One downside of the Turkish love affair with Barcelona, which I completely understand, is that people fall so hard for the city center that they easily miss the gems just outside it.
Els Casals, 110 km or about 75 minutes from central Barcelona, may be the best example. Set in Sagàs, which I’d happily call Barcelona’s highlands, it is many things at once: a family farm, a hotel and, as of 2020, a restaurant with one Michelin star. On 70 decares (about 17 acres) they farm crops and raise more than 4,000 animals, and most of what the kitchen uses comes from here. Farm to table in the truest sense: they grow 19 varieties of tomato alone. I should also mention that they are among the best charcuterie makers in Catalonia. The place opened in 2000, but as they say themselves, the Rovira family has clearly been preparing for Els Casals for more than 400 years.
So what does it offer? Calm, faultless food, nature, local produce, the warmth of a home, peace. What more could someone who loves food and travel ask for? Oriol, the restaurant’s chef and the hotel’s manager, will happily carry your bags up to your room the moment you check in. That is what humility and being hands-on look like.
The rooms are simple and more than enough; some even have a romantic touch. Waking up and looking out over the valley in the morning is priceless.
I’d describe the kitchen as a true expression of Catalan cooking: rooted in tradition, with innovative but coherent additions. Produce from the farm and the forest is the backbone of every dish.
I’ve stayed and eaten here twice, in March 2018 and December 2019, and one word comes to mind: paradise. On my last visit Chef Oriol cooked us a special truffle menu, and I’m sharing a few dishes from it below. The restaurant follows the seasons closely, so be sure to book before you go.
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