The Mediterranean Essence Of Colella

In what was previously a business of cooked vegetables, we now find the Colella restaurant. Although the space has changed, the walls continue to speak of culinary tradition, although today it is marked by the Neapolitan roots of chef Roberto Colella.

The inner workings of the restaurant are clear as soon as you cross through the door, since the kitchen is totally visible. The name of the restaurant is the same as the chef’s last name: Colella is the most personal bet of Roberto Colella . “In fact, we went 20 days without a name for this place,” he says. But, eventually, Colella decided there was no better name than his own. Although the approach of the menu is modern, it is based upon a traditional recipe book, which does not remain exclusively in Italy but extends to the entire Mediterranean.

Roberto’s cuisine is not new to the gastronomic map of Barcelona, although now we find it for the first time in the Eixample. Meneghina was his first project, which will remain as a home for meals from his “virtual” departure. From the new Colella kitchen now come dishes with another approach, more gastronomic, designed to share , such as Carrots with almond crumbs, or an original Bikini made of potato and Iberian bacon with garlic aioli and marmalade. Fish and seafood are an important part of the menu, such as Hake Loin with baby salad and Roman pecorino, or El Cous Cous alla Trapanesewith some very tender pieces of squid, hake and mussels, a dish reminiscent of North Africa and that will delight the lovers of Sicilian cuisine. But in addition, in Colella there is also room for pasta, such as the Paccheri stuffed with foie gras, onion and spinach sauce, similar to the traditional cannelloni. Desserts can be found among the infallible classics such as Tiramisu, Baba al Ron, or a refreshing Panna Cotta sambuca with orange gel.

The popularity of Italian restaurants has grown considerably in the last decade in Barcelona. With Colella, borders, recipes and plates are extended, which can be enjoyed comfortably without leaving the Diagonal.