Barcelona currently has five restaurants in the Bib Gourmand category (alongside restaurants with Michelin stars, you can also find these value-for-money, unique restaurants worth visiting). One of them is Cruix, a small but welcoming restaurant not far from Plaça Espanya.

Cruix Barcelona — *Cruix, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.*

Here Miquel Pardo, a young chef from Onda (Castellón) with a track record of working with Jordi Cruz, Rafa Peña, and Albert Adrià, has created his own kingdom. The dishes are playful and surprising but paying homage to traditions and quality.

We began our gastronomic journey with cold starters and fuet nigiri; fun and crunchy croqueta-like appetizers made with fuet. From there, we continued with the Gilda oysters; huge ones filled with a delicious sauce that unquestionably brought Gildas to mind..!

We moved on to the warm starters and Peking duck croquetas. Delectable little things packed with flavor and with a touch of mint to freshen things up. The next dish was a genius fish taco with black garlic mole; I just loved how the flavors and influences were fused here. They came served with a shot of a tequila (!) mix!

The main courses focus on rice. We had one with lágrima ibérica (a specific cut from between the pork ribs) and aubergine that we thoroughly enjoyed. You could also choose a seafood rice dish, a vegan option, and a surprising beef intestine on our visit.

The dessert options do not disappoint. Their classic is a dish called Día Triste en la Playa (you’ll know why it’s called like this once you have it in front of you!), which is perfect for chocolate lovers. I fell in love with the sweet Tom Kha Kai soup ice cream, with all the beloved Thai soup flavors, but sweet. We also tried a tasty Mexican-inspired dessert with home-made ice cream, kiwi, corn, white chocolate, passionfruit, and tamarind. Perfect.

In addition to the great food, Cruix also has an exciting wine menu with fascinating wine options. We paired our food with a wonderful, fresh orange wine that perfectly matched the dishes we chose. The restaurant is relatively small with a little terrace outside, so I recommend booking in advance.

Cruix, Carrer d’Entença 57, Barcelona (Eixample).

Cruix - Michelin Big Gourmand Gem

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