The name and the number 10 printed on the home team's shirts make it clear that things are about football here. Something that, a priori, could set off many alarms, because it is already known that eating well in a themed restaurant is not easy. But this is not the case because Hincha is just a nod from Nandu Jubany to Messi, a partner in the MiM hotel chain where these restaurants are located. After debuting in Andorra, it now arrives in Baqueira with the same concept and the intention of providing good food in a place as demanding and in some ways unique as this one. Opened just a few weeks ago, we put on our snow boots to climb to 1500 meters above sea level and try this new Hincha.
And the fifth star is not the only thing that the Gran Hotel MiM Baqueira has debuted this season. Having completed its renovation and upgrade to become the new luxury hotel in this sought-after Aranese town, the establishment also adds Nandu Jubany's Hincha restaurant to its gastronomic offer.
Are you a Messi fan in a place where it is always said that there are more skiers from Madrid than from Barcelona? Indeed. But even the most football fans will know how to understand that we are in MiM, Messi and Majestic's hotel chain. And, if necessary, they will also know how to forgive him because in Hincha, to put it briefly, the food is very good.
At this point Jubany doesn't need anyone to suck up to him, but it is true that there is merit in picking up the gastronomic point of some places where the chef works. If his establishments in Formentera represent the summer version of that challenge, now Hincha becomes the proposal for the ski season.
It is not that the menu is the same beyond some desserts shared by the island and the Fans of Andorra and Baqueira, but because of a concept that knows how to adapt to the peculiarities of the place and the clientele. People come here to ski. And let yourself be seen, comment the regulars. And, although it is not the priority, if you can also eat and drink well, you are welcome.
The ticket, by the way, is usually not a problem. In any case, it is when there is no correlation between what is offered and what is charged, something that we fear also often happens. These quick overviews of the idiosyncrasies of the place surely help to understand Hincha's menu, which includes everything from pizzas and hamburgers to caviar and wagyu.
In fact, the pizza oven that occupies an almost central position in this cozy restaurant coexists with a chamber where pieces of meat of magnificent quality and corresponding price are displayed, and a wine list that many gastronomic restaurants in large cities would like. Including almost twenty wines by the glass, and thirty sparkling wines. In addition, the Coravin is always prepared in case it is necessary to give out drinks to one of the most exclusive references in the winery.
Pepe López very well manages a room in the middle of filming and a menu that is not too extensive, but where there are options for those who want some macaroni ("Messi's", with bolognese), some hedgehogs with prawns and caviar that were among the suggestions off the menu on the day of our visit, a grilled turbot, or check the section dedicated to oysters or vegetables.
“We have made a proposal designed for the whole family to enjoy, with a nod to Argentine, Peruvian and Italian cuisine, making tiraditos, ceviches, tartares, some very special pizzas and the best meats in the world,” explain those responsible for the project.
The saying that he who covers a lot does little grants few exceptions in the world of gastronomy, but it seems that we are in one. Roasted eggplant with avocado, miso, natural mustard and sesame is not only an interesting combination, but it is very delicious.
Also the tuna tiradito with caper pipirrana. And the pizzas that, based on a very well made dough, can accommodate everything from a margarita or a carbonara to luxury versions based on black truffle goodness and an excellent brie from Val d'Aran. Of course, the price in this case is 75 euros.
A good reminder that we are in Baqueira, that the average Hincha ticket is around 80 euros and that a good product has to be paid for. By the way, among the suppliers it is always a good sign to find Xesc Reina's sobrasada, served warm on focaccia and with a panel of honey. Those who decide to spend the night at the Gran Hotel MiM Baqueira will also find it at breakfast, one of the best we remember lately.
But returning to Hincha, the meat deserves special mention, another of the pillars of this three-way proposal between Messi, Jubany and Majestic. There is old European cow, Galician cow and national wagyu - raised in La Rioja, we are told - or Japanese, with prices that range from 75 euros/kilo for beef, to 390 euros for Japanese.
Meat accompaniments are ordered separately. The salad with lettuce and onion is responsible for degreasing. Less light is the corn: cobs cut into strips, crispy and served with coconut foam, apple, chili and quicos. A kind of vegetable torrezno - it seems that we are not the first to make the comparison, they confirm to us - that can almost act as an independent dish.
Tables that come to the desserts with an appetite will surely succumb to one of Hincha's hits: a huge chocolate ball, filled with cream, profiteroles and more sweets. Perfect for at least four people to share. And to succeed on Instagram, because breaking it with blows and discovering its generous interior is already a common ceremony in a house that is emerging as one of the reference places this season in Baqueira.
