A few days ago, I visited DiverXO as a solo diner for lunch. I emailed them to ask when it would be possible to get a table, so I can’t really say how difficult it is to book at the moment. It’s also worth mentioning that I had already visited several times before.

One of the things I was most curious about on this visit was the new Metamorfosis menu, a proposal for a “liquid menu” designed to accompany the different courses. In essence, it doesn’t differ that much from the classic wine pairings found in most fine dining restaurants, although in this case we are talking about €450 per person. There is, however, the possibility of choosing half of the experience for €250, which is the option I went for.

I would say I wasn’t fully able to appreciate the Metamorfosis menu. There were drinks where the concept and craftsmanship clearly shone through, such as the Liquid Sourdough Bread or the Chufa Sake, but in other cases it was harder to justify the cost or even identify the idea behind them. It’s also very possible that by choosing only half of the menu, some pairings inevitably lost part of their meaning.

As for the food, DiverXO remains faithful to its identity: bold flavors and striking contrasts, heavily inspired by South and East Asian cuisines, particularly Thailand, Korea, and Japan, all tied together with the comforting soul of Spanish gastronomy through dishes reminiscent of paella, stews, or charcoal cooking.

Metamorfosis

– Liquid sourdough bread
– Churros with Jamaican mole “Cold Brew” new style
– Soft and delicate pickled flowers
– Nigori-style chufa sake and coconut water in three fermentations
– Low tide, rocky waves
– Humid kombucha. Shiitake and lapsang souchang. Mulato chili

Menu

– Metaphor of Getaria
– Red prawn and bone marrow. Steam and charcoal. Allspice, myoga and miso
– Steamed Peking crêpe
– Drunken Sichuan shrimp with palo cortado, yangnyeom, blue crab gejang and warm Joselito mayonnaise
– Char siu pork
– Memories of Gastón. Frozen “Oriental ceviche”
– Not a Pad Thai
– Bun cha Kagoshima
– XO sauce
– Suquet-Sudado with baby cuttlefish and red mullet, mirasol chili, brown butter and frozen ají limo kimchi
– Shark fin soup. Part I & II
– Paella-Nigiri
– What is the best part of a stew cooked over embers? Whatever remains at the bottom of the pot
– Maresme peas with yuzu kosho beurre blanc, Riesling and frozen tomato salad with ssamjang
– XO mango sticky rice
– Japanese bonbon