Barcelona 2014 - Lunch at SAUC

Choosing a restaurant for a sumptuous dining experience in Barcelona can be a daunting task due to the sheer number of great restaurants in the city. TripAdvisor alone lists over 7,000 restaurants in the city - that's a huge number! In the end, it usually boils down to how much you are willing to spend, and which locations are the most convenient based on your itinerary. Sauc is one of the many one-Michelin starred restaurants here, and it is located in Ohla Hotel which is in the Barri Gotic - a very convenient location. The tasting menus - especially for lunch, are also comparatively reasonable at 37 euros for 4 courses.

The dining room on the mezzanine floor of the hotel is quite small and minimally decorated. As long as the food is good, there is nothing to complain about. Chef Xavier Franco runs the kitchen. 

 2 types of bread are served before the meal. They are so good you are in danger of stuffing yourself if you are not careful.

Lunch started with an amuse-bouche consisting of green olive and a black olive jelly. The green olive was nothing to shout about - but the dark jelly was really intense in flavour.

The first course was a scallop ceviche with a very light dressing. The freshness and sweetness of the scallops was the star of the dish.

The 2nd course was a poached egg on a pea puree. This was my favourite course - the egg was perfectly poached and with the pea puree and caramelized bacon bits was a match made in heaven.

It was a hard act to follow - and the main courses - a choice of lamb or fish, failed to impress.

Dessert was a chocolate cake served with mango ice cream.

Many diners have complained about the lukewarm service at Sauc, and it was true that the waiters were a bit aloof throughout the meal. The food was of a sufficiently high standard though, and pleasing to the palate. Coupled with the reasonable pricing - this is still one of the top choices in Barcelona for a great dining experience that won't break your bank.