Category: Travel Recommendations

Rice.  You came for arroz.  At least, you want to have excellent paella while in Barcelona, and not from one of the tourist traps serving overcooked-to-mush shrimp rolling around in glow-in-the-dark irradiated yellow rice.  You came to the right place.

Located perfectly, almost as if the traditional fisherman’s neighborhood of Barceloneta were a spear jutting into the sea, if you ask nicely you can score a table looking out onto Playa de Sant Sebastiá.  Bring a scarf so that you can leave the windows open; the briny sea breeze is the perfect seasoning for the rice.

But don’t rush to the rice too quickly!  The chef creates magnificent symphonies of mussel concoctions based on whatever is fresh that day.  On our day, my companion and I were simply blown away by a Szechuan pepper and lemongrass broth that was perfectly balanced, and not too spicy for my spice-shy dining partner.

As regards the service, I believe this little vignette will tell you all you need to know about Barraca’s standards and care for excellence:  on our first visit, we ordered a bottle of wine.  Normally I find the rote present label-open-present cork-taste-approve traditional wine service song and dance to be a gratuitously formalistic bore.  But, as any wine nerd can tell you, every now and then a cork goes bad or bottle gets mishandled, turning the otherwise good wine inside into something from a dare reality television show.  My poor Catalan companion was horrified when I sent the wine back.  She, and the waitress, both were noticeably nervous that I had somehow executed a breach of etiquette, the punishment for which was likely to be grave.  The owner, however, came to the table, nonchalantly poured a taste into his glass, and took 1.5 seconds to nod and declare the bottle a dud, removed it from the check and issued us a new wine.  No fuss at all.

So, for the location, the service, and the food, make this an afternoon stop for classic seafood rice (paella, that is) in the sun.

Barraca, Passeig Marítim Barceloneta, 1, 08003 Barcelona, Spain 

If you’ve never dined in a classic-style Spanish or Catalan restaurant, here is your opportunity to do it right.  From the moment you enter, the vaulted ceilings, stately décor, and impeccable service are on display.  Austere luxury, served up as only the Catalan’s can.  The white table-cloth, white glove service is simply perfect.  But, as with other entries in this blog, you came here for one specific thing:  sea urchin, or eriçó de mar.  I cannot honestly say that I’ve ever had sea urchin like this:  served in the hollowed out spiny shells of the creatures, the preparation is the thickest, richest, almost gravy-like, umami-packed preparation I’ve ever spooned into my mouth.  The effect of the deep richness is that you’ll feel like you just ate steak covered with melted gelato, or some other insanely indulgent concoction.

This is an amazing little date-night spot, even if Sarria is a bit of a hike from the city center.  If you’re lucky, your date will confuse the sea urchin-induced swoon in their belly for one in their heart.

St. Rémy, Carrer d’Iradier, 12, 08017 Barcelona, Spain   

There’s a hilarious pun afoot in this convivial and wonderfully designed little drinking establishment in the Barrio Gótico.  I’m not going to unravel it here for you, though.  Just feast your eyes on the stiletto-heeled décor, Barbie doll chandeliers, and numerous homages to pop culture’s most gorgeous femme fatales adorning the walls.  But, wait!  What’s with all the portraits of nuns?

The locals are friendly, the bartenders hilarious and efficient, the music on point, and the space gorgeous.  What more could you ask for?!

Sor Rita Bar, Carrer de la Mercé, 27, 08002 Barcelona, Spain

Welcome to the amusement park of Catalan gastronomy!  One of the coolest places in all of Barcelona.  For such a large space, it’s not the easiest place in the world to find.  Built inside of a restored factory, it has all the gorgeous iron work and design details one imagines in the Barcelona of your memories and dreams.  Inside there are four distinct restaurants and four distinct specialty bars, all under the same roof:  Beer Bar; Wine Bar; Oyster Bar; Cocktail Bar; La Braseria (specializing in steak); La Llotja (fresh fish cooked your way); La Taperia (tapas); La Paradeta (deli and baked goods).  All of the bars serve exquisite renditions of traditional Catalan cold tapas.  Think the most gorgeous, upscale, high design food court that your brain can conceive of, crank it up two notches, and then you’re close.

The first couple of times that I went was with a Barcelona native who had been hearing the rumors and was dying to try it.  It was like getting a grand tour of Catalonian gastronomy – from the Costa Brava to Girona, Priorat down to Valencia, all under one roof.  Our first stop was at the beer and tapes (that’s “tapas” in Catalan, friend) counter, the first little island in the middle of the place.  My companion took the excellent and chatty bartender, Colombian by birth (friendly Colombians:  there’s a theme here), on a tour of his own wares, netting us fresh tins of anchovies L’Escala; a version of your grandpa’s favorite delicacy unparalleled by any other coast.  So much yum!

Honestly, I could swoon here for paragraphs.  But I’ll spare you.  Just do yourself a favor and go, and go hungry.  Everything is on point:  from the wine selections to the fish preparations, the balanced cocktails to the perfectly shucked oysters – just do it.

El Nacional BCN, Passéig de Gracia 24 bis (down an alley between Carrer de la Diputació and Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes), Barcelona, Spain