Casa Amàlia is a long-established restaurant (it first opened all the way back in 1950) right in front of the Concepció Market, offering a classic and uncomplicated menu where quality ingredients and traditional cooking take centre stage. At least, that was the case until 2020, when Jordi Castán and Sergi Suaña took over – a duo with decades of experience in high-end dining and a focus on local produce.
The menu starts with appetisers, as you’d expect, but then things get interesting: the main courses are divided into two sections, one dedicated to tradition and one to transformation. In the traditional section, you'll find wonderful classic dishes like grilled monkfish with a fish and sherry velouté and fennel, or three-meat cannelloni with béchamel sauce. The transformation section offers playful creations like the ‘Mallorcan panalena’, a grilled aubergine with thinly sliced bacon, stuffed with sobrasada, topped with aubergine tempura, and topped off with some quality honey. This culinary creation evokes the pleasure of sobrasada with honey, melts in your mouth, has a delightful crunch, and explodes with luxurious flavours. The rice dishes are also top-notch.
They take pride in highlighting the finest products, even specifying on the menu which stall in the Concepció Market (which supplies 50% of the kitchen) has supplied each ingredient. They avoid clichés: for instance, the cod with tarragon mousseline and rum-soaked raisins is a light, succulent, and delicious reinvention of the typically heavy cod with garlic mousseline. It's not just the food that's exquisite – the elegant refurbishment makes it a fitting place for those looking to impress someone special.
Still hungry? Check out our list of the best restaurants in Barcelona.
Translated by Olivia Simpson