A new temple of Catalan cuisine with the seal of a star chef opens in a farmhouse in Pla de l'Estany.

Riudellots de la CruzA new Catalan restaurant that promises top-quality food has just opened its doors in Pla de l'Estany. It's Can Gelada, in Riudellots de la Creu, a historic establishment with a rustic aesthetic, located on a hill five minutes from the main road, away from the urban centers. After two years of closure, it has reopened under the new management of the Renowned chef from Banyolí, Pere ArpaThe chef is the founder of the legendary Ca l'Arpa in Banyoles—awarded one Michelin star and two Repsol stars—which had to close in 2021 due to the pandemic. Four years later, he's decided to put aside haute cuisine to return to the traditional base of simmering dishes, wood-grilled dishes, and grilled meats.

The new Can Gelada opened its doors just a few weeks ago, and after a few days of landing to fully consolidate the proposal, it's already starting to move forward at a good pace thanks to word of mouth and the first opening announcements on social media. The establishment retains the style of a farmhouse, with fine wood, leaded glass, and a large fireplace in the dining room. However, the old stuffed animals that decorated the walls of the establishment decades ago have disappeared and are now decorated with contemporary art paintings that give a renewed air to the room, flanked by a terrace overlooking the Girona plain.

The menu is short, just one page, but with just the right number of must-try dishes from any traditional cuisine restaurant. The traditional approach resonates throughout, but that doesn't mean that details and presentation are neglected; quite the contrary, as Pere Arpa's skillful hand, combined with his experience and knowledge of the product, is evident in every preparation.

Pâté, pickled fish, head and leg and, above all, grilled meat and fish

Starting with the starters, a duck pâté terrine stands out. countryside, with lean meat and liver. Also the Catalan salad with vinaigrette, roasted peppers, cured meats, and pig's trotters; a warm cod brandade with eggplant, or the various pickles and marinades of sardines, mackerel, and bonito, around 15 euros. The following dishes continue: dishes and stews, such as veal with mushrooms, oxtail in red wine and ratafia, snails with rabbit, or an extremely gelatinous, creamy, and smooth head and leg. There's also the classic roast beef cannelloni and rice dishes, including black pudding and a surf and turf dish with cod and black pudding.

Now, the wood-fired grill, with hardly any charcoal, is the real star of the menu. Pork, lamb, and beef, with signature dishes such as shoulder of goat and aged beef entrecote, but also a fish of the day in the San Sebastian style or scallops with veal suckling pigs. And no item exceeds 30 euros. Finally, for dessert, you can't miss the typical Catalan cream, egg flan, or cura seed, but the most unusual offering is a four-color Massini, which instead of a bun is supported by a slice of the famous Banyoles cake, made with almond flour.

In addition to the à la carte menu, Can Gelada offers a lunch menu for 20 euros from Monday to Friday, featuring combinations of some of these dishes, as well as even more homey recipes like macaroni and bacon; potatoes and beans with butifarra (a traditional sausage) from a pot; pork cheek; or noodles in a casserole. Pere Arpa will soon be adding more dishes, such as escudella (a traditional dish for winter) or roasts with game and poultry.

Popular prices

"We intend to create locally sourced cuisine, with vegetables and food from the surrounding gardens, faithful to the cuisine traditionally produced in the region," explains Pere Arpa. The restaurant is certainly located in a privileged location, surrounded by producers and crops, and just 25 minutes from L'Escala, a port of reference for bluefish. The chef's main focus is on firewood, a true science that requires patience and extensive testing to master the exact temperatures and cooking points of meat and fish. "This was a historic lamb and goat restaurant, and we want to continue it. The nearby farmhouses used to bring their livestock right here," Arpa recalls.

After the closure of Ca l'Arpa, the chef managed the kitchens of various luxury hotels in Cadaqués and Vilademuls, until he decided to launch his own project, which he had long envisioned, based on the local culinary heritage of many generations. And also by offering a quality gastronomic offering that doesn't break the bank: "I've never been a chef who bases everything on constant innovation or experimentation. What I want to do here is an updated review of local cuisine, based on the dishes that can be made with local produce," says Arpa. He adds: "At Arpa, we were the most affordable Michelin-starred restaurant on the Iberian Peninsula. I've always thought that cuisine should be for people who love food, not just for the rich who can afford restaurants 10 times more expensive than the rest. Here, the prices are affordable and accessible to everyone," he concludes.