Les Cols Olot Spain - The Most Beautiful Farm Food You're Likely to Encounter

Dined 03 April 2011

The architecture of Les Cols is that incredible combination of old and new.  Highly modern additions to a beautifully restored traditional building.  Bespoke furniture, metal, shiny, modern surfaces gleaming, juxtaposed with the view from your table of the chickens outside, being fed by the local farmer.  Les Cols is truly a magnificent setting.

Entrance

The architectural features are everywhere

Heading toward the garden for canapes

On arrival once being shown around this rather overwhelming architectural delight you might be invited to enjoy Cava and canapes in the garden weather dependent.  The weather for us was superb so we did indeed indulge in the garden.  A convivial way to start a lingering lunch.

From garden looking towards renovated old exterior

Fabulous wine cellar

Cava and canapes in the garden

Once seated (on these metal seats, more comfortable than they appear and on wheels as to allow easy access in and out) with the view out to the gardens you will find yourself in a quiet pocket of space.  Les Cols is immaculately considered - each table has space.  Service starts in the same way it ends - faultlessly.

Fabulous bottle of Catalonian red

Bread and olive oils

View of from our table

We decided not to engage in the 15 course tasting menu, rather to derive our own menu from the a la carte options.  Mainly because a couple of these options appealed to us and we wanted to try them.

We selected the artichoke and foie gras, the pumpkin cooked five ways, the truffled eggs with shaved truffles and the slow cooked (11 hours at 70degrees) shoulder of lamb.

The amuse bouche consisted of cod served in paper with dipping sauce.  The cod had a beguilingly soft interior with an almost chewy crust and was sublime.

Cod amuse (gorgeous)

The next amuse were fresh spring peas cooked with black pudding.  Utterly utterly fresh, the sweetest little peas I've ever eaten.  Cooked to perfection with nuggets of black pudding.  Outstanding.

Spring peas and black pudding

The artichoke and foie gras was is it reads.  Smooth textures, rich in taste.  Good not stunning.

Artichoke and foie gras

The truffled eggs were a slight let down in that the truffle flavours were muted and having enjoyed better egg and truffle dishes on this holiday we were slightly disappointed.

Truffle and egg

Pumpkin cooked five ways was superb.  Five different textures as well, really a fabulous dish from the (not so) humble pumpkin.

Pumpkin cooked five ways

The slow cooked shoulder of lamb was for me too lamby.  Yes this might sound like an odd thing to say (particularly coming from a New Zealander) but I found the lamb taste overwhelming.  I'm sure this was due to the long slow cook.  The skin was immaculate, cooked separately I'm sure in order to get the glaze and texture just right.  The meat was melting and gooey and good but I just found the whole thing too rich, too lamby and in retrospect I should have chosen differently as this is not the fault of the dish.  I prefer lighter styles of cooking.  My partner enjoyed it immensely.

Lamb cooked for 11 hours at 70 degrees

My dessert of ice cream sandwich from the nostalgia part of the dessert menu was gorgeous and my partners dish of the chocolate volcano served on slate completely the standout course of the day.  Bitter sweet, texturally complex and truly a dessert of immense skill and forethought.

Pre dessert sorbet - fresh and beautifully composed

Nostalgia - ice cream sandwich

Chocolate volcano - a real stunner

We finished with perfect espresso and the petit fours of anise and the sugar coated donuts were a delight.  This course was offered either in the garden, at your table or at the "long" table which is where we selected to eat it.  Les Cols have fully thought through the dining experience and on summer evenings will serve coffee in the garden.  I love this  considered approach.

The long table for coffee after our meal

The focus here is on the local produce.  Food is executed to the highest possible standards.  You will not find a laboratory here nor the use of the molecular (I'm a bit of molecular fan) but what you will find is exemplary ingredients cooked with utter respect.  This is reason enough to come to Les Cols besides the beautiful environment in which to eat.  A most enjoyable spot.