Buttery Ham, Anchovies, and Squid
We traveled to Barcelona primarily for the spectacular food and we were not disappointed. Our first night in town we went to Tapac 24, a bright and bustling tapas spot in the L’eixample, where we actually had the best meal of the entire trip. An menu filled with the letter ‘x’ only confused me and left me realizing that I really didn’t know Spanish at all, so we took suggestions from the moderately patient waiter and pointed to words that looked promising. We started with ink dyed fried calimari, it was delectably tender and crunchy, like fresh onion rings of the sea. Really incredible. Wonderful lightly salted and fried artichokes came next followed by flavorful chicken croquettes and a daringly ordered bull tail. The latter was a rich, meaty dish much like a fragrant oxtail. A nice bottle of cava accompanied our fully satisfying meal and I’d strongly recommend you make your way to this underground spot if you visit the city.
Breakfast brought more adventure and deliciousness with Mantequeria Ravell, a bodega store front which hides a secret breakfast dining room that you access by walking through the kitchen and then up a flight of stairs. It feels like a well kept secret (even though we found it in a tour guide) and the complete lack of English spoken only adds to the exotic experience. And exotic it is, for where else have I been faced with a menu containing a foie gras and eggs dish? Oh, this is decadent living, friends and I savored every bite, except for the ones I gave over to Jim in order to make it through the day without going into a foie gras induced nap. Fresh squeezed orange juice and a large window overlooking apartment gardens were lovely accompaniments.
After a day of uphill walking we deserved to indulge again and did so at one of the city’s most popular tapas and cerveza meccas, Ciudad Condal. You can expect a long line of locals and tourists, but it moves quickly and is worth waiting in. Here we had what seemed to my American sensibility like the most typical tapas: the Iberian ham was like butter and came with the traditional bread with a slight smattering of tomatoes. My boss highly recommended I take the opportunity to eat fried small peppers, and here they were excellent. Creamy manchego, fried anchovies, crisp asparagus, and tuna stuffed red peppers (all great) rounded out the mini feast and cold cervezas washed it all down…
Dinner was at Rita, whose pre fixe menu is so yummy and affordable that you have to stand in line before the place opens in order to secure a table. The food lived up to the hype and more: Jim and I split appitizers of vichyssouse and seafood crepes and both were delicious. Entrees offered even more excitment when Jim claimed his pork to be one of the best pork dishes he’s ever had. Most thrilling for me though was the cake that tasted like comforting Duncan Heins all dolled up with fresh ingredients, chocolatey icing and cream. Possibly the best piece of cake I’ve ever had. With two “bests” in one meal, this is another do not miss.
We had a quick, nondescript meal in Figueres before catching the train back to the city, but it was the only spot I had white anchovies in vinegar which were, as you might imagine, quite splendid.
Not as splendid? Suffering from crazy food poisoning from Ra, a spot behind the Bouqueria Mercat that despite, very kind and friendly service, can not be recommended for obvious reasons. The market itself offered more ham, cheese, chocolate and more, but I’ll go into greater detail when I write it up soon.
Still feeling a bit tender-tummied I took it easy the next night with a pot of tea and anchovy stuffed olives (yes, this is “taking it easy” for me) at the smokey, loud and crowded Cafe de L’Opera on La Rambla. It’s a fun experience, very European with pretty nouveu interiors and a massive menu of snacks and meals.
Our last day, New Years Day, we found many places closed down for the holiday (including the incredibly popular and touted Cal Pep and El Xampanyet – which only gives us an excuse to return one day) but we found that the favored Taller de Tapas at Placa St Josep Oriol was open and doing brisk business. The Russian salad, jamon, and grilled squid there were incredible, but we were confused by the lack of flavor and undercooked texture of the lobster paella. If you go here, stick to the small plates for a guaranteed great meal.
Later that night we managed to grab a seat at the swanky and popular Moovida Cafe at the fancy Moo Hotel. Small, minimalist and artfully presented tapas here cost a bit more than other places but were very yummy. Jim had both a ham and a roast beef and sauteed onion open faced sandwiches while I enjoyed a cup of beef consomme spiked with sherry followed by toast topped with red peppers and fresh anchovies.
Overall, Barcelona offers a spectacular array of foods that will thrill the daring, but it might be a tough spot for anyone choosey and vegetarians could fair poorly between the occasional language barrier and meat and seafood heavy menus. We really only scratched the surface of the culinary scene, but hope we can offer you a few recommendations if you choose to visit the beautiful city yourself.
Tapac 24
Tapac 24
Tapac 24
Tapac 24
Tapac 24
Montequeria Ravell
Montequeria Ravell
Ciudad Condal
Ciudad Condal
Ciudad Condal
La Rita
La Rita
La Rita
Tapas place in Figueres.
The infamous Ra – it’ll make you sick.
Cafe de L’Opera
Cafe de L’Opera
Taller de Tapas
Taller de Tapas
Moovida
But what do you think?
1 Comment
Thanks for recommending Rita from the Spotted by Locals Barcelona website. Hope you enjoyed more of our tips!