Our second meal at Can Roca (the very next day) was sublime. On paper, it sounds the same as the previous meal but there was something more the second time; perhaps, it was a better understanding of the food. This meal was our 2nd best of Spain (El Bulli was 1st) and one of the better meals of our entire trip.

1. Amuses – We were served a plate of 3 amuses:

a – Crustacian Cream w/ Caviar & Fennel – the essence of seawater, if not a bit too salty; no wow, but solid. Good.

b – Melon-stuffed Foie Gras – the foie was of excellent quality & taste with the melon “lightening” the dish up. Very Good.

c – Cherry Soup w/ Ginger Ice Cream – the soup had the right tartness & sweetness, the ginger ice cream was refreshingly mellow. Excellent.

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We found ourselves in the horrible tourist area near Girona’s beaches, specifically S’Agarro, with nowhere to eat. Can Roca was scheduled for the next day but we decided, “why not try it two days in a row?” To our surprise, a table was open with just a few hours notice.

What follows is a recount of the first meal; the second meal will be published shortly. It’s very interesting how much of a disparity a meal at the same restaurant can have from one night to the next. There are, of course, many variables including but not limited to: the chef’s mood, the cooks’ moods, the ingredients, the other diners, familiarity with the cuisine, and, on the second trip, familiarity with us. The difference was surprising – this meal was a low 2 star whereas we had a solid 3 star meal the next night.

We chose the Surprise Tasting Menu and asked for an additional dessert – the infamous Trip to Havana.

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