Bubó, Barcelona

Bubó are pâtisserie, cake and coffee shops by Carles Mampel - a multi award winning chef, Mampel once won the prize for the ‘The World´s Best Chocolate Cake’ with his Xabina creation.

There are now several Bubós around Barcelona (and one in Kuwait); I visited the original branch in the charming Born area. As well as the delicious cakes, the Bubó Bar (two doors along from the Born branch) also sells tapas, wine and cocktails.

I don't have the “sweetest of tooths” but I read that they sell macarons, which are my favourite. Once there, I couldn't help but be wowed by the artistic creations on display and ended up eating three cakes as well as a small selection of the excellent quality macarons.

To start, being a Japanophile, I couldn’t resist the Namelaka Cake – ‘namelaka’ is the Japanese term for ‘creamy texture’ referring in this case to the silky smooth ‘Gianduja Cream’ made with chocolate and hazelnuts (aka posh Nutella). A pistachio topping and a green tea sponge and chocolate biscuit base completed the edible artwork. 

For my main course, I had the whimsical Big Mac-aron consisting of a macaron ‘sesame seen bun’, marzipan ‘cheese’, with a Guanaja chocolate, hazelnut, caramel ganache and fleur de sal ‘beef pattie’.  After cutting it in half it was great fun to pick up and eat like a burger - my favourite of the bunch.

For dessert, with it’s billing as ‘The world´s best chocolate cake’ (Lyon, 2005) I had to try the Xabina Cake. A spiced olive oil rich sponge with crisp praline, and Madagascan vanilla; topped with glistening chocolate glacier icing and a dinky chocolate macaron – it’s certainly the best chocolate cake I have eaten.

As petit fours to go with my coffee, I had a selection of perfectly formed macarons – Pistachio; Apricot & Green Tea; Chocolate & Raspberry; White Truffle & Salt and a Passion Fruit.  

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