Since our last visit to Enigma in December 2022, the restaurant has solidified its new business model and accelerated efforts to elevate the dining experience with the highest ambitions. We had the pleasure of dining with Ferran Adrià, who invited us to witness the evolution first-hand. The R&D team is actively developing new techniques, concepts and creations, the menu has a well-paced timing and the experience as a whole feels more sophisticated.

Disclaimer: Ferran Adrià paid for this meal. Nevertheless, this review is unbiased and true to our impressions.

A few changes since 2022

In 2022, Enigma still embraced the concept of lunch and ‘tardeo’—an evening offering of tapas and cocktails—over a more refined haute cuisine. However, since 2023, the restaurant’s ambitions have become more serious. It is not an exaggeration to suggest that Albert aims to transform Enigma into a new elBulli, seeking the same level of excellence.

The improvements are evident across the board. The team has expanded, the service and tasting menu have been polished, the wine list has been significantly enhanced, and the first of their creative dishes have begun to emerge.

The overall experience

When we visited, the restaurant had shifted away from its à la carte offering, proposing two long tasting menus instead. The Menú Enigma was offered at €220, while the more intricate Menú Lobo, boasting 28 courses (up from 23 in 2022), was priced at €260. Now, they present a single, comprehensive 29-course menu for €240. This increase in the number of courses aligns with trends seen at Mugaritz and Disfrutar, although it still pales in comparison to the 44 courses served during elBulli’s 2010 and 2011 seasons.

For wine enthusiasts, there are two wine pairing options: one focusing on Spanish wines for €100, and the other on Old World wines for €165. The wine list has expanded to include 570 selections, with a notable emphasis on Champagne, accounting for around 150 choices. Under the guidance of Xavi Alba, formerly directeur de salle of Tickets, the service team orchestrates the meal’s pace with skilful tableside service on guéridons and insightful presentations of ingredients. They’re informative without being overbearing, ready to delve deeper if you’re curious. Behind the scenes, the team meticulously prepares, using slides to master the details of each dish, its ingredients, and the techniques used, even taking written exams to ensure their knowledge. Expect glassware by Spiegelau and Riedel, alongside cutlery made from Krion, silver, and stainless steel.

A cuisine exploring essentialism

Since our last visit, the cuisine has evolved, becoming notably more refined and mature. The dishes exhibit a more delicate balance, with clever temperature and textural contrasts, and lingering, pure, and intense after-tastes.

The emphasis remains firmly on the produce, with a clearer focus on local seasonal ingredients such as Ebro Delta eel, Lleida olive oil, Granada tomatoes, Palamós shrimp, and Montilla vinegar. However, local produce is not a strict rule, as evidenced by the inclusion of coconut, Alphonso mango or lime in summer. Enigma’s produce-driven approach strives to respect the original form of the product, yet they are unafraid to ‘denature’ it if the end result is better than the raw original ingredient. That is exactly the case of the soufflé of mozzarella.

The creative team, led by Rubén Zubiri and Albert Adrià, revisits several techniques and concepts from elBulli, Tickets, and Enigma through a minimalist lens that aligns with the restaurant’s current style. While some techniques and intermediate elaborations can be refined (like the foie gras flan), they have also developed new concepts (such as the asparagus feather) over time.

Within the minimalism the restaurant seeks, they are exploring a path previously touched upon by elBulli and Enigma but never fully conceptualised – essentialism. The Adriàs define essentialism as a style or philosophy that attempts to showcase a product employing only said product itself. We would add that it is admissible (but perhaps not under the Adriàs’ interpretation) to add a few complementary ingredients in small amounts in order to enhance and highlight the main product even better.

Canonical examples under the Adriàs’ definition would be the Life cycle of the Palamós shrimp and the Buffalo mozzarella in soufflé described below. Under our own interpretation, the White asparagus ‘feather’ and mint is also an essentialist dish, but the Cured foie gras in anchovy salt is not.

Rhythm and structure of the menu

The tasting menu has replaced the 2022 optional ‘surprise’ menu, bringing back the classic Bullinian structure with cocktails, snacks, tapa dishes, pre-desserts, and morphings. Ideally, a menu should be able to convey a certain story or message. While this may not be fully achieved here, there are a number of sequences centred around particular ingredients that provide a sense of order to the menu.

The tasting menu in late June 2024

The tasting menu kicked off with a duo of snacks, Agua de cereza con porex de piña verde (Cherry water with green pine cone porex), bypassing the traditional welcome cocktail from elBulli. Porexes, introduced at elBulli in 2004, are set foams made from whipped gelatine. This particular porex featured a filling of green pine cone inulin, reminiscent of elBulli’s 2006 green pine cone water bombe.

Pine, a signature ingredient of the Adriàs, tied the snacks together. The cherry juice highlighted the perfect ripeness of the seasonal fruit, offering rich dark cherry aromas accented by a woody and citric note from a touch of pine honey. Concentrated, with a creamy viscosity, the balance between added sugar and the natural acidity of the cherry was well executed. 

Diners are instructed to finish with the porex, served on an unconventional non-white plate, diverging from Enigma’s typical white canvas. In two bites, the porex melted instantly in the mouth, lighter than a marshmallow.The green pine cone inulin filling did not burst out; instead, it’s seamlessly integrated into the porex, leaving a pure and long-lasting citrus note on the palate.

The long citric finish of the porex is followed by lime in the Nube nitro de mezcal y lima (Mezcal and lime nitro-cocktail). Cocktails have been an opening staple on Bullinian menus since 1998. Since 2001, these cocktails have been served not only in their traditional liquid form but also in solid form, with further adaptations over the years. In 2004, liquid nitrogen made its first appearance, marking a turning point in the preparation of these cocktails. The current concept has evolved from the snow-fizz of 2009, where the cocktail foam was frozen. The nitro-cocktail, its most recent iteration from 2022, takes this idea a step further. It uses maltodextrin to create a thin film around the foam. When dipped in liquid nitrogen, this coating turns crunchy and solid, allowing the customer to hold the semi-solid foam with their fingers.

If in 2022 we were served a sake and yuzu nitro-cocktail, this time it was a mezcalita, a mix of lime and mezcal. The bonbon shaped cocktail does indeed have a crisp and even crunchy exterior, while the interior becomes a soft and light frozen air. The aromas of smoky mezcal and lime zest exude out with clarity.

This was followed with another duo, this time focusing on coconut. The Copa de coco y caviar (Coconut and caviar) was accompanied by a sashimi of coconut flesh. Serving dishes in a glass was also pioneered by elBulli in 1990, offering a clever solution for presenting delicate preparations that can’t easily hold their shape. By 1992, they were serving caviar in this manner, with caviar with almond foam. Later in 1998, they would propose a version of Joël Robuchon’s gelée de caviar à la crème de chou-fleur featuring a warm gelée. Perhaps even more conceptually similar to this serving would be 2007’s dashi jelly with miso caviar and, as a flavour combination, 2008’s coconut with caviar.

During our 2022 visit, we encountered a dish featuring Thai chicken soup gelée with uni, which shared a similar concept. Still, this Copa de coco y caviar feels like a natural evolution of this prior work towards a more minimalistic and nuanced interpretation. The transparent coconut water gelatin was barely set to a curdled consistency, craddling a generous portion of caviar. Its flavour was subtly sweet with a mineral undertone. Caviar often struggles to shine in dishes due to the meagre quantities provided or the overwhelming textures of other ingredients. Here, the lightly set gelée perfectly complemented the caviar, allowing its distinct, seaweed-like flavour to truly stand out and its texture to pop. The caviar itself delivered an intense flavour, not overly salty, that lingered on the palate.

The coconut sashimi was hand-sliced with a knife and brushed with rendered Joselito fat, possibly aiming to emulate the texture of lardo while contributing an umami in the same spectrum of that of caviar. Conceptually, this dish exemplified how a simple, foundational technique can elevate a familiar ingredient to new heights. The coconut was sweet and surprisingly juicy like meat, with a remarkable texture that resembled thinly sliced raw squid. It was an outstanding combination, arguably even better than the coconut-caviar.

Having Ferran at the table, the kitchen team was excited to show us a couple of their new creations. Lechuga y wasabi (Celtuce and wasabi) was one of them. Within their essentialist approach, the similarities in looks and texture between both of these stems inspired them to create a dish. The celtuce is compressed (a technique called CRU when conceived in 2005 in elBulli) in a kombu and soy sauce marinade. A square slice, big enough for a couple of bites, is served with a dollop of wasabi paste added on a corner in front of the customer. The best way to enjoy the pairing is to lick the wasabi first, to then bite and enjoy the fresh crunchy texture. The kombu and soy did amplify the umami and connected well with the wasabi. However, we did not find this serving as surprising of impactful as others.

Next came a dish that showcased the marriage of two seasonal products from late spring to early summer: green almonds and St. George’s mushrooms. Green almonds have been a cherished ingredient for the Adrià brothers since 1990, while Saint George’s mushrooms, more commonly found in the Basque Country, only made their debut at elBulli in 2001.

In Leche de almendra tierna con emulsión de perretxico y almendra gelée (Tender almond milk with Saint George’s mushroom emulsion and almond gelée), the almond took centre stage as a frozen powder, surrounded by a Saint George mushroom cream. Accompanying this were dice of fresh cherry and bottarga, a couple of green tender almonds, laminae of mushroom and a pair of mimetic almonds crafted from gelatine, vinegar and water. The frozen powder was a technique developed in 2000, whereas the concept of the vinegar almond mimetic was first served at elBulli in 2009, based on a gelée made from coconut water.

The dish orchestrated a play on cold and frozen contrasts between the almond milk snow and the mushroom cream. Each flavour was pure and distinct, with a balanced intensity that felt sophisticated. The finish was notably intense, a rare accomplishment with such subtle ingredients. The addition of a very buttery bottarga and cherry cleverly enhanced this balance, pushing it towards either sweetness or umami. The Saint George’s mushroom slices and green almonds highlighted the raw product, adding a different texture. Meanwhile, the almond-shaped vinegar gelée added freshness and brightness, cutting through the other elements of the dish.

Another small serving in development, presented to us for Ferran to sample, was this Sashimi de trufa de verano (Sashimi of summer truffle). Although black truffle is out of season, the idea here is to capture its essence using the less flavourful summer truffle. This concept isn’t entirely new. In 1998, elBulli stirred controversy by crafting a faux white truffle, brushing truffle oil on slices of summer truffle. Since the restaurant was closed during winter, this approach allowed them to serve something both similar and creative. In fact, from 1998 to 2004, they developed a wide range of dishes using this preparation.

However, this dish at Enigma drew its primary inspiration from an essentialist elBulli dish from 2010 called All black truffle. While the elBulli version was made entirely from black truffle, Enigma replicated the composition with a slice of summer truffle, a gelée made from preserved black truffle juice, and grated preserved black truffle. This was all elegantly presented, floating in a bowl, suspended on cling film (an idea first tried at Cala Montjoi in 2003 and conceptualised in 2010), creating a stunning reflection.

On the palate, the illusion convincingly tricked the mind, delivering a pure black truffle flavour. Texturally, the summer truffle was indistinguishable from the black winter truffle. The intense black truffle flavour lingered on the palate for minutes. The concept worked well, though it might not entirely align with Enigma’s essentialist and seasonal style. Serving the original 2010 All black truffle in winter would have made more sense, even if it implied a form of self-plagiarism.

We continued with a sequence around the anchovy, starting with its first course, Tomate seco con huevas de anchoa en salazón (Freeze-dried tomatoes with salted anchovy roe). Here, a freeze-dried Amela tomato was topped with a dollop of yoghurt and anchovy roe, garnished by a basil leaf. Freeze-dried produce was first prominently featured as a main protagonist in a dish in 2005 at elBulli, but a combination similar to this current course had been served in 2008 with freeze dried strawberries, basil and buffalo milk.

On the plate, the olive oil seeped into the tomato, conveying its piquant flavour. Yet, it was the tomato that truly stood out, bursting with concentrated umami, acidity, and a hint of sweetness, delivering the pure, essential flavours that Enigma’s produce-driven essentialist style strives for. When freeze dried, the tomato’s texture becomes slightly sticky to the teeth, allowing the flavour to linger on the palate as saliva naturally melts any remains. While the yoghurt and roe only added subtle layers to the overall experience, it was the basil leaf that brought its characteristic aromas, for a very classic and familiar pairing.

The dishes here are always evolving, and Ferran offers his insights whenever he visits. We suggested allowing diners to pour the olive oil themselves, as it added so much to the flavour of the dish but was difficult to scoop up more from the plate. We felt it should be served more generously over the tomato at the table. Ferran agreed and shared this with the team. The following week, the tomato was presented with a pipette, allowing guests to add the oil to their liking.

Controlling the rhythm of the service to maintain an optimal level of dynamism is crucial in these long menus. In this context, before serving the tomatoes, chef Albert Manso had already started preparing thin slices of foie gras on the guéridon, covering them with salt from preserved anchovies to cure. He then placed the foie gras in a glass box at the table’s centre for us to observe. The spacious table allows for this without any hindrance.

More or less as we finish the tomatoes, in fact exactly nine minutes after, the express curing is done. The salt is removed and the Foie gras curado en sal de anchoa is ready to serve. Presented in an extreme minimalist style, the final dish features a single slice on a white slate, cut into a smooth, even round shape as an anchovy sculpted by Brâncuși would have looked like. Using the salt isn’t just about repurposing a typically discarded product; it also introduces an umami depth of colatura de alici and imparted a slightly tighter, elegant texture to the creamy foie gras. Even if this technique was developed in 2019, there is a magic to this elaboration that matches Enigma’s current style. The simplicity that yields this purity of flavours and textures has just something sublime about it. The finish is long and intense. 

The sequence reached its end with El diálogo entre la vaca y la anchoa (Dialogue between the cow and the anchovy). A thin milk crisp held a milk skin wrapping some rendered dry-aged beef fat from ribeye. Milk skins are not uncommon in traditional cuisine, but Michel Bras was the first to introduce them into haute cuisine. elBulli also worked with them and, in fact, they had already paired milk skin to anchovy in 2007. Alongside, the fresh fillet of Cantabrian anchovy lay on a few dropsof olive oil. Diners are instructed to use tweezers to place the fillet onto the crisp to complete the dish.

The crisp was wafer-thin, so delicate it seemed ready to snap at any moment. It provided a textural counterpoint to the creamy milk skin, which burst instantly in one’s mouth. The grassy funk of the dry-aged fat cleverly introduced an aroma that reminds one of fresh unpasteurised milk. As for the anchovy, the tender and tight texture could have been lost by placing it on top of other preparations, but the softness and lightness of the milk skin allowed one to appreciate its tender bite and pure flavour, less briny than in the previous servings.

This trio indeed showcased anchovies in various forms, yet the anchovy roe might have shone more if presented in a manner that truly emphasises its uniqueness. In such a case, the freeze-dried tomatoes could have been a separate serving unrelated to the sequence.

We continued with Mozzarella de búfala en soufflé, a dish that epitomises essentialism and minimalism. There is a single ingredient here, the cream and whey extracted from mozzarella with the help of a microwaves. The Adrià brothers have had an affinity for Italian ingredients since the early 90s, possibly after a trip to Italy. Their experiments with pasta, mozzarella, Parmigiano and basil have been numerous. Already in 2004 they presented a fake mozzarella as a set foam with gelatine. This current version is an evolution of this one, using xanthan gum to improve the texture and methylcellulose along with albumin to allow the foam to set when steamed. Nevertheless, hot foams are not new; they have been around since 1999, made with egg whites.

The aim here is to replicate the texture of freshly made mozzarella, still warm, just as experienced at the producer in Campania. Sometimes essentialism can create magical experiences, and this is one of those moments. The aromas of the cheese are heighten beautifully with temperature, accentuating mozzarella’s sweetness and herbal notes. Meanwhile, the texture is ethereal and creamy, yet it holds its shape like a soufflé (probably thanks to the albumin), with a cheesier springiness (probably thanks to the xanthan). This proves that even when the product is denatured and transformed, it can still be respected if the final result is even better than the original.

Another glass box was placed in the centre of the table, this time containing what seemed to be XXL white asparagus preserved in olive oil. Strangely, there was no explanation provided for this display. Instead, we were immediately served Espárrago del Montseny con emulsión de leche de soja (Montseny asparagus with soy milk emulsion).

Unlike the previous dishes, where the creative twist was unmistakable, here it was not as overtly evident: it simply was a beautifully sculpted piece of asparagus spear accompanied by a quenelle of soy milk and white asparagus cream. We were instructed to mix the two as we eat.

With the first bite, the asparagus offered the ideal texture of a perfectly cooked thick white spear—tender yet with a slight firmness and no hint of fibrousness. The flavour conveyed that pure, clean, earthy sweetness that one expects to find. Yet, a closer look revealed something unusual. Why was it shaped like the tip of an asparagus spear? Where were the scales one would usually see? 

Most diners wouldn’t know that there are no asparagus in Montseny. What they were actually eating was a turnip. Indeed, when cooked sous vide, turnips take on a texture strikingly similar to that of white asparagus. Carving them into asparagus-like pieces and displaying them in the glass box only enhanced the illusion. The flavour, too, contributed to the deception, with the soy milk emulsion lending a taste reminiscent of the real vegetable. However, the role of the garnishes was unclear, it did not add much more to the dish nor did it reinforce the trompe-l’oeil and trompe-la-bouche effect.

As a kind of redemption for getting tricked, Pluma de espárrago y menta (White asparagus ‘feather’ and mint) genuinely features asparagus, and in a truly remarkable manner. This dish is another highlight of the menu, perfectly embodying Enigma’s new essentialist philosophy.

A single technique applied to a great product can elevate it to something sublime. The lower stem of a white asparagus from Tudela is sliced in a julienne leaving the ends connected to the spear tops and creating a feather-like structure. This is not a completely new idea, in fact, in 2014 Mugaritz’s Sweet white asparagus strings. Black olive gloss presented a very similar intermediate elaboration. However, Enigma’s version adds a sophisticated twist to the composition.

The asparagus is placed vertically, adding volume to the dish and showcasing the feather more artistically. At the base is a gelified sauce made from asparagus juice using the bottom of the spears. A couple of dots of asparagus miso, spearmint leaves and parmigiano garnish the dish. The diner is instructed to hold the asparagus by the tip, twist it to quite literally mop up the sauce, creating a beautiful spiral with the feathers before biting into it. Cooked sous vide al dente, the julienne retains a fibrous aspect which sometimes could be considered negative, but when cut like this it transforms into a special crunch and pleasurable texture. The miso, mint, olive oil and gelatine elegantly accentuate the asparagus flavour profile. Perhaps, a couple more leaves of spearmint would have allowed it to show itself more.

After the first bite, one is left his the spear head left on the fingertips, the most tender and gourmand bite for last. The texture was textbook, firm, with a bite, but also showing that delicate creamy feel before giving way to perfectly pure flavours of white asparagus, well seasoned.

The last snack is presented and cooked at the guéridon. It is an exercise in the refinement of a classic Balearic tapa, Sobrasada fresca, miel y airpancake (Fresh sobrassada, honey and airpancake). Sobrassada already has an excellent intense flavour, with an incredible length, but the texture of the cured filling can be rather paste-like. Enigma proposes a different rendition, fresh instead of cured, probably inspired by their 2022 tuna sobrassada. A tartar of Kagoshima wagyu beef is mixed with rendered sobrassada fat, ñora paste and paprika of Tap de Cortí, the local Balearic red pepper variety.

This is placed on an ethereal airpancake, a technique developed in 2018. Using a panini grill, they control the height of this puffed dough, creating a sort of light and empty crumpet with a crisp exterior. The top is caramelised with honey, to complete the classic combination with sobrassada. In one bite, the airpancake quickly collapses when pressed, with its two brittle flat surfaces cracking in an ethereal manner like the milk crisp before. This gives way to some sweetness, but also a hedonistic luxuriousness of the creamy sobrassada-tartar. The fat melts unimpeded, the tartar, with no collagenous remains and wagyu fat melts like butter. Certainly, the flavour profile is as intense and profound as sobrassada, with none of the originalpasty texture.

Next came a Guiso de piel de bacalao, habitas y jamón (Stew of cod skin, broad beans and ham), a lighter take on surf and turf that wouldn’t have been out of place in the ‘90s at elBulli. In fact, the first time cod skin appeared in haute cuisine was at elBulli in 1998, paired with a hot truffle gelée. Our version, however, came in a light, clear broth of Ibérico ham with al dente broad beans. A few drops of olive oil added brightness, though some fresh herbs might have helped too.

Unlike the 1998 version, where cod skin was cooked under a salamander, this one was likely prepared sous vide. The cod skin was tender and mildly gelatinous with a subtle, clean flavour. Beneath it, a thin layer of lardo added umami and complemented the broth. While conceptually the textural combination of cod skin and lardo worked well, the overall dish failed to deliver the same level of purity and brightness in flavours and textures as other dishes we had sampled.

We were surprised to be presented with a serving of bread in a techno-emotional restaurant. elBulli had, in theory, removed bread from the menu, as it is quite filling and reduces the number of possible servings in the tasting menu. However, they found this recipe so enchanting that they felt compelled to include it. This Pan de aceite, very much like a focaccia, was surprisingly light and crisp, without the intense fermentation notes of sourdough. Its crispiness, according to Albert, is a luxury in a humid city like Barcelona.

And indeed, there was a good purpose for the bread in the next dish. El ciclo de vida de la gamba de Palamós (Life cycle of the Palamós shrimp) was a sequence on a single plate, presenting the shrimp at different ages and sizes, each cooked in different ways. First, the smallest, six-month-old, was served raw; then the following, one year old, marinated in lime; another of two years cured in sugar; and the oldest and largest, around four years old, blanched in broth. Napping the whole composition is an escabeche of shrimp head.

Beyond mere hedonism, one is also presented with a learning experience, almost as a more intellectual and essentialist evolution of the 1996 spice dish. For the average customer, each bite delivers gastronomic pleasure, while for the inquisitive gourmet, it also offers an unusual chance to compare this magical ingredient in different forms. In its raw and young form, the texture is creamy, its flavour extra sweet. When slightly older and marinated in lime, the shrimp acquires a more noticeable bite, while the acidity allows one to dip sauce more indulgently. The sauce itself is excellent, with a rich texture and deep, complex, long-lasting flavours. Progressing to the third shrimp, the sugar brings back that sweetness we found in the six-month-old shrimp, albeit with a meatier texture. The oldest shrimp, minimally manipulated, finishes the dish with a truly essentialist bite, emphasising the intensity and purity of flavour of this product.

One must not forget the slice of bread. It was grilled to dry it slightly, allowing it to soak up all the remaining sauce in a delightfully hedonistic manner.

When a dish is served without explanation, it often indicates there might be something challenging about it. However, in our case, there’s nothing to be squeamish about with Espardeña rellena de holoturia y un pil-pil de su piel (Sea cucumber stuffed with holoturia and ‘pil-pil’ sauce). Granted, we are not the most typical customers.

A longstanding principle at elBulli was to thoroughly understand a product before creating a dish. In the case of espardeñas, this would lead us to the realisation that the body walls of the sea cucumber, usually discarded in Spain, are considered a delicacy in Asia. As early as 2003, elBulli was already serving sea cucumber skin cracklings. Soon enough, their obsession for ravioli and wrapping preparations yielded their first stuffed espardeñas in 2007. In 2017, this idea evolved at Tickets with their dish Royal cucumber and sobrasada sausage.

Still, it was only when they adopted a minimalist-essentialist mindset at Enigma that all these concepts, developed over decades, clicked: the sea cucumber’s digestive system (espardeña) could be used as a wrapper for a filling made from the body walls of this holothurian species, julienned into bâtons. A conceptual inversion, one could call it a reconstruction, that carries a sort of magical sophistication. Everything feels in place.

To complete the dish, a pil-pil was made using the natural gelatine in the sea cucumber’s body walls, along with a crackling as in 2003. The cuisson of the espardeña was sensationally perfect, achieving a tender texture comparable to that of flawlessly cooked baby squid. Achieving such an impeccable texture for espardeña is a rare feat, even in haute cuisine. In the filling, a thicker bâtonnet of the body wall displayed a gelatinous consistency, offering a more tender bite compared to the beloved QQ textures of Asia. The conceptual ingenuity is truly remarkable, and the execution was impeccable. The slightly sticky sauce and the thin croquant complement the textural composition of the dish.

Naturally, this dish requires an understanding of Catalan cuisine to fully appreciate its nuances. Given the restaurant’s ever-growing international customer base, Enigma presents customers with a platter of the raw components after serving the dish for supplementary contextualisation.

From a more intellectual dish, we transitioned to one with a small trompe-l’oeil wrapped in an air of sophistication – Cep-berenjena con escabeche de setas (Cep cap with flamed aubergine stalk and its escabeche). It was presented simply as a cep, aiming to elicit surprise upon discovering that the stalk is, in fact, a grilled aubergine. Similar to the turnip dish before, Adrià and Zubiri avoid denaturing any product by forcing it into the shape of a cep. Instead, they leverage their knowledge of textures, technique, and produce with minimal intervention to achieve a similar trompe-l’oeil effect. This is where the elegance we noted comes in.

At first glance, oblivious to the trompe-l’oeil, the cep cap looked oddly separated from the stalk. Its texture resembled a well grilled cep, soft, slightly charred but with a tender bite. The sauce, of a similar consistency and acidity to that of the shrimps, was made from roasted cep juice and intensely amplified the mushroom’s flavour and finish. When attacking the aubergine stalk, it did indeed mimic the texture of a grilled cep, although the flavour revealed its true nature, even if the sauce helped it cover its tracks.

The pine nut and lemon thyme garnish simply added to the dish’s autumn forest theme, stirring more questions about the coherence of this theme with a summer menu and the seasonality of ceps in June.

Certain dishes in a long menu can act as an interlude, providing a brief respite and a chance to reset your palate. The Ensalada de hierbas de temporada con cristal de hielo (Seasonal herb salad with ice crystal and balsamic vinegar Pedro Ximénez 50 years of solera.) perfectly fulfils this role. Being creative with a salad in haute cuisine is hard, as many often resemble a less impressive version of Bras’ gargouillou. However, by reviving a technique from elBulli’s 2010 Flowers in a pond, which was itself inspired by Mibu’s ice plate, Enigma presents a literally refreshing salad.

The process begins with partially freezing a bowl full of water, they create a thin layer of ice on the surface. Once the ice sets, they pierce a small hole to carefully drain the remaining water, leaving a thin, suspended ice sheet. Beneath this icy canopy, they serve a vinaigrette featuring the star ingredient: a 50-year-old Pedro Ximénez balsamic vinegar by Toro Albalá. On top, the salad includes an array of halophilic plants, including samphire, sea grapes,  crystallinum iceplant, accompanied by watercress, Japanese mustard greens, chervil and huacatay. The resultant plating is the only departure from minimalism on the menu, embracing a more naturalistic aesthetic.

Although the use of the guéridon paused after the snacks, making the customer break the ice and mix the shards into the salad added an interactive and dynamic element to the menu’s rhythm. The thin shards provided a delightful textural and temperature contrast, complementing the refreshing maritime theme of the iodine-scented salad. At just about 1mm thick, the shards were pleasantly crunchy without being hard on the teeth.

The vinaigrette carried enough tang and flavour in order not to be diluted by the ice. Balsamic tones played a strong role, but to honour the product, we were also given a spoonful of the vinegar to appreciate its full complexity. With minimal sweetness, the vinegar delivered notes of dates, brine, and dark wood that lingered on the palate with great clarity and an outstanding length.

The whimsical essence of elBulli reemerged with a play of words and concepts in Nuez de conejo en escabeche (Rabbit walnut in escabeche). A lightly updated version of a 2017 Enigma idea, this dish presented a walnut paired with an equally sized piece of rabbit brains, both cooked in an escabeche sauce. The uncanny resemblance between the two components delivers a playful experience reminiscent of what one might encounter at Mugaritz, evoking reactions of surprise, confusion, and perhaps even a smile.

The brains were perfectly cleaned, showing their ethereal creaminess with clarity. The spiced and very traditional escabeche, bright with acidity, was a great complement. Meanwhile, the walnut, though softer than usual, retained a slight crunch, providing an intriguing texture contrast. These stewed walnuts were first conceived at elBulli in 2005 and featured in various dishes until 2008.

For the final canonical savoury course, we were served Piel de anguila del Delta del Ebro con pie de cerdo y salsa verde (Eel skin from the Ebro Delta and pig’s foot with green sauce). The intention here was to showcase two gelatinous textures, that of the pork trotter and that of the eel’s skin. While the cuisson of both was correct and the difference in textures was evident, it lacked the wit and novelty that made other dishes on the menu so memorable.

When it comes to the salsa verde, we encountered a reinterpretation that felt more sophisticated and polished than the traditional version. Employing a mildly gelatinous pork stock as a base, they added a frozen powder of coriander, parsley and lime to prevent these herbs from oxidising while being chopped. The result was bright and elegant, but not compelling enough to make the dish stand out. As with the shrimp sauce, another slice of bread was provided to soak it up. This surprised us, as it increased the feeling of satiety and the meal’s weight. Nonetheless, it was delicious.

In 1996, while elBulli was experimenting heavily on the potential synergies between savoury cuisine and pâtisserie, they created a wonderful concept to transition between the savoury dishes and the desserts: the pre-dessert. These are dishes that blur the lines between sweet and savoury, defying categorisation. Among these, the most iconic is undoubtedly the 1999 Flan de foie gras al caramelo, on which this Flan de foie gras con caramelo de anguila (Foie gras flan and eel caramel) was based.

According to the team, they have improved the texture of the flan by increasing the amount of foie gras, eliminating egg whites, and cooking it more gently. Served lukewarm, the flan boasted a luxuriously creamy texture thanks to the higher fat content, in line with the trend of recent years with flans. The flavour was pure, precise and intense of foie gras. Once again, the product is only denatured if it serves a greater purpose. The eel caramel provided the twist to the original concept, as well as linking it to the previous course. In flavour, it reminded us of unagi no tare or nitsume.

Presented on a large white plate, the portion may appear comically small. However, the intense flavour and high fat content made this size a perfect fit for a large tasting menu.

On the day of our visit, the sweet section of the menu was referred to as morphings, a term they coined in 2001 for sweet snacks that hasn’t gained much popularity in the wider industry. The first one in this menu, Virutas de limón con aceite de oliva ‘umami’ (Lemon shavings with ‘umami’ olive oil), served as a refreshing palate cleanser.

Using the Klimer Fantasy Ice machine that Ángel León unveiled in Madrid Fusión 2024, they made a very delicate kakigori-like lemon ice shaving with minimal sugar. The texture was finer and lighter than Japanese kakigori, more akin to Korean bingsu, despite being dairy-free. To complete this classic pairing, a delicious Arbequina olive oil from Camins de Verdor in Lleida was drizzled around the dish.

Sticking with the citric theme, this time paired with the umami richness of seaweed, we were treated to an Empanadilla de alga nori con shiso y mermelada de lima (Empanadilla of nori with green shiso and lime marmalade). This intermediate elaboration came straight from a 2011 recipe from elBulli, Nori empanadilla, albeit with a different filling. The empanadilla wrapper is prepared by placing obulato sheets on a baking tray lined with a Silpat, then sifting a thin layer of nori caramel powder over each sheet and baking at 170°C for 10 seconds. The wafer is then folded, left to set and filled with fresh green shiso and a lime marmalade. Lime zest to garnish.

The result is an ethereally light and delicate crisp, mildly savoury and not overly sweet. It shatters into thin flakes, revealing the tangy and vibrant freshness of the shiso and lime, perfectly balanced with just enough sugar to counter their acidity.

In 1998, elBulli made waves with a stunning flavour combination for a dessert, White chocolate granita with mango and black olive. We were fortunate enough to experience this dish in its original form at Enigma in 2022. Drawing inspiration from the preface of Escoffier’s Le guide culinaire –  review your old dishes, modify them, and adapt their characteristics to the tastes and trends of today¹ – we were presented with a fresher interpretation, Oblea helada de mango con chocolate blanco y caramelo de aceituna (Frozen wafer of mango, white chocolate and black olive caramel).

This is shaped with a wafer press, frozen with liquid nitrogen. The technique is an evolution of the original Teppan nitro in 2004 and the Horchata flowers of 2007 that was first shown in Tickets not long before the COVID-19 pandemic. In this updated version, the core of frozen mango is coated in white chocolate and topped with a dot of black olive caramel, shaped to resemble a flower.

At an organoleptic level, the composition of this dish has dramatically changed from the original in 1998. The flavour of white chocolate has taken a back seat, allowing the mango to shine as the star ingredient. The chocolate now offers a more brittle texture, while the mango core provides a semifreddo-like consistency. The original dish emphasised the savoury aspect of the black caramel, which straddled the line between sweet and savoury. This nuance is less noticeable with the dot on the wafer, though it still lingers in the after-taste.

The meal concludes with a duo, with the Merengue de miel caramelizada con sorbete de albaricoque (Caramelized honey meringue with apricot sorbet) as a protagonist. The dry meringue is exceptionally light and brittle, likely made with methylcellulose and dry albumin, allowing the caramelised honey flavour to shine through clearly. The sorbet, meant for a single bite, is accompanied by a mostly decorative dot of crème fraîche. Its texture is remarkably smooth, thanks to stabilisers and emulsifiers. A garnish of lemon zest atop the sorbet adds a zesty citrus note, continuing the citrus theme present throughout the desserts. 

Overall, it offers a couple of pleasant bites, but nothing especially memorable.

The Cereza bañada en vinagre de Cabernet Sauvignon (Cherry dipped in Cabernet Sauvignon vinegar) had been cored and enveloped in a gelée made with kappa carrageenan. This technique of serving a cored cherry with its stem and a glossy coating was employed several times in elBulli, the first in 2003. On this occasion, it served as a great final bite. Just a few weeks earlier, it had been paired with cherry water at the start of the menu. The cherry, perfectly ripe and sweet at the peak of its season, carried only a subtle hint of acidity from the vinegar.

As a parting treat, guests receive Caramelos efervescentes de lima y mentol (Effervescent lime and menthol candies). Yes, these are similar to the 2001 Fizzy lime rocks.

Conclusions

The experience at Enigma is at a much higher level than in our last visit in 2022. The cuisine has become more mature, sophisticated, and coherent, all while continuing to evolve rapidly. By the time this review is published, we expect many dishes will have been fine-tuned and refined (as evidenced by Philippe Regol’s post just a month after our visit). It wouldn’t be surprising to see the restaurant climb higher in the rankings and earn a second Michelin star.

Let’s break down our assessment of the experience into a few key aspects:

On the cuisine

Produce plays an indispensable role here. While the ingredients can be significantly transformed, it is only done if the result surpasses the original, such as with mozzarella soufflé, asparagus, or foie gras. The seasons are respected, perhaps a bit to the limit with white asparagus in late June. Early summer’s abundance of vegetables and fruit meant they dominated the menu, featuring prominently in nearly 60% of the courses. Seafood accounts for 18%, with the remainder being land animal products. The execution of the cuissons was impeccable; even the notoriously tricky sea cucumber was prepared to a level that seemed to embody its ideal form.

Drawing on the wealth of experience from elBulli and having witnessed all culinary innovations since then, Enigma plays with all possible techniques and tools at their disposal, including the newest, like the Klimer Fantasy Ice machine. The execution of these techniques was also flawless, showcasing the team’s skills.

The style represents an evolution of the minimalism and essentialism seen in the final years of elBulli. The current form shows a higher level of refinement, with dishes that show much more purity of flavours and more sophisticated ideas. The Life cycle of the Palamós shrimp is a good example.

While the surprise and humour elements that characterised elBulli remain, they are now presented in an even more subtle and elegant manner, as demonstrated by the asparagus trompe-l’œil. Even the more interactive and playful dishes, like the salad, come wrapped in an aesthetic or concept that feels thoughtful and sleek.

Within the intermediate elaborations, there is a marked utilisation of techniques and concepts inspired by elBulli, such as the nitro foam, the ice sheet in the salad, the foie gras flan, frozen powders, cod skin, freeze-dried tomatoes, and the nori dumpling, all reinterpreted with a minimalist and essentialist touch. This visit revealed a greater number of new and original creations compared to our first experience in ‘tardeo’ era. Notable examples include the cep, the cured foie gras (despite its presence on the menu for some time), the sobrasada, and the asparagus trompe-l’œil. Few people manage to create something genuinely novel, yet the array of unique in-house preparations showcases the impressive creative prowess of Rubén and Albert.

Purity and intensity of flavour take precedence in the dishes, rather than striving for a great organoleptic complexity. Great care is taken to showcase the produce’s textures in the best settings. Elaborations play with the whole range of temperatures, with a preference for lukewarm and room temperatures rather than large contrasts. Frozen elaborations are featured three times throughout the savoury courses, as well as in the desserts. Most courses offer up to three or four bites, with a presentation that often favours a horizontal arrangement on the plate. 

Many ideas have a magical component to them, regardless of how novel the ideas are. New additions like the asparagus feather and mozzarella soufflé certainly fall into this category. But also other dishes such as the Foie gras flan with eel caramel or the freeze-dried tomatoes, which might draw on older techniques and concepts, still manage to evoke the same sense of wonder.

The more experimental dishes, as the lettuce with wasabi and the truffle jelly, could have used a bit more work to have the same impact of the other innovative offerings. Among the more established dishes in the menu, the cod skin and the eel with pig’s trotter—both interestingly playing with gelatinous textures—were the least captivating. They lacked the same spark and excitement as the others. 

Regarding the sweet portion of the meal, it delivered fresh, light flavours that highlighted seasonal fruits, with a generous touch of citrus to add brightness. Whereas all the compositions were well-executed and balanced, we did not find the same level of creative spark and conceptual sophistication as in the savoury courses.

The structure of the menu adheres largely to the classic elBulli format, with one key exception: the cocktail did not appear first, which diverged slightly from the original order. Interestingly, bread was served twice, an unusual choice within the techno-emotional framework.  

At this level, controlling the pace and providing a cohesive theme or narrative through the menu is also important. At Enigma, this is often achieved by organising sequences around specific ingredients, such as the anchovy, the asparagus or the eel. Nevertheless, there was no consistent thread running throughout the entire menu. Courses did flow well together, with the after-taste of one often complementing the next. The use of tableside service (service au guéridon) for the snacks and the interactive element of the salad added a more lively rhythm.

On a side note, mostly concerning nomenclature, the term morphing has reappeared during our visit, while the ephemerals we were served in 2022 are now simply referred to as snacks.

Other elements in the experience

The design of the space is undeniably unique, with a futuristic feel that paradoxically has a timeless quality. For us it works well for a post elBulli cuisine, though we acknowledge that opinions may differ. Admittedly, the layout of the spaces, inherited from the original Enigma concept in 2016 is somewhat complex and is not optimised for the current needs of the restaurant. Regarding the ambiance, it has a slight hum of noise, but not bothersome. A significant drawback is the lack of natural light, a feature rarely missed in any of the other great restaurants of the world.

Having Ferran Adrià at our table naturally elevated the service, making it remarkably attentive and efficient. It would be interesting to see if this high standard is upheld for all guests, including those who aren’t as well-known. The explanations were detailed yet to the point, with Ferran obviously adding insightful information. If we had to find a flaw, the only slight mishap was a dropped fork.

Since we mentioned cutlery, eleven of the 28 courses were designed to be eaten by hand, fostering a closer interaction with the food. Three of the dishes required a spoon and a pushing paddle. Personally, we find a combination of fork and spoon far more effective, as it provides better control and precision.

The selection of sparkling wines is exceptional, truly world-class. From Salon, Dom Pérignon and Selosse to Lahaye, Léclapart, Lassagne and Cédric Bouchard. For those enjoying techno-emotional cuisine, the white and sparkling options are ideal, including cult Spanish and French producers (Enric Soler, Eulogio Pomares, Remelluri, Labet, Raveneau, Sauzet, to name a few). There is also a good range of quality Rieslings, though they tend to be on the younger side. The selection of light red wines is very good, with a few more traditional options offering more oak and extraction for the older folk. The variety of wines by the glass is extensive and diverse, better than many three-star and top ranked restaurants.

Footnotes

1. In Albert’s own words.