A Review of Au Port de la Lune Restaurant in Barcelona

Au Port de la Lune’s Menu Board

From the exterior Au Port de la Lune is little more than a sliding glass door and a chalkboard displaying the menu. What lies beneath is a tiny French restaurant, with most seating upstairs in a room with a low, wooden-beamed ceiling and small tables and chairs.

A hand-written sign hanging on the wall gives a clue as to what’s to come. It reads “No hay Coca Cola, No hay Coca Light, No hay Ketchup, y NO HABRA” (“There is no Coca Cola, There is no Coca Cola Light, There is no Ketchup and There never will be”!). This is a restaurant where the steak is only served rare, the mustard is only served nose-tinglingly spicy and the wine is only served by the bottle!

The Food at Au Port de la Lune

Interior of Au Port de la Lune

The food at Au Port de la Lune is traditionally French and of very high quality. The a la carte menu includes offerings such as Cassoulet (a traditional sausage and duck stew), cheese and pâté platters. I came to sample the restaurant’s set lunch menu (‘Menu del Dia’) which, through word of mouth, has become increasingly popular amongst Barcelona locals.

The set lunch consists of three courses, bread and one drink per person. There are approximately five choices of starter, three of main and three of dessert. The menu changes on a daily basis. On my visit, the starter choices included baby leeks in vinegar, smoked mackerel with new potatoes and red onions, various pates and a goats cheese salad. The main courses were steak, hamburger or pork fillet with sides of pureed potatoes, garlic mushrooms, fried onions and a roast tomato. The dessert options were an apple cake, a chocolate mousse and a cheese board.

I opted for the goats cheese salad – a simple green salad, dressed to perfection and topped with wafer thin slices of a high quality and distinctively strong goats cheese. This was followed by steak with all its trimmings. I was bowled over by the quality and size of the steak - at least one of these factors is usually overlooked in Menu del Dia lunches. Whilst ordering I was warned by the waitress that the steak was only served rare and she was not lying! As this is my preferred style of eating steak I was more than satisfied, however, if you prefer your meat more well-done the kitchen are un-willing to budge on this point.

The Cheese Board

My friend opted for the spicy pork pâté – a chunky, generous and home-made helping with a slightly spicy flavour not normally associated with pâtés. This was served with a small side salad. His main course was a hamburger, or ‘steak hache’ – not quite as special as my steak (I detected a definite look of envy as my plate arrived!) but delicious nonetheless. The accompaniments were all executed with typical French finesse – the pureed potatoes were very creamy and perfectly seasoned, the mushrooms were bronzed and shiny with garlicky butter and the tomato had been roasted for long enough to make it sweet and tangy.

Full to bursting but determined to continue, we soldiered on to desserts. Our efforts were rewarded with some of the highlights of the meal. My apple cake was home-made and lusciously moist. My friend’s selection of three French cheeses were worthy of a doggy-bag request – each was very different and equally impressive, none of them a filler or a let-down.

Be warned, this restaurant is definitely not for vegetarians. The main courses generally consist of three meat options. There is not even a seafood option in sight!

The Service at au Port de la Lune

The Food Arrives!

For lunch at Au Port de la Lune there are no menus, so the waitresses explain what is on offer verbally. This means that decisions must be made quickly on what you are going to eat, but also means that a great rapport is built with the friendly and helpful waitresses. I was very impressed with their passion for the food and their eagerness to answer any questions relating to it.

On a previous trip to the restaurant with English friends the animated Spanish speaking waitress was perfectly willing to act out dishes such as duck pate and bull meat steak!

Food is served promptly even when the restaurant is full. It is often my experience in Barcelona that further requests for extra bread, a knife or a napkin are instantly forgotten. However, this is not the case in Au Port de la Lune, where anything that we asked for was delivered to the table quickly and with a smile.

It is worth remaining conscious of what is included in the Menu del Dia deal. The waitresses are keen to keep you topped up with extra wine and coffees – all of which add up if you become too distracted by the great food to remember what you’re paying for.

In a Nutshell

Located right next to the Boqueria Food Market, it is clear that this restaurant’s focus is on quality of produce. Located in a charming old building with simple décor, the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The food quality is close to impeccable and the service is warm. I left Au Port de la Lune with a warm glow that could be blamed partly on the red wine but mostly on the great experience!

Prices at Au Port de la Lune

Menu del Dia:
Monday – Friday: 12 euros
Saturday and Sunday: 15 euros

For a la carte prices the restaurant should be contacted directly.

How to Get There

Au Port de la Lune is located in a small square at the right of the Boqueria food market in Raval. The Boqueria can be found about two thirds of the way up the Ramblas, on the left. Head up the right hand side of the market, where you will find Plaza Sant Galdric – the restaurant is the first that you will see in the square.

Au Port de la Lune
Pl Sant Galdric, 1
08001
Barcelona

Tel: (0034) 93 270 3819

Metro: Liceu (Green Line, L3)

Related Pages

Barcelona Restaurants Main Page

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