We lament the passing of iconic Barcelona eating places with ever-increasing frequency. But today we can celebrate the revival of gourmet delicatessen Semon, and of its sister space L’Indret, a restaurant where you can try everything you see on display – and more. Brothers Pedro and Paulino Robles, who have worked in the establishment for 20 and 40 years, respectively, have taken it over with the intention of maintaining the business model that has worked since it first opened, while also ‘raising the quality, whether in terms of service or products,’ as younger brother, Pedro, explains.
‘We want to make the restaurant more accessible, both for our regular clientele and for the new crowd who’ve joined us since we entered this new phase,’ adds Paulino, who works behind the scenes to ensure everything runs smoothly.
They have kept and improved many of the dishes that made the previous incarnation of L’Indret famous. A youthful team in the kitchen are also introducing some star dishes from La Despensa de Laforja, which Pedro has run for years. One of these, the red scorpionfish pie, will come and go on the menu as a special. On the day of our visit we were able to confirm improvements to classic dishes such as the salt-cured salmon ‘nest’, the potato stuffed with its own creamy purée, and the king crab stew. A shared first course from the set menu, a carpaccio of ceps with roasted pine nuts and excellent olive oil, made an excellent starter.
On the set lunch menu, at €19, the highlight was a superb 'fabada asturiana' (white bean stew). The house pastries are magnificent. The deli has revived products that were missing from its shelves until now, such as the goose foie gras, specially prepared and labelled for the Robles’s shop. There’s been a huge improvement in the wine menu, and the cavas, champagnes and liqueurs are still excellent What a pleasure to return to a unique Barcelona restaurant, and enjoy great food, top service and a friendly atmosphere.