L’Hostal de Ca l’Enric

The story

L’Hostal de Ca l’Enric, Olot: Catalan Cuisine in a Historic Inn

A century of family cooking

Ca l’Enric began its life in 1882 as a roadside inn and general store for the farmers of La Vall de Bianya. In 1965, when Dolors joined Desideri, the kitchen’s focus shifted: small plates appeared first, then casseroles and weekend grills. Today the old inn is a full restaurant, run by the next generation, who continue to evolve the family’s traditional Catalan cuisine while staying rooted in the flavours of the surrounding forests.

Setting and spirit

The building retains its 19th-century bones but the interior has been reimagined with a contemporary, understated design – calm and quiet. Outside, the landscape is abrupt and sparsely populated, an area of natural interest that supplies many of the ingredients on the plate. The original pantry, once a barber shop where Desideri would shear local farmers on Sundays, now welcomes guests into the dining room.

Cuisine of the territory

The kitchen defines itself as “an interpretation of traditional Catalan cuisine with seasonal products and ingredients from the nearest surroundings: the forests of Vall de Bianya.” Each dish reaches for the essence of local flavours. This honest, market-driven approach has earned the restaurant a Michelin Bib Gourmand for good quality, good value cooking – a recognition that fits the house philosophy of rooted, accessible excellence.

The menu changes daily, but the “Descobrint la Vall” (Discovering the Valley) tasting menu offers a sweeping tour. A recent version started with a Simmental beef tartare, moved into white asparagus with herring and morels, then a blanquette of veal with bone marrow and caviar, and finished with a grilled sea bass. Spring dishes highlight wild mushrooms, foraged greens, and local cheeses. The wine cellar, housed in a former water cistern, holds a carefully selected mix of national and international bottles.

A living tradition

The present custodians of Ca l’Enric – the grandchildren of Dolors and Desideri – keep the kitchen in constant evolution. They respect the old recipes but interpret them with a modern touch, always looking for the purest expression of the valley’s produce. It is a place where the past and the present share the same table, quietly and without fuss.