Comerc 24

Creative and cutting edge tapas experience

Comerc 24 is the flagship restaurant from Carles Abellan, who used to work under the legendary Ferran Adria of El Bulli. Located in the trendy El Born area, Comerc 24 serves creative tapas side dishes that inspired by flavours around the world using top quality ingredients. With its Michelin star and a protégé from El Bulli, I had high expectation and it proven to be truly an experience that I will not forget any time soon.

Comerc 24

The décor was very modern with some contemporary artwork and display on the wall. We went for the grand tasting menu which dishes were selected by the chefs depending what seasonal ingredients were available. Kicked off the dinner with some very Japanese influenced dishes of cauliflower with ginger and rice vinegar and monkfish with black sesame, it was in the mood of Japanese picked vegetable style. The monkfish was finely sliced like sashimi and it worked wonder with the black sesame with its sweet and nutty taste.

Cauliflower with ginger and rice vinegar

Monkfish with black sesame and black garlic

Filo, Parma, lemon and basil

Pizza 24

Sponge ceviche

Beach shrimp ceviche

I would end up writing a long essay if I record every single dish so I will just make some highlight of the evening. The nasturtium oyster was a thing of beauty, the beetroot form added a sweet and earthy tone on the oyster, and the oyster itself was very fresh and has no bitterness in taste whatsoever, very good oyster dish indeed.

Nasturtium oyster

Cockles Dashi

Sardine with orange and fresh wasabi

"Llavaneres" peas with squid

Pizza sashimi was raw tuna, Japanese salads and mustard on a thin layer of crispy cracker. Everything worked great together and I really enjoyed how the kitchen using classical European cooking concept and re create it with a Far East twist.

Pizza Sashimi

Razor clams Zaru Soba

Tuna tartar

The kinder egg was a egg shell with egg white, potato and a big spoon full of black truffle at the bottom, the potato did a good job at balance out the intensive flavour from the black truffle with the egg white added a touch of smoothness.

Kinder Egg

Forest rabbit rice

The Palamos prawn was prawn from a different planet, it was prawn at the highest level, the meat was just so fresh and sweet and the brain was rich and flavoursome without the bitterness you get in your usual prawn. The prawn was still alive in the morning and this just show what different fresh ingredients can make.

Palamos prawn

Beef sirloin with turnips

One of the dessert, chocolate, goat cheese ice cream, and blackberries was a fun and interesting dessert. The goat cheese ice cream was bit of a surprise but with the use of fresh goat cheese and the ice-cold temperature, I tasted no after taste. The fruit and chocolate on the side also added a bit of sourness and bitterness, it was a plate of multiple flavours.

Chocolate goat cheese ice cream

Lemon Ice tea

Nougat with twin cigar

Apple/ Saffron

"Conguito" c24

Recuit "Napolita"

Green tea

Oreo vanilla with black sesame

Wild Pine nuts with chocolate

Gold bar

Matcha Tablet

What a wonderful experience, while not all the flavours worked out for me, Comerc 24 served by far the most ambitious dishes I ever encountered and I really enjoyed the meal, some out of the world combination with smart presentation. The service was excellent and friendly, the sommelier also did a great job helping us with the wine too. It was a long affair, we arrived at 9pm and didn't leave the place till close to 1am! If I had cheese it would had been almost a 30 courses dinner! If you visit Barcelona you should defiantly try Comerc 24 and I promise you will be in for a food experience on a whole different level.

My Comerc 24 experience in full:

Smoked trumpet of the dead infusion
Cauliflower with ginger and rice vinegar
Monkfish with black sesame and black garlic
Filo, Parma, lemon and basil
Pizza 24
Sponge ceviche
Beach shrimp ceviche
Nasturtium oyster
Cockles Dashi
Sardine with orange and fresh wasabi
"Llavaneres" peas with squid
Razor clams Zaru Soba
Pizza Sashimi
Tuna tartar
Kinder Egg
Forest rabbit rice
Palamos prawn
Beef sirloin with turnips
Chocolate goat cheese ice cream
Lemon Ice tea
Recuit "Napolita"
Nougat with twin cigar
Apple/ Saffron
"Conguito" c24
Oreo vanilla with black sesame
Wild Pine nuts with chocolate
Gold bar
Matcha Tablet
Green tea

Food 4.5/5

Executive chef: Carles Abellan

What I paid: £113 per head with 3 glasses of wine

Average cost without drinks and services:
£80 dinner menu


Comerc, 24, 08003 Barcelona, Spain

http://www.carlesabellan.com/