There is this little gem of a restaurant here in Barcelona called Xemei. I was turned on to it by a fellow school mate and chef who works here in Barcelona. I am so happy that she did.
Xemei means twins in Venetian dialect, because of the owners, who are……(drum roll please) TWINS! I go there as much as I can, because the food is just amazing. My boyfriend actually goes there almost once a week…..and he doesn’t get tired of it. The menu is quite short, but it changes often, always making it seasonal and fresh. The last time I went there, I had these amazing bay scallops, just sautéed with a bit of garlic, butter and parsley.
I loved the simplicity of this dish, because it really let the scallops shine…..as they should. The time before, when I was starving, I had their starter Tomino cheese and rosti potatoes, topped with a poached egg and crispy leeks. It. Was. Divine. I wish I could explain with words how good this was, but there aren’t any to be able to describe it as well as mine and my friends orgasmic moans. I mean….seriously.
Tomino is a small, brie-like cheese from northern Italy. It begs to be wrapped in bacon and cooked, like how my friend Miki’s boyfriend did when I first tried it. This version was incredible. Lightly pan-fried, to get the inside to melt……well…you can see from the picture….I bet you’re salivating now!
For seconds we shared the pasta, which was with mussels and clams in a spicy tomato sauce. That is one of their specialties, that is always on the menu.
Again, how I love to cook and eat, very few ingredients to let the stars shine….which in this case were the freshest mussels and clams.
And for dessert we had Apple Strudel. Since the Veneto region has been influenced by Austria…..well, Alto Adige (northeast region of Italy) formed part of Austria until the beginning of the last century….so you will find Apple Strudel in a lot of menus there.
It was the perfect end to a perfect meal. With just a tiny dollop of custard on the side…..yuuuuuummmmmmy.
So, if you are ever in Barcelona, or you live here, and are hankering for some excellent venetian cuisine, I recommend Xemei.
Restaurante Xemei
Passeig de l’ Exposicio, 85
+34 93 553 5140
Expat Chef in Barcelona 