Seny, the new fish bar for all audiences in the Gràcia neighborhood

Recently we said goodbye to L’Hermós, the fish bar at the Mercat de la Llibertat in Gràcia. For a few weeks now, however, we have been celebrating a new opening. From those ashes, in the same place, a robust project has been born: Seny. An immense scorpionfish welcomes us. It is painted on the wall, black on white. It is the work of Max amb X, a tattoo artist. When the stall is closed, however, the scorpionfish doubles, since on the shutter, in negative, white on black, it is also reproduced. Seny is the new fish restaurant-stall-bar by chef Carles Ramon (Barcelona, 1986).

Carles Ramon spent many years working with fish and seafood at the Besta restaurant, on Aribau street. And now he walks alone with this new project. He has moved from gastronomic sophistication to offering the same excellent product in a more simplified way. The goal? To reach as many people as possible. How to do it? By knowing how to buy. Ramon gets up every day at 5 am to buy fish. “I adapt to the supply. We have glamorous fish and fish that are not. I will only have turbot when it is affordable. Today we have fish of reasonable costs and reasonable sizes. Top quality fish accessible to more people. Whoever wants to spend money will have lobster and langoustines. Those who cannot also have options.” The menu changes every day. In fact, he puts the date on it. Today there is alfonsino, mini brill, royal sea bream, common sea bream, brown meagre, shi drum, red mullet, and John Dory. The prices are by weight. I eat the fried brill. But you can ask for the preparation you want: grilled, pil-pil, oven-baked, griddled, raw... They, of course, will make you the recommendation they consider best. When I am there, not a single stool is left empty.

They also offer snacks, more elaborate ones, or pickles. Or the rice, which has a base price of 15 euros. On top, you can add whatever topping you want from what is available that day. Since the fish is sold by weight, it is very simple. Carles Ramon suggests adding small squid. And he gets it right. Going to Seny can be an adventure every day, just like going out to sea. Ramon has managed to keep the clientele of Hermós, and gradually add new ones. A major attraction is the live lobsters and Norway lobsters he has in a water tank, which catch the attention of those passing by. In fact, he says that to his surprise, the Norway lobsters sell "like hotcakes." The desserts also feature fish. Like the cheesecake with anchovy or the flan with caviar.

While still being a market stall, he has placed cotton napkins there and tries to maintain a certain level of comfort, accepting the informality of the place. The chef likes safety pins, which is why one appears surrounding the word seny, which he wrote in his own handwriting. He shows me that he also wears a safety pin on his keys. I ask him why he chose the term seny. He explains it like this: "It is a personal project where I have thought of everything. I put all my background and knowledge into adapting it to the current situation. Besides, there are several left-wing philosophers who claim the term seny from the left because it has always been linked to the right and the bourgeoisie. Seny is something Catalan and ours, which we can all use. It is also a political statement," he explains. The prices of the wines are also very sensible.

The stall chooses you

Carles Ramon did not go looking for the stall, the stall chose him. Let me explain. When Alexis Peñalver opened L'Hermós, it was because they had come looking for him. He, owner of La Pubilla, a much-loved restaurant in the Gràcia neighborhood, was the chosen one to manage this counter attached to the Joan Noi fishmonger's. When Peñalver wanted to focus only on the restaurant outside the market, he thought that it was Ramon who should take over the baton. He proposed it to him at the beginning of the year. Carles Ramon decided that he would say yes once he left the market and headed home, since he lives next door. He explains that the market has its own dynamics and that you cannot just put anyone there. He is right. And he, as a sensible man with a crest, already swims there like a fish in water.