Marc Ribas opens a delicatessen: "You can't find a good salami sandwich, but you can find Argentinian crests"

BarcelonaChef Marc Ribas will open Pamb in early December, a delicatessen featuring tastings of Catalan products. While there won't be any cured ham, there will be sweet ham, salchichón (which will be eaten on a freshly dipped slice of bread), and two types of sandwiches: the Barcelona, ​​for eight euros, and the Eixample, for eleven euros. Pamb will be located at number 203 on Carrer de València, and the chef... He confesses that he is not opening it to join the trend of chefs who make their own sausages.Instead, he wants to offer Catalan fast food in Barcelona, ​​"which doesn't exist." According to Ribas, Argentine-style restaurants have seen the most growth in recent years: "On the other hand, if we want a good salami sandwich, we can't find one."

Since last summer, Marc Ribas, along with a partner, has been preparing a project for which they have sought out Catalan producers for each of the products they will offer. To begin with, there will be "the trinity," he says, referring to extra virgin olive oil from the Salat d'Arbúcies mill, bread from the Suca'l bakery, and salchichón (a type of cured sausage), which will be made by Fermí Coromines from La Garrotxa, and will also be offered in two other varieties: Casa Sendra from Vic and Can Casa de Sendra from Vic. Regarding the bread with tomato, the chef clarifies: it will be dipped in freshly harvested tomatoes, on both sides of the toast, and with extra virgin olive oil. And they will do it fresh, because that's how he believes bread with tomato should be made; it shouldn't be pureed or brushed on, as has been done in the past. Furthermore, the slice of salchichón, for example, can be bought to take away because they have also thought about packaging, so it can be eaten on the go, he says.

Ral de Avignon and Bauma

Bikini sandwiches will also play a starring role because the chef wants to pay homage to the city where they originated. He'll make two types: the Barcelona, ​​for eight euros, and the Eixample, which will be double the size of the Barcelona and cost fifteen euros. "The bikini will be made with braised Ral d'Avinyó ham, Bauma cheese from La Garrotxa, and Suca'l's sliced ​​bread, which is larger and artisanal," Ribas explains. In the Eixample version, the ingredients will be the same, but there will be double the quantity. Regarding the rise of chef-run delicatessens, Ribas says there's an unmet need when you want a bite of fast food Catalan. You won't find delicatessens with Catalan products, but you will find plenty of Argentinian ones. "At Pamb, a foreigner visiting Barcelona will be able to discover bread with tomato, a slice of bread with tomato and sausage, and at the same time, they will be learning about the region through the products we use," says Ribas. In fact, the descriptions of the sandwiches and sausages will include the names of the producers and the places where they were made.

In the delicatessen with tasting area, modeled after the typical Italian delicatessen.Guests will also be able to enjoy sweets prepared by pastry chef Christian Escribà, who has made a crema catalana for Pamb, as well as other treats. "We'll also have DJ music throughout the day, at a low volume, of course," says the chef, who adds that specialty coffee and fresh milk will also be available. Looking ahead to 2026, the chef will relocate El Ciri restaurant to the outskirts of Terrassa. "There will be private dining areas, a garden, parking; it will be a larger space, because El Ciri started as a tavern in the center of Terrassa, but now it's become too small for us because we are now El Ciri Restaurant," concludes the chef.