Barcelona: Eating Out
By Lori Tenny
 |
|
Spanish
Omelette
|
|
|
If there’s one aspect of Barcelona that has ridden the
ever-evolving cosmopolitan tide, it’s the cuisine scene.
The menus span the globe, but the standouts for visitors
are the restaurants touting traditional specialities of Catalonia
and other regions of Spain, as well as the gutsy, alternative
flavours of the new crop of Catalan chefs.
Beltxenea
Mallorca 275
0034-93-215-3024
High on the list of restaurants noted for their elegance
and impressive cuisine, this pricey Basque venue opened in
the '80s in a converted 19th Century Modernist apartment building,
and the food is just as stunning as the décor.
Try the hake in a fish broth with barbells and clams.
Botafumeiro
Gran de Gracia 81
0034-93-218-4230
 |
|
Botafumeiro
Restaurant
|
Mediterranean Barcelona has its share of restaurants specialising
in the fruits of the sea, but Botafumeiro is seafood at its
finest.
This white-jacket, nautical-themed establishment is heavily
devoted to the cuisine of Spain’s northeastern coastal
region of Galicia, renowned for its succulent varieties of
seafood. Some of these creatures are so unique to Galicia,
the chef flies them in daily.
El Tragaluz
Passatge de la Concepcio 5
0034-93-487-0196
Inspired Mediterranean and international fare is served up
at Tragaluz, where a stylish and whimsical dining room opens
to the sun by day and the stars by night through a giant skylight
that directly lends itself to the name.
It’s really more like a glass roof, and it’s retractable!
Perfect for a summer night.
OT
Torres 25
0034-93-284-7752
The combinations of ingredients used by OT chef Felip Planas
are so unlikely you might wonder whether you’re savouring
dinner or dessert.
He is undeniably one of the forerunners of the new generation
of Catalan chefs, always stepping over the boundaries. There’s
no menu at OT, he just surprises you based on his wild inspiration
of the day.
But there’s one dish Planas counts as a speciality:
artichoke soup with lime and black pepper ice cream and prawns.
OT only has eight tables, so call ahead for reservations.
Els Quatre Gats
Montsio 3
0034-93-302-4140
 |
|
Els Quatre
Gats
|
When Els Quatre Gats opened in the late 19th Century, it
quickly became a favourite haunt of the artists of the day,
including Pablo Picasso.
This bohemian hangout is also a draw for its authentic, market-fresh
Catalan cuisine — perhaps a dish of botifarra amb mongetes
(a rich sausage served with beans), or bacalla a la llauna
(salt cod with garlic, parsley and tomato). Don’t forget
a glass of wine from the nearby Alella region, noted for its
whites.
Santa Maria
Comerc 17
0034-93-315-1227
Another prime expression of the new wave of Catalan chefs,
Santa Maria takes tapas to a new level. In a slick warehouse-like
setting, diners graze on small plates of Catalan food with
a twist.
Can they really pair the rich and salty Catalan black sausages
with the flavours of orange and anise and pull it off? They
can here.
 |
|
The Paella
dish
|
Sagardi
Basea 8
0034-93-319-9993
Pintxos, the Basque version of tapas, and fantastic sparkling
cider draw a steady bar crowd to this old-fashioned Basque
cider house. Head straight for the bar and grab a handful
of toothpicks to spear the delicacies on the endless stream
of small plates.
Honesty is the main requisite of calculating your bill, since
the system counts the number of toothpicks you’ve used.
No cheating, now!
Set Portes
Passeig Isabel II 14
0034-93-319-3033
They don’t take reservations here, but you won’t
mind queuing for their trademark rice dishes, whether it’s
arros negre (squid ink rice) or paellas that change daily.
Since 1986, the graceful Set Portes has been a favourite among
locals for the best paella in town and the slew of other regional
Spanish specialities.
 |
|
Tapas
|
If you are inspired to try your own hand at Spanish paella
and rice dishes, you can also pick up a great cookbook here.
La Boqueria
La Rambla (between Carme and Hospital streets)
This is actually a landmark food market that is ground zero
for Barcelona’s culinary treasure. It’s crammed
with vibrant stalls peddling an endless variety of the finest
and freshest fruits and vegetables, meats and fish, and herbs
and spices.
The best chef’s comb the market daily. You can sample
cured ham, cheeses, marinated olives, fruit and nuts along
the way. It’s also unbeatable picnic fare.
< Home
| Page
4 - The Nights >
 For
Flights/Airfares, accommodation and even package deals to
Spain - click
here for the Travel Homepage's Booking Engine.
|
