Restaurante Barcal

Monday, 21 May, 2018

For our last night in Medellín, we decided to do a foodie splurge. Some of the oo-la-la gourmet restaurants (e.g., Carmen on Carrera 36, No. 10A-27) are closed on Mondays (as is Parque Explora http://www.parqueexplora.org/ )

With a bit of online research, I found Restaurante Barcal which is easy walking distance from Aparta-Suites Torre Poblado, where we were staying.

Restaurante Barcal
Calle 7d, No. 43A-70
http://www.restaurantebarcal.com/
We booked a 7PM seating as we were told to plan on a 2 hour dining experience.



Everything about the evening was sublime – the food, the wine, the presentation of food, the attentive service, the kitchen, the ambiance in the patio as well as the culinary tour of Colombia. 

Dear readers, prepare for food porn as I take you through the culinary adventure we experienced. 

Our personal server, Alejandro, started us off with a cava (sparkling wine) from Spain that was to accompany our first two courses. 

The first course consisted of a Sweet Corn Arepa with little balls of local Antioqueño cheese (Medellín is in the state of Antioquia) and a subtle coffee mayonnaise. 

Note the presentation – resting atop a simple wooden box of coffee beans. 

 This was to be consumed with a local corn drink called chicha, served in shot glasses. The combination was amazing! 

We then were advised to eat the pickled beet (shaped like little red stars) that also featured potato and a subtle peanut sauce with the cava. Again, a great combination on the palate as well as a charming presentation! 

The second course also had several aspects: a crocante (croquette cracker) with shrimp from the Urabá coast with plantain vinegar and topped little dollops of vanilla. This was to be consumed with a pickled tomato water.

This combination was orgasmic! 

Additionally, to the far left of the above photo you can see a little green puff atop an inverted shot glass. This was smoked trout from La Cocha that was mixed with yellow fruits. We were told to pop this little delicacy just as you would pop a shot of liquor, followed by a sip of cava. Wow! 

Onto the third course, which consisted of cured tuna from Chocó swimming in coconut milk with lime juice that set it off magnificently. It was garnished with oxalis (yes, that pesky weed, also known as sour grass, that grows with wild abandon). There were also two little fariña crispies.  

This was paired with an amazing Pinot Noir from Santa Rosa in California: Alma de Cattleya. The winemaker is a Colombiana named Vivian Gonzalez. Her wines are fabolosos!

The fourth course was warm – everything thus far had been room temperature or cold. This was shrimp from Urabá swimming in a bubbling warm broth that was flavored with ripe plantain and bijao leaves (similar to the banana leaves used to wrap and thus flavor tamales).  

This was served with a Chardonnay from Alma de Cattleya - another of Viviana Gonzalez's amazing wines.






Course #5 consisted of two little envelopes filled with gallina criolla (chicken). These were to be consumed with a warm caldo quemada (smoked broth). Yet again, the flavor combination was... orgasmic. This course also included a tiny corn delicacy served on a bit of corn husk. This was to be enjoyed with a Chilean Cabernet Sauvignon.

Onto course #6: Cochinillo (suckling pig confit) served with a guasca emulsion and sweet pickled cucumber slices that balanced all the flavors! Note: Guasca is a Colombian herb that is used to flavor the ajiaco (a special Colombian soup - see blog post "Bogotá Day One").  

This was served with a vino tinto (red wine) from Chile.




Course #7 was one that had piqued our curiosity... In Bogotá and Medellín we had seen street venders hawking  Hormigas Culonas (Big Ass Ants), and despite my reputation for at least tasting anything and everything that locals eat, I had not yet dared. Furthermore, I have never been a big fan of tongue... This course was lengua de res (beef tongue) with marañones (cashews) and... yes, big ass ants. By the way, the tongue was tender, not chewy. Furthermore, the ants were tasty in addition to being (in Ned's words) "crunchy little suckers"!




Course #8 was a palate cleanser: helado de guayaba (a green guava sorbet made from one of the many fruits that is special to this part of the world). What sent this little taste treat into the palate stratosphere was the miel de pino (pine syrup) that Alejandro drizzled atop

Home stretch course #9 was Patía yogurt with watermelon, zapallo (a kind of squash) and crunchy pumpkins seeds, set off with lemon.

The grand finale was a line up of chocolate (as in cacao) from different regions of Colombia. These were artistically presented and served in little wooden spoons. 

Accompanying this course was an infusión of lemon, sugar and coca leaf (yes...). It was more like an aperitif than a tea (which is how I think of infusiones).

I took photos of the adorable kitchen crew while they worked. I then asked them if I could photograph el equipo - los artistas de la cocina (the team - the kitchen artists). They were happy to comply. They made it all happen!

Note: The chef-owner, Miguel Warren, is also in the photo (far right).