Angle

Following a disappointing visit to Atempo the night before, Angle took the opposite tack and blew us away.

This was a stellar, almost perfect dining experience and is without question one of my favorite restaurants in Barcelona.

The evening starts in their foyer, which is one of the most beautiful spaces I've seen for a restaurant. Everywhere we looked was another incredible interior design element. "This place is magnificent!", I gushed at our host.

We were presented with the menu and a glass of bubbly, then invited to the lengthy desk to enjoy our first bites. The opening bite was a "Mojito Cloud", made in front of you, freezing mint in liquid nitrogen and then crushing it into little pieces to finish the dish.

Um...wow. It was delicious too.

A few more bites and we were graciously escorted upstairs to their beautiful dining room, where we met our server. She was phenomenal. I wish I wrote her name down so I could give her proper credit. Service (by everyone) was formal and quiet, but super connected, friendly and fun. Lots of laughs and ease throughout the meal. She couldn't have been better.

One example of the terrific service... I had ordered the ½ wine pairing. (Love that it was an option.) I chatted with the somm about Albarinos, how much they vary and how I so enjoy a certain type of them. He said "On the full pairing, we have a albarino that is exactly like that. Let me bring you a glass." Not charged. Just that extra step of hospitality to connect with a guest and be sure they had anything and everything that could help them enjoy the experience.

Service throughout was exactly like that. Gracious. Generous. Impeccable. On a Monday, no less.

"How does this place have only 1 star??"

I wrote that in my notes about 30 minutes in. I simply can't find flaws anywhere. If you told me this was a three star restaurant, I wouldn't have blinked. Angle had 2 stars until 2023 when they lost one. The 2024 guide came out the night after our visit, but they knew they were going to remain at 1 star.

"We don't know why. But we are fully committed to taking care of each customer every night the very best we can.", our server told me. Her comment felt honest, genuine and accurate, not just saying what she "should" have said.

The name "Angle" comes from their first location which featured no 90° angles. This new location likewise features curved walls and fits well. Their logo features angles with all sorts of letters. Many have wondered what secret message is found within. Our server said "They're just letters. Don't mean anything."

Every single dish was delicious and smart. The menu arc was impeccable. Service without flaw. Wines terrific. The space was gorgeous and comfortable. I don't know what Michelin is thinking here with their 1 star designation. This is 2 stars all day long. And an absolutely terrific 2 stars.

Should I return to Barcelona, I will return to Angle. I did not expect this to be such a phenomenal experience.

I urge you to come find out for yourself.