Inspired by El Bulli, Spanish Catalonia is arguably the most important hotbed for creative chefs in the world today. Here three brothers, Joan Roca in the kitchen, Jordi with the patisserie and Josep the sommelier are helping to set the regions standards.

Next directions - El Celler Can Roca is in the Taialè suburb north west of Girona. As you head up the "high street" its on the right just as the hill flattens. Francophiles unfamiliar with Spain should note that 1 p.m. is early for lunch and 9 p.m. early for dinner.

Inside we were sat down in the front dining room, windowless with a high ceiling and Catalan red wall. While not spartan, there is certainly no danger of the decor distracting one's focus on the food. A glass of cava with some nibbles comes automatically - sesame tuilles, olives stuffed with tapenade and mandolins.

Here they have a French as well as Catalan version of the menu. We opted for the tasting menu that was one short of the menu surprise. The chef's offering was an asparagus mousse with mussels and fish eggs. A cold set soup was flavoured with fennel and we think oursin. Clams came coated with a mousseline. Shredded skate had been barely cooked and mixed with a hint of pineapple. Gambas (just two) had a garlic mousseline and some thawed frozen (but still set) fish stock. Milk fed lamb (skinned shoulder) with brebis milk curds (from the mother?) was quite rightly kept simple. Dessert was a delicious mixture of peach, apricots, exotic fruit sorbets and a grapefruit sauce. Then what must be their speciality, a plate spotted with scores of tiny dots of tastes and textures. They give you a scroll listing the 49 ingredients as a souvenir. Finally an orange sorbet with stardust.

The meal had its moments such as the lamb and the first dessert. The earlier dishes in particular were all a bit too delicate for my taste. The most extraordinary aspect was that we almost felt hungry at the end - the portions were all tasting samples. Superb wine list. Superb value.

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