Akerra: the new signature cuisine in Santa Coloma de Gramenet

Rushing out of the freezer at Akelarre, Pedro Subijana's restaurant in San Sebastián, Rafa unwittingly suffered the most opportune slip of his life. He was carrying portions of Akerra, the butter of that name, and in his haste and on the slippery floor, he slipped and accidentally collided with Desi, one of the restaurant's kitchen assistants. She looked at him in astonishment, expecting an apology, but he, embarrassed and stressed, tried to get out of it: "Have you ever gone ice skating?" he asked. From this anecdote grew a friendship and later a love story between two young Catalan chefs, enthusiastic about their profession. Longing for their homeland and the desire to start their own path drove them to return home, but they lacked the most important thing: the courage and resources to shape it. Rafa had been thinking about it day and night for years, but he needed the final push, the push to jump into a pool that he should probably fill with water with his own hands. A year ago, in July of last year, they both saw the light: "Whatever it takes, the time has come. We will do what we love, what we know how to do, and what inspires passion and dedication."

Less than a month ago

Rafa Castilla, 33, and Desi Fernández, 26, decided to channel the energy of their youth by building their restaurant in Santa Coloma de Gramanet, Akerra, which was founded less than a month ago. They suffered, sweated, cried, and wanted to throw in the towel on countless occasions, but in the end they managed to raise the blinds of a restaurant that is starting to heat up the stoves and will soon delight all lovers of good food. With the essential help of Òscar Ferrer, the restaurant's other chef, Akerra has hit the ground running with a powerful menu. We take a look at "La bacanal," as the main dishes are titled, while we try the appetizers that Federico has just served us: the famous Akerra butter, spherified olives, and vermouth jelly. We add the Russian Basque (Russian salad with potato, tuna tartar, tobiko eggs and piparras), the potatoes with aioli pepper (twice-cooked potatoes with apple and pepper mussolina) and the open tortilla with asparagus and Iberian ham. A good warm-up to confirm that the bottle of Serras del Priorat 2023 was a good choice and will go perfectly with the main courses: Colomenc cod club (a cod confit with asparagus cream that melts in the mouth), chup-chup squid with its ink ( ) tenderloin yuzu-sake-soy wok (a wok with beef tenderloin and vegetables).

During dessert, we take the opportunity to explain to Desi that we discovered them thanks to his cousin, Sergio González, a Barça futsal player. We talk while we examine the French toast-donut Stk (a glazed donut with vanilla custard and chocolate ice cream) and strawberries with white chocolate and violet ice cream. "I was born on the street behind here, and as children, we used to make the donut and Cacaolat in one of the four or five cafés there. I like to think it's a tribute to Santa Coloma," says Rafa. They get emotional remembering that just a few months ago, the room we're in now was nothing but rubble, and that they built the walls with their own hands. Akerra is a dream made by hand and with admirable enthusiasm. Now it's time to enjoy it!