Barcelona is seeing a fresh wave of interest in flan, with four restaurants in the city serving their own versions of the classic custard dessert. The focus is on familiar flavours, but with different textures and ingredients.
The traditional dessert, known for its smooth custard and caramel topping, is being reworked with mascarpone, cocoa and coconut. According to local food coverage, these versions are helping to give a well-known sweet a new place on the menu.
At 640, the new project from chef Eugeni de Diego, who also owns Lombo and Colmado Wilmot, the flan is made with mascarpone and prepared using a steaming method. The restaurant is located where Croma by Flash once stood, and the style is described as a richer flan.
Can Marlau, led by Ferran Soler, also serves a distinctive version, this time with cocoa. Soler has worked at restaurants including Saüc, Tickets, Bodega 1900 and Bambarol, and his own kitchen is known for its focus on traditional cooking methods.
Elsewhere in the city, Tostao, the cafeteria inside Hotel Casa Bonay, offers a Parisian-style flan. At Semproniana, Ada Parellada serves a coconut version made with grated coconut and coconut milk. Parellada comes from the historic Parellada family of restaurateurs.
These restaurants show how a classic dessert can be adapted without losing its identity. For more local food coverage, see our news tag.
