Two important things I learned at Barcelona even before the secession referendum:
1. Catalans do not identify themselves as Spanish
2. Catalan cuisine is not traditionally known for tapas. That’s a Spanish import remember?
Catalan cuisine is more about rustic recipes served often in 3-course meals as I’ve since learned, somewhat reminiscent of Provencal cooking (Allioli vs. Aioli) and arguably closer to Marseilles than Madrid. Of the seven eateries we visited in Barcelona over three days, two were bonafide Catalan institutions and absolutely recommendable, and three others were somewhat recommendable for their price-to-quality ratio. We’ll start with the most memorable meals.
RESTAURANT L'HAVANA (Barcelona)
Location Map
This was unfortunately our last dinner in Barcelona; otherwise we could have dined here every night.
Tucked away in a multi-ethnic neighborhood west of La Rambla, l’Havana was recommended to me by a local as a 70-year-old Barcelonan fixture, serving standard Catalan dishes like Bacalla a la Llauna or even the simple Pa amb Tomaquet to its regulars. We showed up early at 20:00 only to find the lights dimmed, and waited outside until about 20:15. Needless to say, no other tourist was in sight for the entire evening.
One of their specialties was rumoured to be Carxofes Arrebossada, or deep-fried artichokes.
But my wife hates artichokes, grilled, fried, or pickled. I could order this appetizer for a cheap 5 Euros, but potentially get stuck with having to finish it all by myself.
Long story short, my wife finished half of it.
Tiny baby artichokes, simply halfed, battered and deep-fried. No need for any strong or complex flavors when you’ve got raw ingredients of this quality.
And that was followed by one of the best dishes of our trip, Navalles a la Planxa, or razor clams from the hotplate.
Being seafood addicts we had razor clams 5 times over 16 days in Spain -- 3 times in Barcelona alone -- and this was the absolute best. No visible usage of herbs except for garlic infused into the cooking oil; only live razor clams in their absolute freshness, grilled perfectly and seasoned with nothing but rock salt.
Then we arrived at standard Catalan dishes like Bacalla a la Llauna -- arguably the most celebrated Catalan dish of all -- a tenderly baked piece of cod loin, supposedly in a tin (a la Llauna) with a generous dose of paprika and more garlic.
Even better was this unassuming dish of Calamars Farcits, plump, fresh squids stuffed with octopus chunks and filled to the brim with ground sausage. The magic of this dish was in its sauce -- a messy-looking broth that belied its pungent, deep Umami flavor extracted from hours and hours of stewing parts of the octopus that didn’t make it into the stuffing. But the result was eye-opening -- this actually turned out to be my wife’s favorite dish.
We wrapped up with a luscious Crema Catalana, the local variant of Creme Brulee with a hard caramelized crust and a comparatively thicker custard derived from cornstarch. I cannot name one dish that we didn’t enjoy in a superb dinner of Catalan classics within a 10 minute walk from La Rambla. I can’t recommend this place enough, especially to curious travelers looking for that authentic, unmistakably Barcelonan taste.
Bill for Two Persons
| Carxofes Arrebossada | 5 Euros |
| Navalles a la Planxa | 12 Euros |
| Bacalla a la Llauna | 14 Euros |
| Calamars Farcits | 10.5 Euros |
| Crema Catalana | 4.2 Euros |
| Glass of Cava | 3.25 Euros |
| Glass of Wine | 2.5 Euros |
| Large Bottle of Water | 2.95 Euros |
| TOTAL | 54.4 Euros (CAD$81.6) |
If 27 Euros per person is beyond your backpacking budget, fear not -- we were also introduced to a blue collar joint serving full 3-course meals including wine for just 12 Euros.
CAL BOTER (Barcelona)
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A traditional eatery set among corner stores and auto repair shops in the laid-back urban village of Gracia, Cal Boter is well-hidden from tourist crowds and yet conveniently located a couple metro stops away from Sagrada Familia.
In fact this little gem made the perfect lunch spot between our visits to the World Heritage monuments of Sagrada Famila and Hospital de Sant Pau. No other non-Catalan speaker was in sight ... nor was there an English menu, but one of the staff members went out of her way to translate for us.
What could 12 Euros possibly buy in one of Europe’s most expensive cities? An appetizer of grilled Escalivada or in our case a rich spinach soup, an entree from a list of Catalan favorites such as the pictured Botifarra amb Mongetes, a dessert, and a half litre of house wine or a beer. Anything cheaper and you'll probably end up at 100 Montaditos.
But it’s worthwhile to pay extra for one of the house specialties, ranging from Peus de Porc amb Cargols (Pig Trotters with Snails) to the pictured Bacalla Grata Colloni, one of our favorite dishes in Barcelona featuring a moist, flaky piece of baked cod smothered under the richest, foamiest Allioli.
The Tarta de Santiago was unmemorable, but the wine was ... for the wrong reason. Having to scoop out little fruit flies -- one dead and one still moving -- from my wine wasn’t even the surprising part; the real shock was how the regulars seemed to be quite used to this routine! I guess we couldn’t have asked for a more authentic experience of lunching in an old-school neighborhood joint.
In retrospect, perhaps a beer would have been a better choice than the house wine -- at least it would have come in a sealed can!
Bill for Two Persons
| Menu del Dia | 12 Euros |
| Bacalla Grata Colloni | 12.9 Euros |
| Bottle of Water | 2 Euros |
| TOTAL | 26.9 Euros (CAD$40.4) |
Aside from the two time-honoured Catalan restaurants reviewed above, we also visited one sporting a modern take on traditional dishes.
BAR DEL PLA (Barcelona)
Location Map
This gastropub is at least 60 years removed from the likes of old school l’Havana while still serving what could be called Catalan cuisine, but in its own unique interpretation. I’m not sure if Wasabi vinaigrette will become the norm in 21st century Catalan fusion, but Bar del Pla is certainly leading the charge as we speak.
But first, some crisp, airy Croquetas of calamari in squid ink to start. While Croquetas and derivatives can be commonly found all over the Iberian Peninsula, it was in Barcelona where we most often came across these breaded morsels with the unmistakable black filling made from savory squid ink.
For less than 7 Euros this tapa of Crispy Oxtail with Foie was one of my favorite bites in Barcelona. Underneath the fried onion bits was a boneless chunk of slow-braised oxtail sporting its intense beefy flavor. In fact the oxtail was so perfect by itself that I thought the seared foie on top almost became a detraction.
Also memorable was the regional favorite of Peus de Porc, or boneless Pig Trotters stuffed with ... even more melt-in-your-mouth foie! With its gelatinous mouthfeel paired with crunchy peanuts and red paprika, the tenderly braised trotters took on an almost Sichuanese appearance.
Calcots in Romesco sauce would have been the default favorite in springtime, but this was late summer and we settled for some grilled lettuce. Good food overall, and decent price-to-quality ratio for a modern interpretation of Catalan fare, in trendy El Born just steps from Picasso Museum.
Bill for Two Persons
| Croquetas Calamar x 2 | 3.6 Euros |
| Cruixent de Cua de Bou & Foie | 6.4 Euros |
| Peus de Porc | 8.1 Euros |
| Cogollos Romesco | 6.5 Euros |
| Beer x 2 | 5 Euros |
| TOTAL | 29.6 Euros (CAD$44.4) |
If you just want a safe and reasonably priced choice for tapas without an absolute emphasis on Catalan cuisine, this popular Cerveceria worked out quite well for us.
CIUDAD CONDAL (Barcelona)
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Ciudad Condal needs no introduction as one of the most popular cervecerias/taperias in Barcelona, among both locals and tourists alike. Everyone starts with some Montaditos from the counter, in our case the regional speciality of Escalivada con Anchoas and a classic Jamon Iberico. Not quite dirt cheap as 100 Montaditos, but still a good deal at less than 2 Euros each.
As regional cuisine is always our focus, we couldn't resist ordering the house Canelones, the Catalan version of Canelloni baked in a béchamel-like sauce and traditionally served during Christmas. Very rich flavors and modestly priced at just 5.3 Euros.
We also ordered a plate of razor clams that, although not quite as good as that magical dish we had at l’Havana, was surprisingly fresh for a tapas bar. Better yet, what turned out to be our most expensive dish of the evening cost us less than 10 Euros.
To wrap up, a plate of Setas a la Plancha -- that’s chanterelles, shiitakes and oyster mushrooms, not just champignons -- for only 6.3 Euros. After a couple beers our tapas dinner totaled at about 15 Euros per person, a definite bargain considering we’re about a 2 minute walk from Placa de Catalunya and the centre of Barcelona.
Bill for Two Persons
| Montadito de Escalivada con Anchoas | 1.8 Euros |
| Montadito de Jamon Iberico | 2 Euros |
| Canelones de la Casa | 5.3 Euros |
| Navajas a la Plancha | 9.25 Euros |
| Surtido de Setas | 6.3 Euros |
| Beer x 2 | 6 Euros |
| TOTAL | 30.65 Euros (CAD$46) |
But if you’re looking for something conveniently off La Rambla, is open even on Sundays, and does not take August off when half the city’s restauranteurs seem to be on summer vacation, you’ll probably end up here like we did:
LA FONDA (Barcelona)
Location Map
This was actually our first meal in town on a Sunday, jetlagged off the plane and searching for some authentic Fideua as an introduction to Barcelona. Los Caracoles down the block was still closed for summer vacation, and we settled for the always-open La Fonda.
La Fonda isn’t known for Catalan cuisine per se, and most of the clientele seemed to be non-Catalan/Spanish speaking tourists popping by for Paella -- well-appreciated by the locals but more of a Valencian dish than a Catalan one -- which is not the best sign. But prices were very reasonable for a classy-looking establishment steps from La Rambla, starting with its monthly special of Tapa Solidaria which turned out to be a pintxo of grilled octopus in a bed of pureed potatoes, for just 1 Euro.
But we did get our share of Catalan flavors in this Fideua de Mariscos con Allioli, a pan full of dried noodles simmered in a rich seafood stock and topped with langostinos, shrimps and mussels. To be honest I was quite pleasantly surprised by the Umami flavor of the broth, especially for its cheap price of 10 Euros. This was much better than the tourist trap that I feared!
We also chose a rice dish from the seasonal menu, an Arroz Marino which came with a deep-fried soft-shelled crab and some form of edible seaweed. The flavor wasn’t quite as good as the Fideua, though the crispy soft-shelled crab did provide a memorable moment.
While the food wasn’t top quality to be honest, for its combination of refined ambiance, decent flavors and very competitive pricing, I though La Fonda was a cheap and safe bet especially around La Rambla on a Sunday when many restaurants are closed.
Bill for Two Persons
| Tapa Solidaria | 1 Euro |
| Fideua de Mariscos con Allioli | 9.95 Euros |
| Arroz Marino | 11.5 Euros |
| Beer | 1.95 Euros |
| Bottle of Water | 1.9 Euros |
| TOTAL | 26.3 Euros (CAD$39.5) |
After five recommendable eateries, we’ve finally arrived at one that I would not recommend.
BODEGA LA PENINSULAR (Barcelona)
Location Map
Frankly this wasn’t our first choice at Barceloneta. Or perhaps the whole idea of having seafood at the harbour district was a bad one in the first place. But Cova Fumada was closed for vacation, as was Can Sole. Even La Bombeta was closed for some reason. Attempting to avoid the rows of English menus on Passeig Joan de Borbo, we ended up at Bodega La Peninsular.
The evening actually started quite well with these Croquetas of Calamari in Squid Ink, crunchy on the crust and flavorsome inside. This was the best dish before the rest of the meal started going downhill.
Next came the razor clams which, despite being excessively salty, were at least fresh and enjoyable as long as we brushed away the excessive seasoning. But nothing prepared us for the next couple of dishes.
This Sepia a la Plancha was among the most stale and flavorless cuttlefish we had ever tasted. I could forgive a seafood restaurant for using frozen stuff, if they at least make a decent effort with a little more charring on the hotplate, or perhaps a good rock salt for flavoring, or perhaps drizzling a quality olive oil for the finish. Unfortunately neither the quality of ingredient nor the effort was observed here.
At this point there were also two musicians who walked in playing their traditional ballads and actively pestered the clientele for money. Annoying, but not quite as inexcusable as the final dish.
This piece of Ventresca, or tuna belly, won the dubious distinction as the worst dish of our 16-day trip.
While this wasn’t my first time to be surprised with a whole mouthful of uncleaned fish scales in a restaurant, it typically happens with a whole steamed or baked fish with skin intact. But a mouthful of scales from a fillet of tuna belly, from a seafood specialty restaurant? On top of the fact that the doneness of the fillet as well as the seasoning were uneven, the scales really put the exclamation mark on a meal that went wrong in a multitude of ways.
Bill for Two Persons
| Croquetas Calamares en su Tinta x 2 | 3.9 Euros |
| Sepia a la Plancha | 9.95 Euros |
| Navajas a la Plancha | 12.95 Euros |
| Ventresca a la Plancha | 16.95 Euros |
| Cava x 2 | 7 Euros |
| TOTAL | 50.5 Euros (CAD$75.8) |
That’s enough of lunches and dinners. For breakfast we generally relied on supermarket supplies of Jamon Iberico and bread for our own homemade bocadillos, though we did come across a recommendable place for fresh handmade Churros. Not very Catalan I know, but addictive nonetheless.
CHURRERIA LAIETANA (Barcelona)
Location Map
For more than a half century, this tiny mom-and-pop Churreria has been an institution on Via Laietana, literally around the corner from Barcelona’s world-famous concert hall and walkable from either Urquinaona or Jaume I metro stations. As our apartment happened to be a 3-minute walk away, this became a convenient take-out joint for us.
This was where I first learned the phrase “chocolate con churros para llevar!” For 3.6 Euros this was one of life’s little pleasures, light, crunchy and a perfect marriage with the sweet chocolate dip. I don’t even need the extra spray of sugar, but I’ll leave the debate to the connoisseurs.
Bill for Two Persons
| Xocolata amb Xurros | 3.6 Euros |
| TOTAL | 3.6 Euros (CAD$5.4) |
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