Through the large windows behind which we see evening fall on the eighth floor of the Ocean building, the chef and businessman Romain Fornell observes the views of the port, the beach and the city. From another corner of this place with a 360º panoramic view, he points out the little red lights of the building that houses another of his kitchens, at the opposite end of Barcelona. And in one of the glass cubes (they are reserved with a single table facing the sea) he greets with a hug who he says is one of his most loyal customers at the La Gavina de S'Agaró restaurant, where he also signs the letter.
This Frenchman, whose Goût Rouge group is gradually expanding, confesses that when he was offered to settle in this place with splendid terraces and dining rooms, as well as a bar area (180 seats to eat seated), he hesitated to accept because the dimensions imposed of that ocean liner that once opened as Blue Spot and that had among its partners the soccer player and the singer who make up the fashionable ex-couple. But he was unable to resist and now he has turned it into Azul Rooftop Barceloneta (Paseo Joan de Borbó, 101). The rooftops (once again Anglicism prevails) arouse increasing interest. Fornell acknowledges that he has already verified it at the Ohla Barcelona hotel where he runs the Caelis, with queues to snack on something or have a cocktail on the terrace on the top floor.
The city, he assures, is unbeatable in gastronomy and people want to have a good time and enjoy the views. The new Azul, where Josep Font runs the room, does not have aspirations of haute cuisine, but it has begun to serve bites to share, such as grilled white asparagus, clams with beurre blanch, Palamós prawns or oysters.
They are dishes that are followed by rice or whole pieces of fish fresh from the Barcelona fish market that they prepare with minimal intervention. Like grilled turbot or scorpion, which they prepare fried and with chipotle mayonnaise.
In charge of the savory kitchen are Simone Giorgganni and her deputy, Enrico Calvo, led by Martín Rodríguez, executive chef and Fornell's right-hand man for years, while Eddie Arteagas and Yuliya Kolesnik take care of the sweet kitchen. There is also an offer for those who want to spend less and drink and snack throughout the day enjoying the views and music at night.
