Culinary taste in Catalonia has found an unexpected winner in the heart of Barcelona. The annual Plat Favorit dels Catalans 2023 competition has concluded with a surprising revelation: The Bikini has been crowned the favorite snack among the region’s typical dishes.
This bread stuffed with sweet ham and cheese has become the favorite dish of the Catalans in a competition aimed at celebrating the culinary tradition of the area. The contest, organized by Cuina magazine, has reached its conclusion during the Gastronomic Forum Barcelona.
Bikini displaced the hamburger
The Bikini, represented by the Bikineria and defended by Joan Gurguí, founder of the establishment, won with 1,336 votes, beating contenders such as the hamburger, the frankfurter and the ‘serranito’.
The contest, now in its eighth edition, follows a three-phase voting structure. Twelve participants, each represented by a restaurant, compete in elimination rounds, where the public casts its vote via the web.
After two phases, the top six candidates advance to the next round, narrowing down to four finalists and, finally, a winner.
All Those Food Market, a celebration of local gastronomy and handicrafts in BCN
La Bikineria, located at Muntaner, 568, has been the epicenter of this unexpected and delicious victory. Joan Gurguí began serving this iconic sandwich at the Ninot market, and found success at the Sant Gervasi location, where the bikini offerings expanded to varieties such as pastrami, sobrasada, roasts and even vegan options.
However, it is the classic version, with sweet ham and cheese, which has conquered the palate and has become the ambassador of this contest.
On the pedestal of local gastronomy
The recognition, awarded by the public through the web, has consecrated the Bikini as the favorite dish of the Catalans in 2023.
Its simplicity, but exquisite flavor, has positioned it on a pedestal of local gastronomy, leaving its mark in the history of the contest that has previously exalted traditional dishes such as ‘escudella and carn d’olla’, chicken and capon from Prat, ‘coradella’ from Molins de Rei, among others.
The success and recognition of Bikini is a testament to the appreciation for the simple, the authentic and the delicious in Catalan cuisine. La Bikineria, with the help of Joan Gurguí, has taken the sandwich to a new gastronomic peak, where quality, flavor and rootedness in culinary tradition have come together to mark a tasty and significant history.
This 2023, the Bikini becomes the Plat Favorit dels Catalans, a tribute to the essence of local gastronomy and the ability to fuse the classic with innovation at the Catalan table.
