New Restaurant: BCN by Las Flores Brings Us The Exciting Flavors Of Barcelona
Lobster, tuna tartare, bespoke cocktails and an impressive wine list
In a city with quite a number of Spanish restaurants serving tapas and paella, BCN by Las Flores brings a whole new dimension by introducing us to the beloved classic dishes of Barcelona. To dine at this restaurant is to experience a unique aspect of Spanish cuisine, complete with its own character, cooking techniques and flavors. It’s a great new adventure to bring to the table.
BCN by Las Flores is part of the Bistro Group, known for their successful string of restaurants — Rambla, Las Flores, Tomatito, and Osteria Daniele — all pioneers in reinventing and reinvigorating Spanish cuisine in the metro. The same holds true with BCN by Las Flores. This time, they’re bringing in local and authentic dishes from Barcelona, a very modern, cosmopolitan city with deep historical roots, and a rich, unique cuisine. While Rambla and Tomatito focus on bringing us dishes that tourists in Spain are drawn to, BCN by Las Flores is all about serving dishes beloved of the locals, crafted in unique and elegant ways.
The interiors are beautiful and classy, borrowing inspirational elements and architecture from the city of Barcelona. Thus, the space has its unique character, and it feels very posh, yet warm and welcoming.
Your eye will inevitably be drawn to the open wine shelving that displays more than a hundred wine labels that BCN carries. It’s currently the biggest wine list in all of Bistro Group’s concept restaurants, featuring both Old World and New World wines, but mostly Spanish labels to be on theme, says Bistro Group’s beverage manager Duane Legaspi.
The food and drinks menu are both beautiful and inspired, but can get pretty intimidating, especially for diners not well-versed in Spanish cuisine. To help you, check out some of our favorites in the gallery below.
Jamon Bellota a Cuchillo
Jamon Bellota is the highest type of Ibérico ham made from the meat of pigs fed with acorns and raised in pasture. Usually, Bellota hams are cured for four to six weeks, but this one got some intense TLC and was cured for 48 months. How amazing is that? The result is melt-in-your-mouth fatty goodness that pairs well with beer or wine.
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
Jamon Bellota a Cuchillo
The jamon is served with toasted broad and a simple tomato salsa seasoned only with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
La Bella Lola Cerveza
We love how well the Bellota jamon pairs with this La Bella Lola Cerveza, a craft beer from Spain with delicious, aromatic notes of citrus, and just the right alcohol content to induce fun, free-flowing conversation. It’ll be so hard to go back to your usual beer after a taste of this one.
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
Ensalada de Burrata
Burrata is easily one of the finest, most delicate cheeses with creamy, buttery consistency. At BCN, the burrata comes with slivers of Ibérico ham and a kick of anchovy. It’s smoked just before serving, which adds flavor. This technique, and the flair with which he does it, is something you can expect from BCN’s Spanish maestro chef, Alfredo Rodriguez.
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
Burrata Salad
Before serving, the burrata is smoked in an enclosed dish, which is opened in front of you in a mini ritual. Notice the specks of black? That's charcoal sand made from olives.
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
An Iberian chef
Chef Alfredo Rodriguez is a Spanish local, so he does know his way around Spanish cuisine. And that's the understatement of the year.
Pulpo a la Gallega
Grilled octopus is a traditional dish from Galicia and takes an immense level of skill to perfect. BCN’s version is melt-in-your-mouth tender, simply flavored with paprika, salt, pepper, and Arbequina extra virgin olive oil (one of the finest, made from the first press of the olive). Enjoy this with the potato — it’s heavenly.
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
Sand and Snow
Pair the pulpo with the Sand and Snow, an original BCN cocktail by Duane. It’s made with pear-infused Tequila Ocho Blanco, lemon and apple juice, resulting in a light, refreshing drink with balanced sweetness and fruitiness. Great for day drinking!
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
Short Ribs
BCN’s short ribs are quite straightforward — juicy, moist with oily goodness. Cooked sous vide for 16 hours, the meat comes out tender and succulent, with its rich sauce balanced with light puréed potatoes. Pair this with a nice red wine from BCN’s extensive wine list.
Carajillo
Pair the dessert platter with a glass of carajillo, a bespoke drink made with brandy heated in a glass and then mixed with coffee.
Carajillo
Insider tip: Carajillo is not on the drinks menu, but you can ask for it. BCN makes bespoke cocktails like Spanish-style Irish coffee and, of course, carajillo. In Duane’s words, “At BCN, if we have the ingredients, we’ll make it for you.”
Photo Credit: Jovi Figueroa
Seaside Sour
This cocktail is inspired by the view of Manila Bay from BCN. It's made with melon liqueur, vodka, lemon juice, coconut syrup and egg white.
Grilled Sea Bass
Fish lovers will enjoy this majestic 1-kg sea bass imported from Europe. It's cooked in a special fish grill over charcoal with lots of olive oil, garlic and pepper.
Dessert Platter
The dessert platter contains not one, but four desserts: mango cheesecake, churros, a divinely moist chocolate cake, and the torrija, a returning favorite from the older BCN by Rambla in Makati. Torrija is the Spanish version of French toast, delicate and creamy with caramel for sweetness and a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Whole Maine Lobster Rice
Instead of getting paella, get this dish topped with generous servings of perfectly cooked lobster. It’s cooked on BCN’s charcoal grill, which they brought in all the way from Spain. This special charcoal grill is one part of the secret to BCN’s truly smokey and flavorful dishes. Don’t expect socarrat, because it’s not paella, but relish in the softness and richness of the rice, made even more divine with mouthfuls of lobster meat.
BCN, by the way, is the airport code for Barcelona. Consider a meal at this restaurant as almost akin to a quick foodie trip to a favorite Barcelona restaurant.