In Barcelona's competitive gastronomic landscape, with continuous culinary turnovers and an average age of 11.6 years for the city's current restaurants – according to the latest municipal report – celebrating anniversaries is quite an achievement. A couple of restaurants of different traditions are celebrating these days with new additions to their menus, which are well worth exploring. Casa Amàlia 1950 celebrates its 75th anniversary in style in the Dreta de l'Eixample, while Cachitos Diagonal celebrates its first decade in an area undergoing full commercial expansion since its renovation.
New menu at Cachitos Diagonal
At Diagonal 508, long before the avenue widened its sidewalks and became one of the golden streets of the Catalan capital, the group's restaurant East Coastya se hizo un nombre en la zona alta.Its proposal combined Catalan and Spanish tradition, in an attractive spaceand capable of dazzling locals and tourists alike. From tapas to dishes that the house turned into classics.While many other proposals in the area (a stone's throw from Tuset and Enric Granados) were mutating, Cachitos Diagonal became a small oasis with careful interior design, a charming interior garden, a pleasant terrace on Diagonal, good atmosphere and honest cuisine, without frills, with good product and a selection of timeless tapas.
Now, celebrating its 10th anniversary this past December, the establishment has updated its culinary proposal and signed a new director: Raúl Atencia, with a solid resume at AN Grup and Grup Olivé ---and with whom they already undertook the launch of Bastian Beach--- to focus on a new decade. They delve into a more local menu and attentive service, with the advantage of uninterrupted kitchen service, seven days a week, where one can eat or dine without rush, culminating the evening with a good drink.
The menu remains attentive to fresh produce, maintaining mainstays such as rice dishes (monkfish and shrimp; chicken, sausage and artichoke; black with shrimp; vegetable…); "Cachitos" montaditos and tapas; meats (Galician ribeye, sirloin tagliata…) or market fish, but incorporates some outstanding dishes that liven up the repertoire, such as smoked salmon cubes with fresh cheese and orange ponzu sauce, the powerful grandma's meatballs, fried artichokes with egg, or sautéed fish with black truffle, among others.
Its cuisine, uncomplicated but well-prepared and presented, is ideal for sharing as a couple or group, to enjoy seasonal produce and with contained prices in a stylish environment that makes you feel at home. Homemade desserts and signature sangrias help improve the experience. Its ideal spaces for events and groups expand the circle of clients, guaranteeing that there will be many more anniversaries.
The anniversary menu of Casa Amàlia 1950
A few steps from the Concepció market, the Casa Amàlia 1950 restaurant is a institution for neighbors and entrepreneursof the neighborhood that venerate themarket cuisineand applaud its innovative touches. Partners Jordi Castán and Sergi Suaña had the courage to revive the establishment at a complicated time, after its previous manager retired in 2019 and with the pandemic then postponing their launch plans.The project went ahead with the ambition of stitching together traditional cuisine with more contemporary dishes, in a menu that spans past and future. One of its keys was to connect with suppliers, both from the market and with local producers, so that the ingredients and their origin can be felt in its digital menu, and even purchased later.
Casa Amàlia 1950 (pasaje del Mercat, 14) was born as a dining house and already had a second life thanks to a worker who continued with the business in the 80s until his son, Carles Llavina, retired, but these days it is celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Its chef, Danko Perkovic, has designed a commemorative menu, supported by some strategic alliances. Gramona has contributed to the special tasting with an included glass of its corpinnat Gramona III Lustros, while one of the references of traditional Catalan cuisine, chef Carles Gaig, has created and sponsored a star dish on the menu: the extraordinary Foie gras from Vilobí d'Onyar with mongetes del ganxet. So celebrated these days, that it will possibly take root in its menu.
The festive eight-course menu (80 euros plus wines) is completed with escudella croquette, warm Figueres onion cream, La Escala anchovy with sea urchin and boquerón, red prawn carpaccio, cod confit at 60 degrees, Penedès pata negra pularda, and desserts. Initially, it was scheduled to be served only on Wednesdays until the end of February, but it will possibly be extended, the partners indicate.
Those who come (also open daily and with continuous kitchen service) to the à la carte menu will eat very well for about 50 euros. It is also worth discovering the renewed wine list by sommelier Rubén Pol (Disfrutar).
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