Cook me, the restaurant hidden in a Barcelona bookstore where the best chefs in Spain cook

Millefeuille has the name of a dessert, but it is also the name of the only gastronomic bookstore in Barcelona.

And hides a semi-clandestine restaurant in the back room where the best chefs in Spain cook.

It is a project of the Montagud publishing house, which also has its offices in this location on Enric Granados street, the one that offers the most restaurants per square meter in the city.

The formula is an exclusive tasting menu dinner for thirty diners, under the title 'Montagud's magical nights' in the Cook Me space.

You have to be attentive to their networks if you want to get a place.

Two years ago, the hundred-year-old publishing house specializing in gastronomy moved its offices to number 70 on this street, in a spacious premises with two exits to the outside, which has allowed it to set up its offices on one side and open a bookstore specializing in cooking on the other. .

From the street, the bubble gum pink carpet that supports the shelves with more than 500 succulent books draws attention.

The last one, the one that the same publishing house presented for Sant Jordi with more than 120 recipes from the Roca brothers, 500 pages under the title

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One of the secrets that this bookstore hides in the rear is Cocíname, a private gastronomic space that is not advertised with any sign at the entrance.

When night falls, the computers are removed from the tables, the premises are prepared for service, the guest chef is received and the stoves are lit to finish the succulent dishes that will begin to parade.

The room is open-plan, with a kitchen in the center, tables in front and on one side, and a first floor with tables attached to a railing, from where you can see everything that happens in the kitchen.

The idea is to invite chefs and friends of the house to share their passion for national gastronomy, says Javi Antoja, director of Montagud.

Duck hearts by chef Javi Estévez, chef at La Tasquería restaurant in Madrid.

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Hannibal's dessert by chef Javi Estévez, chef at La Tasquería restaurant in Madrid.

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Tiradito of lamb's tongue, fried zarajos and purple onion by chef Javi Estévez, chef at La Tasquería restaurant in Madrid.

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Duel of beef tongues vs Iberico, Lyonnais stuffed with chicken liver pâté, cocoa macaron, foie gras and raspberry, by chef Javi Estévez, chef at La Tasquería restaurant in Madrid.

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Veal sweetbread ravioli, béchamel, cheese and tomato, a dish by chef Javi Estévez, chef at La Tasquería restaurant in Madrid.

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Razor and tendon with 'meunière' sauce, by chef Javi Estévez, chef at La Tasquería restaurant in Madrid.

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This April the guest was Javi Estévez, from La Tasquería in Madrid.

With his experience of more than eight years playing with offal, he brought these less noble parts of animals to the Barcelona public.

"There is not much offal culture in Barcelona, ​​beyond the

and tripe," Estévez acknowledged before serving dinner.

For this reason, he surprised diners with exquisite delicacies based on tongues, gizzards, hearts, tendons or brains.

He did not take his characteristic candied and fried suckling pig's head with him from Madrid, one of his most applauded dishes, but he did delight with a couple of new recipes, such as the tiradito of lamb's tongue, fried zarajos and purple onion, or the razor with tendon beef with

.

There was also another classic, the duck hearts with corn, raspberry and licorice.

This menu, with 14 passes, was priced at 159 euros per person.

When presenting it, Antoja defended that it is a kitchen that is very much in line with the sustainability that is in demand today.

This will also be the philosophy that governs the next dinner on May 8, where the chefs from the restaurants Les Cols, Arrea!

and Monte (199 euros per menu), for which tickets have already been sold out.

It is not that they are exclusive, but there are few places and you have to be attentive to their networks to book immediately.

These events began in November of last year and, due to their good progress, it seems that there will be magical nights promoted by this publishing house, a reference in the publication of haute cuisine books, with works by Quique Dacosta, Ángel León, Toño Pérez, Pierre Gagnaire and Michel Bras, which are published in Spanish and English.

With this space they seek excellence and differentiation, says Antoja, just like in their books —they publish only three or four a year—.

The chefs prepare unique menus for the occasion and act as hosts like never before, finishing the dishes in full view of the diners and explaining every detail, even answering questions from the most keen customers, who are interested in techniques and products.

The menu includes a pairing designed specifically and exclusively between the Cocíname sommelier team and each restaurant.

Some of the chefs who have already passed through this place are the two-star Paco Morales, from Noor (Córdoba), Mario Sandoval, chef at Coque (Madrid) and Benito Gómez, from Bardal (Ronda);

Luis Lera, from Lera (Castroverde de Campos, Zamora), with one star or Marcos Granda, Asturian and holder of five stars among his Clos, Nintai, Skina and Ayalga restaurants.

The next appointments can be consulted on its website.

There are many pages of the history of this publisher still to cook.

A diner photographs a dessert from the menu offered by chef Javi Estévez, from the Madrid restaurant La Tasquería, in the Cocíname space in Barcelona.

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The chef Javi Estévez finishing a dish in the Cocíname space in Barcelona. MASSIMILIANO MINOCRI

A waitress at the dinner served by Javi Estévez in the Cocíname space in Barcelona.

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The diners at the dinner served by Javi Estévez in the Cocíname space in Barcelona.

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