Moments, when the product and the season don't need any themed menu
This era, which they concluded with the 15th anniversary of this elegant restaurant located in the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Barcelona, now gives way to seasonal menus to face a new period overshadowed by the loss of its Michelin star in the latest edition.
“We had already planned it; we announced it with our 15th-anniversary menu, which brought together some classics from all those themed menus,” Balam explains to us in response to the inevitable question of whether this focus on seasonal and local produce is a consequence of the Michelin Guide's reprimand. It's worth remembering, by the way, that Ruscalleda also used these themes as the thread running through her menus at Sant Pau Ruscalleda for years, and the restaurant boasted three Michelin stars.
“From the beginning, local and seasonal products have guided the dishes on Moments’ menus,” assert the chef and his mother, who remains very much present here. Not in the kitchen, but certainly in the design of the menus for this restaurant and for Blanc, also at the Mandarin Oriental. Balam is more than just Ruscalleda’s son, but the truth is that there has never been any hint of him breaking away from her at Moments.
Butifarra sausage and bread with tomato
With the issue of themed menus now cleared up—which, let's not kid ourselves, worried critics more than customers—this restaurant's current offering consists of two tasting menus: one with six courses (€125) and a longer one with nine courses for €180. It might seem odd to start by talking about money before the food, but it's important to point out from the outset that we're in the heart of Barcelona, in one of the city's most luxurious hotels, and in a Michelin-starred restaurant. So, in the midst of rampant inflation, these prices are a pleasant surprise.
Freshly prepared bread with tomato, served tableside to accompany the square, pistachio-stuffed, homemade sausage, is a delightful welcome. A clear statement of intent. Alongside it lies a crispy coca de chicharrones (pork crackling flatbread) topped with a generous anchovy and a touch of sweet Mataró wine. The restaurant also provides explanations about the traditional and local value of these products. A magnificent start, perfectly aligned with the message they wish to promote.
The product, its seasonality, and also the producers—something particularly evident in the cheese cart—now take center stage in the four menus, one for each season, offered by Moments. Obviously, not all dishes will be permanent, because if the season dictates, asparagus—we savored the last of it on our visit in a dish with scallops, beetroot, and breadcrumbs—or peas, are only available for a limited time.
Territory
The menu features dishes rooted in the local area but with a broader perspective, sometimes drawing inspiration from the Mediterranean, as seen in dishes like hummus with ganxet beans that accompany a cut of Iberian pork loin, the meat dish that concludes the savory portion of the menu. Meanwhile, the chawabumushi—a kind of savory Japanese flan—pairs quite well with the red prawn.
The pattern is repeated in several dishes in this sequence. The combination of babaganoush (roasted eggplant dip) and caviar is quite unusual and doesn't work as well as the salt cod brandade with a smooth, fresh green mole.
The cheese trolley is fantastic, offered as an optional extra for €32 per person. It features a fine selection, prioritizing local and national products, with cheeses aged on-site. The front-of-house team handles each cheese with special care, guiding diners and providing all the necessary details to create a perfect selection on the table.
And for drinks, they've also done a great job offering pairings that align with this now-emphasized seasonal concept. Priced at 175 euros, each season and menu is accompanied by different wine selections with evocative titles (“whispers of flowers” in spring, and “rhythms of sun” now in summer, for example) that assert that one can also drink from the land.
For those with a more discerning palate and a generous budget, there's the iconic pairing that allows you to taste unique bottles from the winery's cellar. In return, however, you'll have to add 1050 euros to the bill.
But, returning to the menu, can we speak of a new era for Moments, or is it simply a slight adjustment to the approach, giving the seasonal ingredients and produce they deserve—products that, as both chefs maintain, have always been present? Again, this is an issue that concerns guides and critics more than diners. Ultimately, it's about eating well at a fair price. Moments offers this, along with impeccable service and an iconic location.
