Food in Barcelona

‘Twas good to be back in Barca; I was ready for some good Catalonian food.

Anyway, the first night, we took the hosteliers advice and went to Hugo, a Chilean restaurant that specialized (oddly enough) in Catalonian specialties. I got pork sausage and white beans, and Sean got the sirloin. Spanish food continued its streak of being tasty, but heavily underseasoned. I had to reapply salt 3 times before I could taste any of it. Was quite tasty after that =) Dessert was Crèma Catalonia, a (very large) crème brulee.

Day two, we grabbed some Durum kebab (basically a gyro wrap) between the train station (where we split a muffin) and Sagrada Familia. Quite tasty, but not up to my high durum standards.

For dinner we decided to satisfy some bad vitamin deficiencies. Spanish and Portuguese food are kinda chintzy with the vegetables (you pretty much get a large hunk of protein and some form of potatoes), so Sean and I went to Vegetalia, a vegetarian café in the old city I found last time I was in Barcelona. We split an order of hummus (om nom nom), and I got the mushroom, asparagus, and quinoa risotto, with a brownie for dessert.

Day 3, we went for Italian pretty much around the corner from my old residence in the Carrer de Ribes neighborhood. I got tortellini carbonara, which was tasty, and we apparently impressed the waiter, as we both got a free glass of cava. Dinner that night was a bit different. We tried to find a tapas place that I remembered, but it was closed (Sundays in Spain; plan meals around them!), so we ended up at a place called Mosquito, which specialized in “tapas exoticas.” What does that mean? Dim sum! We got some fried duck, grilled beef, and 3 kinds of dumplings, as well as two red bean paste dumplings for dessert. I also got a schooling from one of the waitresses for ordering my aperitif AFTER my meal (I thought it was a digestif! I’m sorry!). She mimed how it ‘opens up the stomach’ by miming the alien exploding out of her chest.

The next day, we tried to go to my favorite restaurant in Barca (Café de l’Academia), but it was closed for Spain’s equivalent of Memorial Day. ‘Twas quite sad, but couldn’t be helped (closed on the weekend, so it’s not like we could have gone any other time while we were there). So, instead, we went to Tapas Lonje, around the corner, where we split some prawns stewed with mushrooms, skewered chicken, jamon croquettes, and grilled sausage. The prawns were my personal favorite there.

Dinner that night was simple. I was a bit tired of eating out, so, while Sean ran to a Donor Kebab place, I just got some bread, meat, and cheese at the convenience store and made a sammich. Quick, simple, and cheap.

Our last meal in Barcelona was…amusing. I’ve sworn off American chains while I’m over here, as has Sean, as this photo of him chowing down on a Big Macadillo proves. I can’t judge really, though. I ran to a pastry shop across the station and got the largest chocolate filled pastry I’ve ever seen. Seriously. I’ve seen baguettes smaller than this! ‘Twas quite tasty, though!

And now, on to Provence!