ABaC - seven 3* in one week, 4th visit

Who knew celebrity TV Chef Jordi Cruz is shy? This, it's explained, is a reason why he doesn't regularly work the tables at his 3* dining room ABaC.

This was my fourth visit, and I hadn't met Cruz on my previous three. Since he has played a large part in my appreciation of gastronomy, I politely insisted that if he was in residence I could say a quick hello. Cruz, going back more than a decade, has set a standard for me in creativity, use of ingredients and storytelling.

More on that later...

ABaC isn't afraid to change course or reinvent itself when it comes to presentation.

On my last visit, the meal started with some snacks in the kitchen. That has been scrubbed.

There was a heavy emphasis on lengthy storytelling, using historical references and mythology, and tableside cooking. That has been eschewed for conciser, more ingredient-driven explanations.

The restaurant's signature "bloody mary" always comes first in some form to get your palate ready with an umami bomb. I appreciate coming out of the box with bold flavour.

The "fossilized" wafer-thin bite in the next progression was a marvel to look at before cracking it in to shards.

A tomato progression, as is customary at ABaC, comes next. The green gazpacho being the star here with the olive oil making it feel oh so Barcelona.

The sea bream was stunning in presentation with immaculate sauce work.

An experimental dish was tried out on diners before taking a place on the menu, and I had some minor adjustment suggestions. It was at that point I was invited back to the kitchen to meet Chef Cruz. I briefly explained my thoughts and thanked him for all the amazing cooking throughout my visits. We discussed the use of truffle in that dish and how it would evolve when the product matched the season. The floor manager told me Chef is not as confident in his English, so perhaps I was heaping platitudes on someone who didn't receive them, but I certainly appreciated Chef's willingness to listen.

We get to the first main of monkfish, so moist and meaty under a veil of olive, seaweed and cabbage. The dehydration and airation taking centre stage.

Pork with carrot sauce gave conflicting sweetness, in a good way, along with a prominent "tang."

The pastry section has always been strong, and continues to be, with contrasting desserts and mastery of chocolate preparations. This time the strawberries were as good as anything I've had in Japan.

While this meal was more "formal" in guest experience than the past, I couldn't help but appreciate Chef Cruz's cooking once more, which is why I've gotten on a plane to Barcelona. It was obvious, even from the beginning of my exposure to ABaC, it was worthy of three stars. Once attained a few years ago, it still upholds the highest standards of culinary excellence.

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