Les Cols, Olot, Spain

The restaurant Les Cols, which has one Michelin star, is in Olot, about an hour from Girona, and is set in a beautiful old Catalan house, surrounded by lovely gardens, which the very welcoming staff encourage you to visit, and where you can meet happy hens running around under the trees.

So it is a great surprise when you walk inside and find yourself in an ultra-modern environment, with metalized furniture, straight lines, dark grey walls and not a picture or decorative item in sight! The kitchens are an expanse of stainless steel, the wine-cellar is located behind a sliding metal door and the dining room tables are left completely bare until you are seated, when you are brought a plain white linen placemat and napkin, the cutlery and glasses. We were seated in the window overlooking the garden, which was lovely, but I wouldn’t have liked it so much in the second row of tables, surrounded by dark grey unadorned walls.

The chef, Fina Puigdevall, is a disciple of Michel Bras, my absolutely favourite chef, and I was amused to see that, just like him, she includes a perfectly boiled egg on the menu! Similarly she concentrates on locally produced food, and in particular vegetables. .

There were two 15 course tasting menus available when we went in November – the Autumn and Nature Menu and the Garden and Henhouse Menu, which other than the home-made sausage starter, was completely vegetarian. There were in fact only a few differences in the two menus, so were able to share the other dishes. The meal is served accompanied by a selection of traditional breads and a quartet of locally produced olive oils and rock salt – absolutely delicious. The dishes were distinctly Catalan and my favourite courses were the wild asparagus in a charcoal tempura, the wild mushroom salad. the squid with black rice and the salt cod, but there were many other delicious tastes. Although neither of us really understood the grilled lettuce! The cheese board was composed of local cheeses which were accompanied by home made jams, and the whole home-made dark chocolate bar which closed the meal looked too lovely to break up so I donated my share to my lunch companion, who did not overly protest as he stowed it away for future enjoyment !! The menus were Euros 85 each.

As we were driving back to France that evening we chose local wine by the glass, starting with a brut Cava, l’O de l’ Origan, followed by two 2011 whites, one of which from Emporda, Troc d’en Cos, was outstanding, and finishing with a full and fruity 2007 red, Dominio Romano. The wines were Euros 8 a glass, but the Cava was on the house.

Unfortunately we were not able to see the 5 bedrooms which are located somewhere in the garden and have glass walls and ceilings, though we were assured that they are separated by hedges and that there are blinds! The rooms are furnished with just a futon and a hottub, and phones and computers are actively discouraged. The price of a room, with full Catalan breakfast, is Euros 275.

I would definitely like to return to Les Cols again, but at a time of the year when I could stay overnight to try out the bedrooms and also taste some local summer delicacies.