08/04/2015

Barcelona – A Bright Beauty

WHERE TO EAT IN BARCELONA

When a city celebrates art, design and architecture as the centre of its culture, you can expect that this too extends to the food. And it does, in the innovative streak you find in Barcelona’s vibrant restaurant scene. But, just like the barrios that Barcelona is made up of, each with its own personality, you will also find a wide variety of cooking styles and flavours – from traditional fare to casual tapas and high end gastronomy.

Let’s start with the more traditional style options, beginning with breakfast. The classic Spanish breakfast of Huevos Estrallados (scrambled or more correctly ‘shattered’ eggs) is freshly cooked soft scrambled curds with fried potatoes draped in thinly sliced jamon and no place does it better than La Bodegueta, a sunken wine cellar and tapas bar on the corner of the Rambla de Catalunya. Follow it with little custard rolls and a café con leche and brekkie is done. This is unfussy food, prepared in a flash with the best of ingredients that you will crave again and again.

Their sister restaurant, La Bodegueta Provença is perfect for evening tapas before a stroll. Sautéed shrimp and leeks, fresh fried anchovies, patatas bravas with romesco and aioli, riserva iberica jamon and the ubiquitous pan con tomate are all there for the picking. 

For classic slow roasted meats including suckling pig, goat shoulder, leg of lamb and ribs, the rustic El Rincon doesn’t disappoint. It’s a meat lovers heaven as whole joints of meat rest in large trays fresh from the roasting oven, just waiting to be devoured in the most medieval style.

Every foodie must make a trip to the majestic La Boqueria market to be immersed in the colour and quality of the local produce that is the basis for such fine food in this city.

For a beach vibe, head to Agua for fried artichokes, Andalusian calamari and Fiduea, a Catalan paella style short pasta noodle dish, with prawns and clams. All washed down with a beer as you dine alfresco with a sea view…life is good.

Forget nuevo degustations for a while, and make room in your belly for a full on feast at El Passadís del Pep

No need to order – just let them bring you food until you can eat no more – sweet and juicy razor clams, grilled sea snails, tender calamari, salt-baked prawns, charred Catalan peppers, an inked cuttlefish arroz, milk fed roasted lamb shank and, if you have room for dessert, strawberry mille feuille and apple crema catalan….phew.

For late night Tapas, or anytime for that matter, sit at the bar and watch the chefs at work at Tapas 24.  It’s the place for the best ‘bikini’ sandwich in town … Buffalo mozzarella, Jamon and truffles…mmm. As well as Bomba to die for and crunchy Torreznos (deep fried crispy pork belly) with guacamole.

Loidi is a classy, nuevo-style bistro with an ultra-mod design that offers innovative twists with Spanish flavours. The seasonal set menu is both surprising and very good value, with the desserts – gold leaf pear and chocolate mousse ingot, and a cheese tart with red fruits and candied walnuts – being the stand-out.

For flashy cocktails and sophisticated food in a place that feels like the place to be, swan in to Restaurante Boca Grande.   Loved the deep, dark Paella Nero for two (excuse the shot, it was dark, and, well…I’d had a few cocktails by then!).

And when you have eaten your way around Barcelona and you are headed to the airport on an early morning flight, then Bar Velodromo, open almost 24 hours, has got you covered for that last minute hankering for huevos and churros…

Oh Barcelona…so much food….so little time….

Share On:

Melissa Matheson
Melissa Matheson
20:44 14 Sep 22
We organised a virtual cook-a-long for our team with Naomi which was absolutely fantastic. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed the session, Naomi is very engaging and has an absolute zest for inspiring others to find their finesse is the kitchen.
Cate Tibbertsma
Cate Tibbertsma
14:07 10 Sep 21
I enjoy Naomi's online cooking classes immensely. The classes are well-organised with all relevant information sent in advance so that the cook-along runs smoothly. Naomi is an engaging teacher and generously shares her knowledge and skill with the class; her recipes are easy to master and . many of them have become family favourites in my home.
Lisa Anderson
Lisa Anderson
02:23 06 Sep 21
I was fortunate enough to enjoy a few hours cooking with Naomi and some friends (virtually) last Sunday. What a delightful way to spend a few hours pulling together a delicious meal. Naomi made the whole experience so easy from booking, organising ingredients right through to putting the meal on the table. I loved hearing about her experiences of both the food we were cooking (Moroccan chicken) but also the places she had been. Oh and my family- being the beneficiary of a new take on Sunday night dinner were happy too. I would highly recommend this experience.
Sharon Thomson
Sharon Thomson
03:34 05 Sep 21
Naomi’s Cook-Along sessions are always fun and extremely informative. Ask Naomi anything about ingredients, food and wine and she will impart a world of wisdom. Not to mention the dish made in just an hour - so delicious and such a breeze online in the session. Thanks Naomi 😊
Carol Benson
Carol Benson
04:44 17 Aug 21
Naomi’s cooking classes are such fun plus they are improving my cooking skills. All the meals I have prepared with the classes are so flavoursome and have appealed to all the family (including a fussy teenager). All are on my ‘will make again’ list. I particularly like the extra little tips we get from Naomi – these tips are what helps a good cook become a great cook. Thanks Naomi
Jan Matheson
Jan Matheson
04:05 17 Aug 21
I've completed several of Naomi's Cookalong sessions and always learn new tips. The sessions are fun and we accomplish a delicious meal in 1 1/2 hours. Looking forward to more sessions.
Lorraine Aspinall
Lorraine Aspinall
09:13 13 Aug 21
“A good cook is like a sorceress who dispenses happiness.” Naomi brings joy to the art of cooking and sharing her wealth of knowledge and experience. Looking forward to joining more cook along sessions. Thank you Naomi!
Andrea Wood
Andrea Wood
00:04 12 Aug 21
Hats off to Naomi, she has absolutely mastered the presentation of her easy and delicious recipes in her classes on zoom.This was our first zoom class and we were really impressed. Naomi gave an immersive experience, enthusiastically sharing her knowledge and tips along the way and at the end of the class, we had a finished impressive meal, ready to sit down and enjoy.Naomi’s classes are a fab way to prepare your evening meal in a social environment and all while increasing your confidence and prowess in the kitchen. Now that’s an absolute win in our book.Thank you Naomi. You’ll be seeing us again in your Zoom kitchen. :)
River P
River P
11:45 27 Oct 20
Who would have thought Thursday nights would become a highlight of the week! These cooking classes are great fun and set an easy pace. You start at 6pm, relax with a wine with a great group while things bubble away, and you'll have a fab dinner on the table by 7pm - and it really will look amazing as Naomi also shows how to present things beautifully. I thought I'd have to do a lot of prep before the classes as I'm a slow cook, but it's not the case. You really do cook along easily in the hour and can ask for tips and questions all along the way. I've loved learning everything from restaurant style duck to Persian rice pilaf. I also highly recommend the leisurely Sunday slow cooks - you'll have a beautiful Sunday lunch and pro tips for leftovers. Think slow roast Greek lamb, then souvlaki with the leftovers and you know you'll be happy!
Luke Todd
Luke Todd
02:28 26 Oct 20
Naomi's online cooking classes are so fun and the food is delicious. Can't recommend highly enough. Book yourself in for a class, you'll be glad you did!
Sharon Tein
Sharon Tein
02:51 11 Sep 20
Great fun classes full of tasty food and all within an hour! Try it. You won’t be disappointed.
Loredana De Simone-Rybka
Loredana De Simone-Rybka
08:53 20 Jul 20
Highly recommend doing Naomi’s online cook along, it was such a great experience. Loved learning new recipes and learning new cooking tips along the way. Enjoyed making a few meals together with a great group of people and the food was absolutely delicious. Look forward to doing more classes. Thank you for creating this wonderful experience bringing foodies together sharing knowledge in cooking good simple, wholesome and delicious food. It was so much fun.
Aliki Zouliou
Aliki Zouliou
10:13 26 Jun 20
Cooking can sometimes be a chore for me but Naomi's cook-along classes have been so much fun! With her guidance I was able to whip up delightful meals that I normally wouldn’t have attempted, ready right in time for dinner – AND enjoyed by all the family!I found it was easy to multi-task when listening to voice instructions during the classes and being able to glance over at the screen at any time allowed me to visually check that I was on track. It was also reassuring having Naomi there ‘live’ in my kitchen to answer any questions along the way.Looking forward to the next Thursday night cook-along!!!
Patricia Colaci
Patricia Colaci
08:35 26 Jun 20
Thanks Naomi for another great, fun Cook-Along session last night. We always look forward to our Thursday night Foodcentric Cook-Alongs. The Moroccan Lamb Tagine was absolutely scrumptious and even had leftovers for today 😋 Looking forward to next week session - Surprise Mozzarella Meatballs & Brie & Garlic Bread. 😊
Julie Hughes
Julie Hughes
00:00 24 Jun 20
Best $20 ever invested in myself. This was my first on line zoom class, I was not sure what to expect. I found myself completely immersed in the experience. Fantastic collegiate experience, lovely to meet others over zoom and such fun!. Really helpful to be cooking with an expert. I learnt simple ways of tweaking dishes, so helpful! The class was structured and very easy to follow and to be honest it made cooking this family meal effortless. I was sad when the hour was up but very proud of what I created. I am a convert now! Naomi was very generous and thoughtful in the way she provided a shopping list before hand and the menu. Perfect for people who love to cook, want to learn more skills. For those who can't get out this online format provides some great social engagement and something to look forward to. Just do it!
Ursula Czubala
Ursula Czubala
23:36 23 Jun 20
Cooking classes with Naomi are fun, relaxed and educational! My favourite part of these classes, is I'm cooking from my own kitchen (don't go anywhere!), and I get to eat dinner with my family straight after the 1 hour session is done at 7pm. They're affordable and something to look forward to each week. Thanks Naomi!
More reviews
js_loader

Foodcentric proudly supports FoodShare

Recipe Only Search

Recent Posts

You may also like

  • Travelogue ·

My Bali Belly…

It’s no secret that I never had any desire to travel to Bali. When I was growing up, Bali was the place for partying young Aussies to have a cheap beach and beer holiday in the sun. It held no…
  • Food Blog ·

Summer Feasts

Oh how I love these lazy days of Summer when we can take advantage of the sunshine to gather and share happy times together. Summer feasting is such a relaxed way to share your table. Here I am putting the final…
  • Food Blog ·

Practice What You Teach

I think I have always been a teacher at heart. As a littlie, my dollies would be my pupils, and as a tween, I was the one that would gather my young cousins at family get togethers, and sit them…

SHOPPING BAG 0