Barcelona Blog

Too many posts about Barcelona. Way too many. A torrent, almost. But then I did and I do and I will always have a lot to say about this wonderful city. Barcelona stirred me hard. And it was rock n roll all the Rambla way

Tapas Tapas Tapas

Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez

Point and Ye Shall Eat

I am searching, in the rain

Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?

Food Porn

Market of Sensory Overload

The Building is running away ! Call the Police

Catalan Christmas

Feliz Navidad

Fountain For Footballers

This is not Japan

Best Tapas Bars in Barcelona

Tapas Tapas Tapas





Some of these I researched - asking friends, scouring Chowhound.com and countless other websites, and googling bloggers. Some I merely chanced upon, lead by my nose, with a long queue outside always being a positive sign. I didn't make it to all of them - hey I only had 4 days. Anyway here's my very personal and highly unscientific list of the best Tapas joints in Barcelona.



Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Vinoteka Torres, Barcelona

My last meal in Barcelona
La Vinoteka Torres, a stylish Wine and Tapas bar from the winemaker Torres.
Matching Torres wines with the cooking of Manuel Jiminez.




First, a tasting of Torres' olive oil with a delicious warm bread
and a glass of Jerez' finest: Tio Pepe sherry, served slightly chilled



Seitos Marinades: Meaty anchovies in oil, with a few specks of parsley
Vino: Torres Fransola

Gentlemen prefer Black.

Arroz Negre, cooked with squid ink and garnished with squid strips and a sprig of parsley

Vino: Torres Gran Coronas

Sign off: a glass of Torres 5 year old brandy and a Cafe Solo

A polished, perfectly proportioned and beautifully served finale to my Barcelona fiesta.

La Vinoteka Torres, Passeig de Gracia 78, Barcelona. Ph: 902 520 522 / 932 726 625

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Ciutat Comtal, Barcelona

My first meal in Barcelona
Landed at Barcelona Airport: 11:35 am
Arrived at Hotel Catalunya on La Ramblas: 1 pm
Took up prime position at the bar counter at Ciutat Comtal: 1:15 pm
Why waste time settling in when there's good Tapas waiting ?

Started with a trio of Pinchos: Piquilo Pepper stuffed with Tuna,
Jamon Iberico Croqueta,
Anchovies, Eggplant and Roast Pepper on Pan Con Tomate

Fried eggs with Artichokes: I watched the guy next to me take a piece of bread and use it to press the fried eggs and let the soft yolk ooze into the crispy artichokes. He made a bit of an artichoke-egg mush and mopped it all up with the bread. I did the same.


In Spanish Tapas bars, if you don't speak Spanish, have no fear. Point and Ye Shall Eat.

I pointed at the shrimps, and they arrived barbecued on a skewer with cherry tomatoes, served on a piece of Pan Con Tomate. Gambas on a stick.

I casually nodded at the squid, and they came tossed with garlic, served on a tiny portion of seafood paella.

A fiery Catalan beauty took up the bar stool next to mine. I pointed at her. The waiter gave me a tissue.





Ciutat Comtal ( Cuidad Contal) Rambla de Catalunya, 18, Barcelona, Spain Ph: 93.318.19.97

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

La Bodegueta, Barcelona

Worth The Search , even on a Rainy Day

"Best hole-in-the-wall Tapas Bar in Barcelona": this is how experts I rely on had described this place, so of course it was on my must-try list. But I just couldn't find it. I missed it on Day 1, missed it again on Day 2. Finally on Day 3, after a determined trudge through heavy rain, lots of walking back and forth, unfurling of my tattered map and pointing and waving of my iPhone GPS to the utter bemusement of Barcelononians - I FOUND IT.

It was right on a main street corner by the way.

Taking off my drenched overcoat and cap, I waited, Vino in hand, and watched the crowds.

Small bar, though hardly a hole-in-the wall. Brickwork bar with wooden beams, sherry casks lining the walls, Estrella Damn on tap. Constant stream of customers and Catalan chatter.

Old people, young people, office-goers, students. Great atmosphere.

Got a table by the door after ten minutes.

Pimenton Padron: small green peppers, roasted with salt flakes and slivers of garlic. A glass of fresh Estrella. Cold and Rain outside, warm and cosy inside.

Followed by my best Patatas Bravas in Barcelona. Cubes of fried potato, crisp outside with golden brown edges, and soft and mushy inside, smothered in a piquant, sweet and spicy red chili mayo- sauce. I wanted to burst into song.

And some wonderful Tuna preserved in vinegar, with a glass of Vino Rossado. Made a mental note to take back lots of tinned seafood from Spain.

All in all a simple but excellent meal. Every dish a delight, made even tastier by the long frustrating search and the great atmosphere when I finally found it.


La Bodegueta, Rambla de Catalunya 100, Barcelona. Ph: 932 154 894



Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Tapas 24, Barcelona

Tapas Experimental

Traditional Tapas with a creative twist and fine ingredients. Offshoot of the famous Commerc 24 by Michelin starred chef Carles Abellan, disciple of Feran Adria. Trendy feel, creative 'kitsch' decor, hip but cosy. Definitely a vibe that there's something going on here, but also a bit of the "look at me, I'm so smart" primping.




The Patatas Bravas here were served as french fries instead of the usual wedges or cubes, smothered in a delicously spicy red chili-tomato-aioli

The Tapas 24 'Bikini' : a fancy grilled ham n cheese sandwich. Jamon Iberico, molten mozzarella and Truffles, sandwiched into a tostada . Of course it tasted gooood. Crispy and creamy



The menu came printed on a paper bag which was also the storage for the cutlery. One of those oh-so-fashionable quirks I guess. I bet every tourist takes one of these home, just like I did.

I believe they are also open for breakfast from 8 am when the chef will cook the eggs any way you like it and then add his own eggy twist. Definitely worth a try.

Tapac 24 C/Diputacio 269, Barcelona, Ph: 934 880 977

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Breakfast in Boqueria

Melt-in-the-mouth Baby Octopus, swirls of olive oil coloured with a pinch of saffron, and a dusting of pimenton. EXXXTACY



This with a glass of beer and a hunk of crusty bread, at 8 am. A breakfast to end all breakfasts. An almost pornographic start to the day.

At Bar Central, Boqueria, Barcelona

Top of my breakfast bar list, and, as I discovered, top of many other people's lists : Bar Pinotoxo, on the right as soon as you enter the market. You get there by 7.30 am, otherwise forget about finding a seat.




I start with a Pan Con Tomate, possibly, no definitely, the best bread in the world. Grilled bread rubbed - while still warm - with the cut end of a juicy tomato and a little bit of garlic. And Pincho Tortilla: a small wedge of fluffy potato omelette - the definitive fast food in Madrid and Barcelona.

A few tortillas and some chorizo and lentils later: a hearty

"rabbit's tummy" stew. Rich and warm. Satisfaction Guaranteed.



Then I turn my attention to the fresh seafood that starts arriving from the market

And let the expert prepare it the way he likes it

And it goes on and on. Difficult to stop really. Almost impossible to tear yourself away from the stool on which you've been perched since early morning. But tear away you must. You do need to keep some space for lunch.

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Boqueria, Barcelona

Market of Sensory Overload

Mercat De Boqueria, the biggest, the most varied, the most interesting food market I have seen anywhere in the world. And of course nowhere - Tokyo's Tsukiji, Rome's Testaccio and London's Smithfield included - do you get such an incredible breakfast right in the middle of the market.

Sarah Palin may have put lipstick on a pig, but here they go further




















Some of those wildly luscious Serrano hams are now in my chiller




















The possibilities





















Who sang " strawberry fields forever"




















And then the breakfasts. That of course is another story


Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Gaudi in Barcelona

The building is running away ! Call the Police

I would really like to have some of whatever Gaudi was on, when he designed these buildings.

Somehow, looking at those tangled, jangled curves and those impossible windows and the anything-but-linear thinking behind every angled facade, every kaleidoscopic tile, I felt right at home. And I felt that I could do anything, anything. Funny ? Maybe, but that's what I felt

My favourite: Casa Battlo, also known as " Skull and Bones"

First glimpse of Casa Battlo at night. I knew I had to go back there the next morning

The window of a Barcelonian

So you think you can tell, heaven from hell ...

I wasn't drunk. Inspired by Gaudi, I took these shots from behind a kaleidoscopic glass tile.

I somehow think the effect is appropriate





That crazy terrace

Look at this and tell me if you don't think this building has life

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

La Segrada Familia was a bit of a disappointment because of all the construction going on. This is the only part that was without cranes and scaffolds
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

La Pedrera

When I first saw La Pedrera, admittedly after a lot of Vino, I could swear it was moving. The building was running away ! I was ready to call the police.

But I did not have the police phone number. I did not even have a phone

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Catalan Christmas , Barcelona

Came out of Mass to find senior citizens doing the two-step in front of the cathedral, while a band jazzed it up under the sun. My first Catalan Christmas.





Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Christmas Lights, Barcelona

When they really lit up the city

On La Rambla

In front of Gaudi's Casa Battlo

Le Corte Ingles at the corner of Santa Ana

On Psg De Gracia



Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan