I am surprised that I have not heard of Denassus before stepping into it for lunch with my fellow Rack & Return WSET classmates. They all seem to know it. They know that it used to be restaurant Malamén.
“Wasn’t this opened by those guys from Bar del Pla?” someone volunteers.
Wait! What? How did I miss this? I am incredulous. I love this format! The type where enthusiasm carries the concept but the lot is buoyed by experience. Where the small number of tables and chairs speaks to the likelihood of more attention from the kitchen.
Denassus call themselves a temple of wine and tapas. Understandable since both Sergi & Alejo were at Bar del Pla for 10 years. With a cheeky smile, Sergi presents the table with two wine bottles, a red and a white, wrapped in tin foil so that we can’t see the label. “Let’s see how much you learned today on your wine course.” he smiles at us.
We start off with a board of cold cuts. Lean cecina and marbled Jamón Ibérico de Bellota (16€) folded in on themselves. A long plate of roast chicken croquetas (1.65€ each) followed by spherical duck bombas (2.50€ each) sitting in a small puddle of house-made hoisin sauce with a few tendrils of curled green onion on top.
A solitary leek, dressed with micro leaves, marigold petals and toasted slivered almonds next, displaying a green-fingered aptitude in the kitchen (6.50€). Nico, the chef here has over 30 years of experience around the world and brings a smidgen of fusion to the menu. Thankfully not the heavy-handed, knee jerk habit that relies on sweet chilli sauce and cheap soy sauce for excitement.
The Denassus take on patatas bravas (4€) are so good, drowned in a red and avocado green sauce that we devour it hungrily before I’ve had a chance to take a picture.
An excellent ceviche comes next (10.70€). I award Nico extra mental points for not relying on the usual splodge of sweet potato puree and instead using a melon baller to scoop out specimens of perfectly steamed sweet potato. As is my habit, I tip the remaining leche de Tigre from the plate directly into my mouth. The best part and at Denassus that salty lemon balance is spot on.
It’s the penultimate plate that has me hook line and sinker. First off, it’s gorgeous, the plate selection at Denassus is at once comforting with a favouring for deep speckled bowls and elegant. Beans and Catalunya are happy bedfellows going way back. Paired with botifarra as they often are, I can appreciate the attraction of an affordable and filling dish. Would I dream about it? No. Would I dream about this dish? Yes. Soft white beans in an unctuous broth, made more so by the decadent draping of a thin sheet of pork fat, succulent morsels of baby squid and a tangy drizzle of vinegar, that you chase after (14.50€)
Having said that. I am close to that crazy about the Ibérico pork cheeks with chestnut celeriac puree (11.50€).
And the chocolate dessert is paired with apple sauce (5.50€). I am surprised that the pairing works. But then it turns out that Denassus is a surprising kind of place.
Denassus Tapas & Wine
C/ Blai, 53,
08004 Poble Sec
denassus.com
facebook.com/denassus
instagram.com/denassus
More like this:
Bar del Pla
Extra Bar
Pepa Pla
On the back of your review we had lunch here yesterday. It was absolutely delicious. Best meal we have had in a while. The service was delightful and the scallops were even better! Everything we tried – and we tried a lot – was great. It’s an interesting menu with something for everyone. Duck bombas were a treat. Can’t wait to go back. Thanks for the recommendation. More like this please! Regards. Gill.
Hi Gill! Thanks for your message. I am always on the lookout for exactly this kind of place but they are not easy to find! And I eat out constantly it seems. Glad you enjoyed it as much as I did!
I have visited Denassus for the first time a couple of days ago. I was about to leave due to the poor and very unprofessional welcome. I ended up seating at the bar, which is something I usually enjoy, but it proved uncomfortable, especially with waiters and customers bumping on my chair/back repeatedly. The space, although charming, hasn’t been efficiently designed and it’s overall cramped. Well, at least I had a top view on the kitchen activities. I regret that the long list of specials (fuera de la carta) isn’t printed. That leads you to have the staff repeat it several times and without knowing the dishes prices. Likewise, you are compelled to order wine by the glass without knowing how much you’ll end up paying. Finally, regarding the atmosphere, there was a lot of tension on that evening and communication between the manager and staff was obviously problematic, creating unpleasant vibes. The service is rather agitated and rushed, unjustifiably so, and in contradiction with a space and offering that should generate a cozy relax ambience. This being said, plates were well executed, and I managed to sample some very interesting wines. I will be back, hoping to have a more soothing experience.
Hi Antoine, Well – I am glad you liked the food at least! Denassus is a very small space. I don’t think they had a huge budget going in and just adjusted an existing space a little. I’ve had good experiences with the guys there. And I love the food which is why I recommended it. Hopefully next time you go you will have a better experience. And also now that you know the layout maybe reserve a table you prefer the layout of etc. And ask them about things like wine prices etc – I always do.
Thanks for reading.
Suzy