The Catalan cuisine of a Raval resident who has found happiness in his neighborhood

Robert Serna i Mundet is a guy from El Raval. He was born there, lives there, and has his business there. He is self-taught. Talent and effort opened the doors to the world of restoration for him at just twenty-two years old. Since then, he has participated in his own and others' projects, always at the forefront of prestigious kitchens.One day, walking through the old Barri Xino, he discovered a small corner on Requesens street and decided to turn it into his refuge to be happy. Cal Robert opened its doors in 2014. At first it was more of a bar than a restaurant, but eight years ago, with David's arrival in the kitchen, the project found its definitive direction: traditional Catalan cuisine with a touch of Iberian flair. Starters to share and main courses to each one's liking. A simple formula that works if the product and execution are good. The team is as important as the food, and with Marc in the dining room, a small but very efficient team is completed.There are fixed dishes and others (those on the blackboard) that change according to the seasonality of the product. Thus, neither they nor the clients get bored: every day there is something new to taste. We start the meal with some black pudding bags and some chard fritters. We continue with a dish of tripe and some meatballs that comfort us from the outside cold and confirm our success in visiting Robert. Before dessert, a hake tail in the Donostiarra style reconciles us with product cuisine. A cream millefeuille, a meringue and lemon tartlet, and a cheesecake fulfill the purpose of ending the meal.Wine deserves a very remarkable separate chapter. The menu is oral and changing. Robert explains it to us: “We only work with local wines and none cost more than nineteen euros. It makes no sense to spend twenty euros on food and order a seventy euro wine. We are looking for a wine profile with good value for money to be able to offer them at a reasonable price.” We choose a bottle of Un Onzè black wine from the Cal Cabo winery, in Sant Martí de Maldà. They have vineyards in the Corb valley. Sometimes, oil can be as important as food and drink. In the case at hand, we highlight it for its quality. It is from Nalec, the smallest town in Urgell. “My father-in-law is from Nalec. In the mornings I make breakfasts and I try to give an outlet to the oil, the wine and the sausages from there. They are very good!”The universe of Raval

Cal Robert is much more than a bar-restaurant: it is a service to the neighborhood. It collaborates with neighborhood associations and NGOs based in the neighborhood, especially with Pallapupas, the beloved hospital clowns. It has also unofficially become the bar for the Taller de Músics. The clientele comes mainly from Sant Antoni and L'Eixample, as the population of Raval is increasingly diverse and does not always match its gastronomic proposal or the establishment's budget. The average bill is around thirty-five euros per person.Robert is a Raval resident who loves his neighborhood. El Raval has life and color, but this particular universe of Barcelona is often underestimated and feared in equal measure. We take advantage of its geographical location to walk through these streets in the heart of the city. El Raval and Cal Robert show us two of the realities of our country: the diversity of our fellow citizens and the good health of Catalan cuisine. We can be happy.