Just lost its Michelin star – and rightly so: Restaurant Barra de Tapas by Carles Abellan @ W Barcelona (11. January 2020)
When I checked in at the W, I was told that they have a Michelin star restaurant on premise. Turns out, they had one and had just lost their star in 2020. And I think that shows. I went for the “white and cured anchovy marriage” (EUR 6.40) which was enjoyable because I really like the intense flavor of anchovy but honestly, the filling of the anchovy with the cured anchovy paste was just too much for any other palate.
The “Andalusian-style aubergine” (EUR 11.00) on the other hand was incredibly enjoyable. Personally, the batter could have been fried a bit more so it was a bit easier to eat by hand, but in terms of flavor and texture, this was really good.
The “Seville-style dressed potatoes and cured mackerel” (EUR 10.00) on the other hand was really just a simple potato salad which – itself – didn’t taste like much, with some mackerels on top. Michelin-starred food? Not really …
The “amberjack Peruvian ‘Tiradito’ with pumpkin” (EUR 18.00) was good as it combined the Peruvian flavors quite well. The combination of the fish with the base flavor of the pumpkin and the roasted corn was – overall – an enjoyable dish.
The one I had as a main dish, the “slightly pickled red tuna from Almadraba” (EUR 26.00) was definitely not worth EUR 26.00. If you sell it as a main dish, it should be a main dish portion size. However, in terms of flavor, it was tasty and a nice combination of the cured tuna with the crunchy vegetables.
As I am not a big fan of dessert, I decided to go for the non-sweet dish on the menu, the “brie cake with melanosporum truffle” (EUR 15.00) which was surprisingly good – exactly because it didn’t taste like a dessert but like a brie cake with truffle.
Somehow, they must have figured that not everything was great, so they offered “Maresme strawberries and cream” (usually EUR 12.00) on the house. Not bad but also not amazing.
The fact that they charge you EUR 3.50 for some bread with olive oil (bread from “Balurd” bakery in Barceloneta) is just something which – in my opinion – shouldn’t happen in a restaurant which is aspiring to have a Michelin star but actually doesn’t. The same is true when ordering wine – more than half of the wine was actually not available which is somehow fine given they show it in advance. But frankly, if you have a huge wine list, then you should make sure that your wine list gets updated once in a while. The one I then chose (and was – according to the menu – available) wasn’t available, so the waiter suggested a “Peixes de Rocha, 2016” (EUR 35.00) which was cheaper than the one I had selected (so they didn’t take advantage of the fact that the desired one wasn’t available) and it was actually quite good.
So, all in all, to me, the Barra de Tapas by Carles Abellan was a disappointment. The place is lovely, the food isn’t anything spectacular and, honestly, definitely not a Michelin star. Which then again shows in the recent loss of the Michelin star. So, not worth trying in my opinion.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Barra de Tapas by Carles Abellan @ W Barcelona
Passeig del Mare Nostrum 19/21
08039 Barcelona (E)
Tel.: +34 932 95 26 36
E-Mail: labarra@carlesabellan.com
Homepage: http://www.carlesabellan.com/mis-restaurantes/la-barra/
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
