it could accompany meats such as lamb or pork......so much so that it had to be decanted.....VALLEGARCIA   VIOGNIER 2007.  Lovely, subtle, yet with a woody finish.

As our appetizer we ordered a plate of Cecina de Leon, which is  cured beef leg, almost like a spanish ham but with a smokier, meatier taste.  It is usually served with some ground black pepper and a dash of extra virgin olive oil.  Of course, accompanied by Pa amb tomaquet, toasted bread with tomatoes.  This is not a recent discovery, but somehow, if there is a good spanish ham on the menu, the Cecina is usually overlooked.  I think this is a mistake, since good Cecina can be just as good or even better than the ham, especially since most places won't spend the money to get a good quality ham because it can cost over 130 euros per kilo.  ( I am sure this place isn't one that will skimp on good ham, but I have that almost every day.  Yes, I am spoiled.)

The razor thin slices were complex and delicate all at the same time, and with a crusty slice of bread, it is a pairing made in heaven.

Then we moved on to our next appetizer, Foie gras carpaccio with black truffles vinagrette.  I have two complaints.  1. Too much foie.........crazy huh?  2. There was too much vinegar in the vinaigrette, so after a few bites, it started to cancel the sublime taste of the foie.  Oh well, perfection is hard, but I expected more from a place like this. 

We decided to have fish as our main, since it was fresh off the boat, and the fact that it was Turbot.  Turbot is one of my favorite fish, its delicate and meaty texture is highly prized in these areas.  I love it "a la donostiarra" which is basically pan fried with just a smidgen of oil, garlic, chili pepper and a drop of vinegar.  This is typical of "Donosti" or San Sebastian (Donosti is how you say it in Basque).  I was so delighted when my plate came out, not only was the turbot incredible, it was accompanied by what at first inspection looked like a vegetable tart:

After a closer look and my first bite, the crust was actually razor thin potato slices cooked to perfection.  It was spectacular.  The bottom slices were perfectly crusty, like having a potato chips crust, and the second layer of potatoes were so tender and juicy, all topped with onions and peppers, and carrots.  The two paired perfectly, the slight acidity of the vinegar in the sauce complemented the sweetness of the onions and peppers from the tart.  I have to say.....I cleand my plate. ( But really, when don't I clean my plate?)

After this, I think we had dessert, but honestly, I don't remember.....I think I was so pleased with this meal that the dessert was definately not center stage!

So, once again, I reccomend this restaurant to all my friends.

Sense Pressa

Enric Granados, 96

Barcelona

+34 93 218 15 44

Tomorrow.....Emmanuel is back! Sooooo.....that means I HAVE to eat out again.  Awwww.