Sintonía goes beyond its famous beef tartare in Barcelona

Over 16,000 servings have been served in the last five years, a figure that confirms the popularity of this iconic dish. Even so, it's worth visiting the restaurant, right in the heart of Barcelona, ​​to discover Pablo Tomás's cuisine.

It's always tempting to talk about hidden gems, but in the case of Sintonía, it would be absurd to call it a discovery. Just a glance at the place is enough to understand that its loyal clientele knows it's perfectly located.

Sintonía is located inside the Hotel Galería, with direct access at the end of a small passageway at 249 Roselló Street, in the Eixample district. It's a little tricky to find the first time, and inside awaits a sober and elegant dining room, with a pleasant interior terrace.

At the helm are Julià Duque and Pablo Tomás, who had previously worked together at Drolma, the Hotel Majestic restaurant owned by the late Fermi Puig. The preparation of the tartare is one of the moments that best showcases the work of the front of house, as diners decide and taste the level of spiciness during its preparation.

The tartare is made with hand-cut, aged beef and can be garnished with quail egg, oyster, or caviar. The menu, not overly extensive, includes an extra-large cannelloni with mushroom and foie gras sauce, and a Russian-style Swiss roll that has only one flaw, like the classic dessert, which perhaps needs a revision.

At lunchtime, the restaurant focuses on local products, such as Mallorcan black pig from Can Company, red prawns in the seafood rice, and grilled fish on potatoes with garlic sauce. The sauces, like coffee for the monkfish or vanilla for the asparagus, work well, although sometimes they overshadow the star ingredient.

The €50 tasting menu includes half a dozen savory dishes and a dessert. On weekdays, for an additional six euros, you can choose a dish from the à la carte menu and add a side, a drink, bread, and the dessert of the day, an interesting alternative to the classic set menu.