Famen, a restaurant in technicolour
Ever been to the cinema to see a film you’ve never heard of? You don’t know what to expect, and so you go in with no preconceived ideas. As the film progresses, however, you realise it’s actually brilliant, and all you want to do is to make sure everybody else knows about it, too.
Well, that’s pretty much what happened the first time we ate at Famen!
Famen: the trailer
The description on the restaurant’s website sounded promising, so we booked our seats for the Saturday night screening.
The scene opens on a quiet little street in the Gràcia quarter. A warm, welcoming dining room offers a mouthwatering menu, with a range of original dishes at reasonable prices.
Take your seat, and wait for the action to begin. The decor is essentially black and red, with soft lighting; the young, friendly waiting staff play their parts with grace and ease.
Famen: grand cinema
The first few minutes take the form of an Asian thriller: a gang of Japanese gyosa dumplings make their assault on the palate, followed closely by a crispy roll of chicken and langoustines, escorted by a mysterious tandoori sauce with mint syrup and ginger. Something big is happening, here. The suspense is building, and we love it!
A lighter moment, now: a carpaccio of tataki of duck breast, interaciting playfully with curls of manchego cheese. Wow, we like this concept.
Meanwhile, we find a slow-cooked leg of lamb reclining langourously alongside a beautiful mound of truffled mashed potato. Ahhhhhh.
Cut to a scene of a more intimate nature: steak tartare, in a rather compromising position with a slice of fresh foie gras. Does it really get much better than this?
The film ends with the unexpected marriage between “Mató”, a young Catalan fromage frais, and a luscious scoop of Provençal lavender and honey ice cream. A beautiful tear-jerker of an ending.
The verdict? a standing ovation from our tastebuds!
The best part about this type of film, or, indeed, restaurant, is that even when you think you’ve got it, there’s always another unexpected twist around the corner. With each trip to Famen, we discover a new detail, making us want to go back again and again to see what else they come up with…
Useful information:
- Famen offers a set lunch menu on weekdays between 1 and 4pm, including starter, main, dessert and a drink for under 15 euros. Advance booking is not possible at lunchtime, so try to be there for 1 to make sure you get a seat.
