A nice experience to celebrate into 2022: Restaurant Atempo (31. December 2021)
If you’re looking to find a place last minute for NYE, you have to be lucky to secure a spot – which I was! The “NYE Menu” (EUR 185.00) and the “Wine Pairing” (EUR 100.00) were the go to option since there was no à la carte that evening. When you enter the place, you are welcomed to sit down right by the entrance and you’re served the first course at a counter which is on the way in. There, the first ‘course’ was “Dry Martini with hanging tomatoes” which was was super nice – like an intense, clear tomato soup but as a drink.
The “dried hanging tomato, sun-dried tomato garum, fresh herbs and Pecorino Romano” were an intense and good start into the evening.
Next in line was a “great macaroni of caramelized bread, spicy stir-fry and basil cream” which was not entirely easy to eat since the cream would spill out when you took a bite but it had a nice flavor which was quite nice in terms of balance.
Once seated at your table, you were served “hazelnut’s butter and caviar” which was interesting but frankly more of a show moment than an exciting taste experience.
The “bread crusts” with which the butter and caviar were served was not really practical to eat though.
A lot of courses are prepared right at your table which is super nice but needs quite some time in terms of getting through the menu before midnight.
The first course was “nori seaweed cannula with wild Japanese cured salmon” which was an interesting start. Intense in flavor and yet light at the same time.
What you find when you sit down is a “box” with the name of the restaurant on it and you wonder what it is. It is actually a prawn which will be used for the “infused red prawn bouillabaise” later.
While the first courses were served, the “bouillabaise” was already placed on the table so it would smother for a while and get warm.
Finally, the soup was poured into large cups …
… resulting in an intense broth with a tasty prawn. It was delicious so I would even suck the head of the prawn and get all the intense taste. Something I usually don’t do.
The bread which was served – a bit late in the process to be honest – was good.
Next in line was a “large Gruyere egg with black truffle, concentrated onion soup, and Tahitian vanilla” which was good and not. I liked the intensity of the onion soup but didn’t really see the value add of the gold leafes or the truffle (since it didn’t add much to the taste).
Next in line was pasta with truffles …
… which was definitely better since the white truffle is somewhat more enjoyable than the black one to me. However, the portion was a bit tiny and the pasta wasn’t entirely al dente the way I prefer it.
The “peas” were again served with truffle. Now, I think that’s okay, but three times truffle in three dishes if it is not a truffle menu seems a bit over the top to be honest. Still, it was a delicious dish since the peas were incredibly flavorful.
Next in line was a steak tatare which was, again, prepared at the table …
… and finally served on a little boat. While the meat looked incredibly delicious, there were just way too many flavors on the final thing. Like, it was overwhelming in all directions which was really not enjoyable.
Next in line was “pasta with pigeon” – again prepared at your table.
And while I’m usually not a big fan of pigeon, I must admit it was actually a decent dish.
Then, it was time for dessert – the “kombu seaweed with yuzu cream and cookies ice-cream” was refreshing and nice.
Sometimes, the preparation does somewhat more than the actual dessert – at least in terms of effect!
The “‘Mel I Matò’ – Mato soft cheese air, crunchy calamansi with toffee ice-cream and walnut crumble” was fine but nothing extraordinary.
In the end, some “petit fours” were served which were enjoyable.
What I liked a lot was the “lipstick” which was, as a matter of fact, sorbet. So, not really what you would expect but definitely not only good but also funny to “apply” (i.e., eat).
All in all, the experience at the Atempo restaurant was a great one, but, admittedly, with EUR 285.00 per person not on the cheap side. But worth it to celebrate NYE.
In any case, I’d be happy to go back and try the Atempo again but not for NYE but for a regular dinner.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Atempo
C. de Còrsega, 200
08036 Barcelona (E)
Tel.: +34 937 34 19 19
Homepage: http://www.atemporestaurant.comx
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. 
