Montiel (CLOSED)

With humble beginnings in the Born neighbourhood, Montiel started out as a good charcuterie and bodega, a place where you could sit down with a nice wine and excellent Iberian cold cuts. Later, with Ferran Bofarull heading up the kitchen and Marcos Eiras in the dining area, this became a go-to spot for anyone looking for traditional cuisine with modern touches and great flavours. You'll also get welcoming, friendly and efficient service.

What we found was a very tasty menu, where they serve up traditional dishes, such as an excellently prepared suckling pig or more daring dishes, such as 'mar i muntanya' (from the sea and the land) of squid and Iberian pork cheeks with a side of creamy black rice. These are just two of the types of dishes you'll find in this cosy well-lit space that also plays good music, features a lovely decor, and where you find good taste in the details.

Eiras can give you great advice and is even gifted at making recommendations according to his perception of his guests' personalities. The night we went along, we started with the marinated sardines with tomato concassé on a bed of sweet onion, the wild salmon tartare, and the tuna tartare with trout eggs and toasted pine nuts. We then went on to have two superb dishes: the mi-cuit of home-made duck liver with quince and pistachio, and glazed squab with creamy rice with wild mushrooms.

The desserts are a real festival, especially their rice pudding with coconut milk, accompanied by orange marmalade, and the custard they were serving the night we were there. Sublime. They've also got a great wine list with about 80 varieties from small, limited-production wineries, as well as some surprising vintages, to pair with your meal.