Andorra - A Gastronomic Surprise
Andorra is so close by, only 3 hours by car or bus, but during my years in Barcelona I’ve been in Andorra only once! And then only for shopping.
But this little country is so much more than shopping. I had the pleasure to visit it during Andorra a Taula, an event taking place in 30 different restaurants. The concept is very similar to a restaurant week with fixed price menus, but instead of a short week it stretches over one month. The menus are elaborated and usually include 4-5 dishes.
During our weekend stay we had the opportunity to eat a lot. And I mean A LOT. It was very surprised with what’s on offer, and it was interesting to learn about the gastronomic heritage in the area.
Borda Xicoies, Andorra. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
Highlights from the Andorra trip:
The visit to Bodegas Borda Sabaté high altitude wines. I was not aware that there are wineries in the area, and we had the opportunity to get to know this peculiar winery up high in the mountains. They produce two prestigious wines called Torb (red) and Escol (white). They are made in very small batches and taste amazing. They are organic and have won several awards.
Bodegas Borda Sabaté, Andorra. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
The trip to the vineyard was quite an adventure too. The owner took us up the steep, steep hill in a 4x4 and I didn’t dare look down, I was terrified..! But it was worth it, the views from the top are gorgeous.
L’Enoteca, Andorra. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
L’Enoteca was great for lunch. This little restaurant is located in Escaldes-Engordany, and it has a beautiful private dining room where you can sit surrounded by shelves packed with wine bottles from all over the world. They are very knowledgeable about their wines, and the food is great too.
Era Bauro, Andorra. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
We got to know a brewery too, the Cerveseria Era Bauró. They have just started and for now have one beer they can call their own, the Boris, but there are several other craft beers available on tap. And I want to add that the food is really great. I would call this place a gastro pub, the food is elaborated but accessible and so worth a try. I particularly liked the salmon tartar and the eggs en cocotte that were on the Andorra a Taula menu, but for next time I also want to try what I believe was a fondue, the smell from the tables next to us where it was served was divine.
Borda Xicoies, Andorra. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
For a genuine, authentic, local experience I want to recommend Borda Xicoies. It’s a very old barn house that has been reformed into a wonderfully cozy restaurant with a large grill where a lot of the meat is prepared. The dishes are traditional and very typical to the area. The dishes are huge and I can assure you’ll leave more than satisfied. The place has so much atmosphere too that it all becomes an experience to remember.
