Libentia restaurant in Barcelona’s Gracia district shows just how exciting the new generation of Catalan chefs can be. This tiny restaurant has cool Barca style with big graphic art, orange and cream walls and table linens contrasting with sleek blue crystal stemware and stylish seating, served by a young, enthusiastic team. Imagine you’re dining at a friend’s house – you wouldn’t expect a menu, would you? There’s not much of one at Libentia either, just a choice of how much you’d like to eat and whether you’d like to choose your own wines or let the experts do it for it. Then creative and elaborate dishes start arriving of smallish size – though you end up replete – and huge originality. The monthly-changing menu has featured dishes like mussels with ginger and candied banana, Iberian pork steak with seasonal fruit chutney and lavender, chocolate soufflé with basil ice cream. Plan to come back every month.