Cera 23: Dining In Good Company

 

Just before my 4pm time slot to tour the Passion façade of La Sagrada Familia, I took a quick detour to El Raval for lunch. This neighborhood is famous for its strong immigrant community, nightlife, crime, and prostitution, which means that it is home to many interesting bars and restaurants.

For lunch, I decided to make a reservation at Cera 23. This restaurant started as a project among friends to share their appreciation for good food. Today, Cera 23 is home to some really captivating Modern European dishes. Here, you'll find crunchy king prawns with mango sauce and mirin, Iberian pork sirloin, and even foie gras ravioli with almond cream and quince. Sounds compelling, right?

Cera 23 is also a popular spot for dinner. I'd recommend eating here for dinner so you can situate yourself in one of Barcelona's prime nightlife districts. The drinks here are quite good and Cera 23 gets a lot of buzz thanks to its fruity mojitos. Start your night with a couple of these drinks. 

The service here is great. At the end of my meal, I was offered two shots of Crema de Orujo as a digestif or maybe simply for the sake of taking shots at 2pm in the afternoon. This stuff tastes pretty good so it's meant to be sipped and enjoyed. 


Cuisine: Spanish, Modern European

Average Price per Person: $35 USD

Address: Carrer de la Cera, 23, 08001 Barcelona, Spain

Recommended:

  • Ceraviche

  • Fruit Flavored Mojitos

  • Black Rice Volcano

  • Diced Sesame Tuna

Jon Ngo at Cera 23 in Barcelona

I sat at the bar and enjoyed the extra natural lighting and the fresh air. 


Buffalo Burrata, Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Nuts, and Basil Pesto at Cera 23 in Barcelona

The Buffalo Burrata, or Burratina, came with Arugula, Sun-Dried Tomatoes, Nuts, and a Basil Pesto Vinaigrette. Very refreshing! And, the cheese itself was so creamy and fresh. [8 Euros]


Ceraviche Special Ceviche with Yucca Chips at Cera 23 in Barcelona

The Ceraviche was delightful and just what I needed to cool off after walking around Montserrat all morning. Their ceviche was made with Sea Bass, Onions, Peppers, and Yuca Chips. Yuca is the root of the Cassava plant. The flavor is starchy and a little bit sweet. [12 Euros]


Diced Sesame Tuna with Sweet Potato Purée and Honey at Cera 23 in Barcelona

For my main course, I got the Diced Sesame Tuna. The tuna was really nicely seared and the meat had great color to it. The center was still raw and tender. The edges of the tuna were lightly seared so the exterior was firm and smoky. The tuna came with Sweet Potato Purée and Honey. [17 Euros]


Honeyed Beef Cheek with White Truffle Parmentier at Cera 23 in Barcelona

I also got the Honeyed Beef Cheek with White Truffle Parmentier (i.e. mashed, baked potato). The meat was crazy tender but not overly rich/fatty. [16.2 Euros]


Blackberry Mojito Mousse at Cera 23 in Barcelona

For dessert, I ordered their Blackberry Mojito Mousse. For 5 Euros, this was a steal. It tasted like a smoothie but it had chunks of blackberry. This was perfect for cooling us down in this summer weather. 


Estrella Damm Beer at Cera 23 in Barcelona

I got some beer to reward myself for all that hiking in Montserrat. 

Crema de Orujo at Cera 23 in Barcelona

As I mentioned earlier, Cera 23 ended our meal with complimentary Crema de Orujo. Orujo is similar to Italian grappa, in that it is a pomace brandy. It's spirit forward with slightly herbal characteristics. Crema de Orujo is a mixed drink that tastes like a less sweet version of Baileys.