When Catalan cuisine allows itself to be unconventional and turns irreverence into art

What is incorrect? Beyond conventional norms, each of us sees the world through our own unique lens. It's true that, in order to coexist, we adapt to certain established codes and stereotypes, but it's equally true that we need to preserve critical thinking and act in accordance with our own beliefs. From this interplay of thought and freedom, the restaurant Incorrecte was born in the upscale area of ​​Barcelona. At the helm is Marcel Pons, a native of Corberó and recently turned thirty, who has taken the plunge to launch his culinary project.

Natural light brings the place to life, while the red tables and chairs add color and warmth. The kitchen is open, and from much of the dining area, you can observe the controlled pace of service. The space is welcoming and straightforward, just like its concept.

There are two options: the à la carte menu or the tasting menu (€68); we opted for the latter. The start is enticing: a fritter filled with stewed meat, accompanied by mulled wine with orange, which inevitably transports us to Christmas markets. In the dining room, David and Edgar set the pace with warmth and professionalism. They remind us that the menu is dynamic, subject to the seasons and the availability of fresh produce. We came in the middle of winter, and it shows.

The artichoke arrives, prepared in three textures: creamy, confit, and crispy with mussels and Iberian pork jowl. A surf and turf dish, very much our own, delicately reinterpreted. The season continues with Maresme peas: the small variety, sauteed with truffle. melanosporumThe largest, transformed into a cream, also using its pod. A vindication and sensitivity. We don't know if the dish is "incorrect," but it is memorable. Off the menu, we tried the "tornillos" (screws) from the à la carte menu: intense and highly recommended. The Santa Pau beans take center stage with a mint pesto and a consommé made with the same beans. We return to surf and turf with braised white asparagus with scallop, squid ink sauce, and green oil. It's also the season for lucernario (a type of Catalan pastry), presented in pil-pil sauce and stuffed with calçots (a type of green onion), spinach, cabbage, and picada (a Catalan sauce), with a crispy skin like a... pork rindThe final savory course features a boneless rabbit with chocolate sauce and mashed potatoes, evocative of dishes that connect with memories of yesteryear.

"We want people to come back"

The dessert stays true to the tradition: a "Valencian" with vanilla, citrus, and orange, and a "Musician" with Muscatel sorbet, hazelnut sponge, almond mousse, caramelized walnuts, and faux raisins. Throughout the meal, we enjoy a bottle of Punt Verd, a natural wine from the La Furtiva winery, made with native yeasts and fermented in an underground concrete tank. The project, located in Vilalba dels Arcs, is headed by the young winemaker Òscar Navas.

We finished the evening chatting with Marcel in the private room downstairs. "We had a great time. Our only aim is to offer good food, good service, and for people to come back. We want to see our customers several times a year," he explains. And he credits the team as the restaurant's greatest collective success: "We've been the same team since we opened, and without them, this wouldn't be possible."

Gabriela, David, Edgar, and Amin, under Marcel's direction, create a solid, coherent, and nuanced experience. Wow. We're convinced that, sooner rather than later, he'll return to it.