TRAVEL

My feeling is that in Venice you need to seek out dishes, rather than places. Equally determined to avoid the withering looks and contempt of waiters serving menus turisticos, I wanted something the locals would eat. The insider knowledge.

That’s the truth of Spain. Both food and people. The rub of patience and reserve against passion and resolve. For me, particularly Barcelona. It’s a hugely social, sexy city. Where overpowering flavours of the past mingle with the exuberance of youth.

An introduction to some paisos Catalan food prepared for a wedding banquet in Barcelona. Local dishes such as Escalivada, Xatonada with Romesco sauce, butifarra and faves.

Few dinners have reached my top ten. Well only ten. But there is a new contender. A must eat. One worth the food miles. Moo is the restaurant in in the svelte, low lit Hotel Omm, just off the Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona.

Whenever we come back from Barcelona, it’s always laden with anything tinned I can’t get here. One of them is the little baby squid in olive oil – chipirones. No comparison with the fresh ones but when in need.

It’s easy to dismiss offal.I haven’t got a big repertoire. But I do like kidneys. Mounted on a couple of rounds of toasted brioche on your most beautiful plates, they are fit for a king’s birthday.