Alapar

Half past two on a Friday, the lunch hour at full stride, and Alapar still had a table free, which tells you how little fuss Sants-Montjuïc makes about it. One flaw is worth naming. The sharing format sometimes works against the kitchen: dishes land in an order that muddles their logic, a delicate plate arriving straight after a loud one. It matters, yet it isn't fatal. The Japanese-Mediterranean cooking underneath is unaffected and quietly capable, at its best in the daily special, where you can feel the kitchen thinking rather than reciting. The room has no interest in impressing anyone, and the value holds up. For me it's a yearly detour rather than a destination, and I suspect the place is content being a detour. Check the midweek closing days before you set out.