Gouthier

Gouthier is a restaurant located in old Sarrià, in a square that gives visitors an atmosphere of ancient villages. For years it’s been the standard for ‘bivalvos’, that is to say, oysters brought from Marennes, Normandy, Brittany, Ireland and the Ebro delta. But this restaurant doesn’t just survive on oysters. Gouthier is also a benchmark for gourmet tinned food, among them a magnificent cod belly, and a smoky monkfish liver with cucumber and wakame seaweed; there's also a selection of some of the highest-quality cheeses for the most discerning palate. If you’re sick to death of Spanish and Catalan cuisine and craving something a little different, at Gouthier you can close your eyes and travel to France for the small price of a few oysters.

Over time, Gouthier has been incorporating a seasonal menu with home-made dishes and new gourmet tinned delicacies. In addition to the six tyes of oysters from three different origins and half a terrine of Carpier mi-cuit foie gras, we ordered a smoked octopus with pistachios that left me desperately wanting to try the squid with artichokes.

Everything is a culmination of flavours that wouldn’t have such a captivating effect if the restaurant didn't boast a French bodega, and the French, in general, excel at wine. Whites, reds, champagnes, cavas, sweet wines… the list is extensive. To accompany the oysters, order a glass of Baron-Fuenté Grande Réserve, an intense champagne with an aromatic nose.