Bodega Bonay - a Restaurant with a Spirit

A new restaurant has opened the 2021 scene with an attractive proposal. Bodega Bonay, located in the hip Casa Bonay hotel, has thought this one through.

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

Just like the hotel itself, the restaurant is beautifully decorated. Light seeps in through the big windows, and the walls are filled with quirky pieces of art and a mirror with wines by the glass that are currently highlighted. The kitchen is open, and you can see the staff preparing the dishes, among them on our visit head chef Giacomo Hassan.

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

Hassan is a talented chef who has a solid background in famous Michelin-star kitchens such as DiverXo and Disfrutar. At Bodega Bonay, he has created a menu that made me weak in the knees.

Your eyes will be drawn to the main ingredients on the menu; local and seasonal are keywords here, and many are recognizable from other restaurants you enjoy. And then you study the dishes closer, and a whole new world will open up. Subtle brushstrokes from classic French cuisine that gives an already interesting menu a breath of fresh air. Yes, it is a paradox, but what a wonderful, unique, attractive one.

All the dishes are made for sharing, and the very friendly staff suggests to pick about 5 dishes for two people, 7 if you’re hungry. A detail I particularly enjoyed with the menu was that the dishes are described in a rather short manner, but the staff explains the intricacies of each dish when they arrive at the table, and you’re left speechless.

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

We began the experience with the seasonal sea urchins in a dish called “Royale de erizos con erizos.” This was served individually and came in its shell with a beautiful cream.

The next dish was “Terrina de “Volaille.” I had my eyes on this terrine already before visiting the restaurant and needed to have it. It exceeded any expectation by miles. A hug from Julia Child, comforting and home-made but executed with perfection.

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

Then it was time for the eggs with velouté and truffle. The name says it all. Eggs prepared to perfection, with a velouté, a stock-based sauce often used as a starting point for different sauces in French cooking. You might want to ask for bread for this one; it’s just so delicious you want to make sure to devour every single drop of it. A brief mention regarding the bread: they get the bread from excellent Forn Sant Josep, and it is the only thing on the menu that is made outside the four walls of the restaurant.

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

Pasta Cavatelli with lamb ragú followed. The cavatelli is small pasta shells, and they came covered with the delicious ragú and with parmesan shaved on top. If you are picky about how your pasta is cooked, you won’t be disappointed here; trust me on this one. We also had a grilled mackerel that we thoroughly enjoyed.

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

I have, intentionally, saved the best for last. The artichoke tatin took my breath away. I am a fan of artichoke, and the result of combining it with the wonderfully flaky base was mind-blowing.

To pair your dishes, the very friendly and talented sommelier David Amat has put together an attractive wine list. Interestingly, you can try any of the bottles on the wine list by the glass, thanks to their extensive use of the Coravin system.

Another small, but attractive detail, was the list of available sherries drawn on one of the mirrors. Obviously, you will want to finish your meal with a glass of sherry when seeing it…!

Bodega Bonay, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.

Bodega Bonay is extraordinary. It has brought something of a breath of fresh air to the Barcelona food scene by taking a step back, looking into tradition and classics, and bringing life into them. The concept is very well thought through and executed and has spirit. Extraordinary.

Bodega Bonay, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 700, 08010 Barcelona (Eixample).