A bar-cellar, almost a chamizo, a meeting point for Barça players and managers. It is the story of Can Fusté, which has just turned 50 years old in Les Corts, faithful to a fairly traditional market cuisine although updated with small touches of fusion.
If the walls of his private room could talk, they would explain stories of star signings in which names like Cruiff, Quini or Schuster would come to light; but also less sporting anecdotes starring Rocío Jurado, Rafael, Felipe González, Javier Barden or Charlize Theron. The secrets, however, will be taken to the grave by Carlos Fernández, his room manager.
At the head of this establishment is Mónica Plaza, Fernández's partner, who sacrificed her medical studies to dedicate her life to hospitality after her father, Miguel Plaza, founder of Can Fusté, died. The beginnings were hard, because having to prevail over the team as a young woman (and a woman) in those days was even more difficult than now, but she knew how to overcome it. In the 30 years that he has been running it, his concern to not lower the quality of the product even one bit has increased: teardrop peas, artichokes from El Prat, seasonal robellones, black truffle and even lobster.
In the history of Can Fusté, which in 2001 completely renovated its interior design, forgetting the old wood to become much more chic, chef David Reartes, from the Re.Art restaurant, has also played an important role, leading an authentic revolution in Ibiza with his bet on the island's product. A close friend of the house (his father sold the fish to Mr. Plaza), two of Can Fusté's iconic dishes have carried his signature for more than 20 years: the delicious upside-down egg accompanied with a creamy potato skin and lemon juice. roast; and the tuna in tataki and reduced zuke with mango in which Reartes' culinary style is evident.
In charge of the kitchen you will find Isaac Aragall, a chef with previous experience at Via Veneto, who is in charge of executing a fairly classic menu but with contemporary touches and a lot of Latin spices, such as chili or rocoto.
Can Fusté also offers off-menu dishes (fantastic sea and mountain beans from Santa Pau, squid from our coast and sausage that we tried during our last visit), or desserts that will never go out of style, including those strawberries from Maresme which this year these days are already seasoned with pepper and accompanied by an ice cream based on vanilla, mint, triple sec and orange juice.
If you visit, pay close attention to who enters and leaves the dining room, because among the current clientele, Laporta, Rosell or Ter Stegen are still sitting at the table, “who by the way made the official presentation here after the signing,” explains Plaza.
