Massana

Fine dining in Girona

Foie gras, crunchy sweet bread and corn textures

Massana is a fine dining Catalan restaurant in Girona, it is considered to be the best restaurant in Girona alongside with El Celler de Can Roca. The restaurant was founded by Pere Massana back in 1986 and it is still going strong these days with its creative plus forward-thinking approach in Catalan cuisine. The restaurant was awarded a Michelin star in 2007 and has retained such status for over 10 years, an achievement that many restaurants would be dreaming of. For my dinner at Massana, we opted for the tasting menu, containing 9 dishes plus 6 canapes with some very top ingredients used such as lobster and truffle, which I got to say for 105 Euro, it is fairly decent value for money.

Iberian pork brioche

Oyster, plankton mayonnaise, apple, lime and huakatay

Mushroom carpaccio, marinated prawns, summer truffle and pine nut vinaigrette

Tortellini, filled with purslane, “Mas Ferró” cheese and smoked weeds oil

Lobster, its broth and potato emulsion

The meal started off with a selection of canapes, all really well crafted and I could tell a lot of thinking went into the canapes, this shows the refinement and attention to detail of the restaurant. The wild mushroom carpaccio was a stunning dish, paired with the unexpected red prawns and summer truffles, it was blessed so much sweet and delightful earthy flavours. It was a clever dish with such an exceptional taste, it could easily be a 2 Michelin stars level dish. I was also a big fan of the duck magret which is Massana's signature dish: grilled and thinly sliced, rich in taste with a lovely rosemary and olive oil undertone, I just wished the portion was a little bigger! The playful element of the scrambled egg was a great way to finish off the meal with the refreshing taste of the mango and the finely balanced sweetness of the white chocolate.

Grilled duck magret, herbal oil and pear with rosemary

OX Cheek, white beans hummus, prune and spices

“Biscuit glace” of orange, yuzu, celery and red tea and flowers ice cream

Scrambled egg...

...yogurt, mango and white chocolate

P4

Massana totally lived up to its expectation and judging from the tasting menu, the restaurant really showcased its creative touch, top-level techniques and great use of local ingredients. In fact, I would say the cooking is very close to 2 Michelin stars level if I compare to the UK standard. As the only Michelin starred restaurant in the town center of Girona, Massana totally stands apart from all the other restaurants. If you are looking for a top quality fine dining restaurant in Girona, (without the booking madness that is required for El Celler de Can Roca) Massana would be the one for you.


Food 4.5/5


What I paid: 
£130 per head with wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
Tasting menu: £100

Carrer Bonastruc de Porta, 10, 17001 Girona, Spain

https://www.restaurantmassana.com/