Taberna Noroeste - Where North and West Meet
I had high expectations on my visit to Taberna Noroeste, but wow were they exceeded. In every way imaginable.
Taberna Noroeste, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
Taberna Noroeste is located on a side street in Poble Sec, where you probably wouldn’t stumble upon it if not by mistake. The space is simple yet beautiful and cool, with somber colors, little leather details, and the most attractive piece of it all: an open kitchen where you can see all the action. When you book, you might want to inquire if they have a table just across the open kitchen; it is spellbinding to watch the chefs in action.
One aspect that is so intriguing and attractive about this restaurant is that when any of the dishes on the menu are presented to you, you realize how little of the work is actually done right there at that moment. Here there are hours, and hours, and hours, behind the flavors, the reductions, all the preparation. And you can really taste it.
Taberna Noroeste, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
Taberna Noroeste now does only tasting menus, with Galician, Castilian, and Catalan dishes fuse into what might sound simple dishes to share, but once they arrive at your table and the team explains them to you, there’s a lot more going on behind the scenes. Or behind the menu...!
On our visit we shared around 7-8 dishes, and that was perfect number for us. We got to try many different creations, and still have room for dessert. Now they do only tasting menus, which is a great way to get to try the best they have to offer. One of my favorite dishes on our visit was the bomba de cocido which was so full of flavor that I could have eaten 10 of them. The smoked sardine with sweet, smoked pepper was also a highlight, the organic tomatoes, the octopus stuffed with chorizo and egg yolk, the cochinillo… Among the desserts, the highlight was the Tarta de Santiago, which is traditional from chef Javier’s native Galicia.
Taberna Noroeste, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
The two young, talented chefs behind the exquisite food are Javier San Vicente and David López, who both have ample experience in well-known restaurants in both Barcelona and elsewhere. The team is completed by Marc Lopez, who takes care of the guests. A small but efficient team.
Taberna Noroeste, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
Taberna Noroeste, Barcelona. Photo © Barcelona Food Experience.
Taberna Noroeste is, without doubt, one of my favorite restaurants in its category in Barcelona. Everything comes together perfectly: the space, the dishes, the ingredients, the friendly team, the details, everything. A must visit.
Taberna Noroeste, Carrer de Radas 67, Barcelona (Poble Sec).
This post was first published in October 2020.
