BCN Taste & Tradition

The setting says it all. BCN occupies a nearly century-old Montrose home in which an eggshell-and-beige color scheme, soft lighting and crisp linens form an intimate gallery for works by Picasso, Miró and Dalí—as well as a stage on which Barcelona-born chef Luis Roger must therefore compete with the masters. The onetime Ferran Adrià intern and five-star resort chef is doing just that. Precision is his hallmark: pure, clear flavors and meticulous compositions distinguish everything from the signature “stew” of lobster and rice in coral roe-infused cream to rare-grilled duck breast bathed in a sauce of Idiazábal cheese, with balsamic reduction and quince paste for contrast. (Roger is also an accomplished pastry chef, so dessert is non-negotiable.) And the bar follows suit with its beautifully presented gin-and-tonics, turning your average porch pounder into something truly special. Under the rarified circumstances, the all-Spanish wine list is shockingly reasonable (though the trophies it does boast would be well worth the splurge).