One of the more amazing recent Bib Gourmand finds I’ve had in Barcelona: Restaurant CruiX (1. March 2025)

The CruiX was a restaurant I had looked at quite a few times already in the past, but it was finally time to go and try it. And it’s definitely worth doing so! Even if you go for the late shift after 10pm, you will have a lovely experience. I decided to go for the “CruiX menu” (EUR 63.00), which is an absolute bargain for what you get. It starts with the “coctel de gamba roja”, which is basically a prawn in tomato water with a dot of avocado and some salmon roe, and it looks simple, but it’s actually surprisingly delicious.

Next in line was the “anchoa de la escala en croissant”, which is somewhat simple too – but very flavorful. Sure, I’m a big lover of anchovies, so, I might be a little biased here, but frankly, the bite is just a very pleasant one.

The “steak tartar ‘A la Cubana'” is beef tartare put between two slices of banana, finished off with a slice of chili. And it was absolutely tasty.

When I read that the next course would be a “churro de bacalao con alioli”, I was definitely surprised since I had a hard time imagining a churro made from cod – but it was really that, and it went surprisingly well with the aioli. The aioli was – in fact – that good, that I would order some additional bread.

One of my absolute favorite dishes that evening was the “croqueta de pato pekin”. The crispiness combined with the intense flavor of the duck filling was just outstanding. Frankly, it made my taste buds happy-dance.

The “empedrado” was a dish of sliced fish with white beans and an emulsion, which made the whole thing creamy and enjoyable. Not really sure what it was in detail, but it was good. Not as good as the croquetas de pato, though.

However, the next course, the “alcachofas césar”, which were basically artichokes served in a reinterpreted Caesar sauce, were exquisite. I absolutely loved the intense flavors combined with the crispiness of the artichokes.

Then you would get the main course, which was “arroz de gambas al ajillo” (with ‘better quality prawns’ for EUR 16.00), which was lovely in taste. The rice was rich in flavor, and you would just want to clean the pan to the very last rice corn – and the prawns were flavorful, and just the perfectly simple combination for a main.

Then it was time for the first dessert, which was a “helado de sopa tom kha” where I had a hard time picturing how that could work, but it turns out that the coconut ice cream was the perfect base to mimic the tom kha gai soup – and it was not only looking nice, but was actually surprisingly delicious.

The final course reminded me of ‘Oops, I dropped the lemon tarte’ of Massimo Bottura and was called “Dia Triste en la Playa” mimicking a childhood experience of the chef where his ice cream fell onto the beach. And while there was definitely too much chocolate for my personal gusto, the ice cream was refreshingly delicious – and I just absolutely adored the idea and the execution of the dish.

The place isn’t huge, so, booking in advance is key. The space between the tables is relatively limited, so, it’s maybe not the most private space, but it’s a lovely one – and the staff is not only friendly, but overall swift, so, you get your food served in a nice and busy atmosphere by friendly staff – and it’s all tasty and an absolute bargain!

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Contact Details:

Restaurant CruiX

Carrer d’Entença 57

L’Eixample

08015 Barcelona (E)

Tel.: +34 935 25 23 18

E-Mail: reservas@cruixrestaurant.com

Homepage: http://www.cruixrestaurant.com

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.