b-served Gastronomy
Margarit, Poble Sec
Bridging the Mediterranean
This recently opened restaurant is named after the street where it’s located, c/ Margarit in Barcelona’s lively Poble Sec neighbourhood. Right on the corner with c/ de Magalhäes leading to Plaza del Sortidor, which is just a few metres away. Back in 1935 this exact spot was known as Bar Margarit, a local institution, now it’s a gastronomic space with an innovative food offering. One that combines influences from either end of the Mediterranean, Greece and Catalonia. A fresh take on Mediterranean cuisine inspired by the background of the head chef and owner of Margarit, Stefanos Balis.
Stefanos Balis is originally from Greece, and although he has lived in Barcelona for almost a decade, he is connected at the hip with the spices, the dishes and the ingredients of Greek cuisine. He sees himself an unofficial ambassador to Barcelona, a role he fulfils by cooking, introducing ingredients and recipes from Greece to the tastes and traditions that are unique to Catalonia. The result, dishes that surprise and offer combinations of flavours that are completely new and groundbreaking: genuine signature cuisine. He is aided by chef Jordi Fenoll who Stefanos worked with at Rilke, who came to Margarit after working at Dos Pebrots.
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Jordi Fenoll (left) and Stefanos Balís (right) in Margarit's kitchen
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The restaurant menu is compact with a selection of individual dishes or for sharing. The options are inspired by Greek cuisine and the Mediterranean, Taramas, a starter popular in Greece with fish eggs in brine and breadcrumbs, lemon juice, onion juice or olive oil, is transformed into a clever version of cod brandade in flavour (because it uses cod eggs) and texture, incorporating beetroot and carob into the equation. The Pita bread stuffed with feta and leeks with a topping of escarole with romesco sauce, made entirely by hand, is similar to the clotxa from Terres de l’Ebre, with a soft and crunchy crust.
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Skordalia is a coarse-textured purée made with potato, bread, garlic and vinegar. In Greece it is served with cod tempura in the Orly style, hence the Orly added to the dish adds crunch and reminds us of that origin. The combination of the 'suquet' and the prawns is what makes it so popular because in this twist, Balis takes the diner to explore from comfort.
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The wines are also surprising, from small references, independent producers, such as Viladomat-Aragó, to Greek and Macedonian wines made from a single variety of grape that is little known here, and some other gems. The aim is to offer a short, dynamic and highly representative menu to pair with the cuisine, that includes unusual spirits such as Mastika, a spiced liqueur obtained from the resin of the mastic tree, a small tree typical of the Chios area, which is very difficult to find in Barcelona because its production is scarce.
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Opening hours: Wednesday to Saturday for lunch (1 to 3:30 p.m.) and dinner (8 to 10:30 p.m.) except Sundays when they are open continuously from noon to 6 p.m
- Margarit
- Margarit 58,
- 08004 Barcelona
- www.instagram.com/margarit.bcn/