Barcelona’s Sants district has a new place to eat and drink, as chefs Jordi Devesa and Jordi Bernús have opened El Bitxo at Riego, 43. The tavern blends Catalan and Indonesian cooking, and marks Bernús’s return to the neighbourhood after his time at Sants es Crema.
Bernús lived in Indonesia for nearly four years, and his wife is Indonesian, which he says gives him a strong grounding in the cuisine. The pair want El Bitxo to feel informal and affordable, with food and drinks designed for sharing. Bernús said the idea is to make diners recognise Catalan and Indonesian flavours at the same time.
The menu includes three sandwich versions, among them a rendang bun with slow-cooked beef, sambal sauce, lettuce and Catalan bread. There is also a new take on the bomba de la Barceloneta as a spicy nasi goreng, served with white sauce and orange sambal taronja for €4. Other dishes include Russian salad with smoked herring, Kalamata olives and kaffir lime leaves.
Main dishes include escudella buntut, an oxtail soup for €14, and fricandó semur, a Catalan stew with Indonesian touches, for €12. Bernús also makes macaroni inspired by his Indonesian mother-in-law, using clove, star anise, cinnamon, turmeric and galangal, priced at €10. Other plates include meatballs with squid and gulai, plus a lumpia with capipota for €3.90.
Devesa says the aim is not to force a fusion, but to keep the original dishes recognisable while adding small influences. He said the team wants each plate to feel familiar, with a clear Indo-Catalan twist. El Bitxo is the first of four restaurants planned by the El Crit de la Terra group in Sants, with the wider idea of building a food route in the district.
For more Barcelona neighbourhood coverage, see our community stories and sport coverage. The original report was published by betevé.
