Author: Tony

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Quimet y Quimet

 

Apparently the tiny, no seats, Quimet y Quimet is in every tourist guide. This may be because it is something special, but I’m not 100% sold. That’s not to say the tapas they create from behind the miniscule bar is not good – some of it is even great – but because it’s in every tourist guide, the crowd is almost entirely tourists (including this boy, I guess), and the atmosphere can seem somewhat lacking. I had Chinese tourists drinking Coke and screwing up their noses at some of the food, and even an American couple who arrived wheeling suitcases in. My advice? Pop in for a bite and a drink or two, and head off for a proper meal elsewhere.

Poeta Cabanyes 25

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Bambarol Bar Restaurant

We’re not supposed to tell you about Bambarol – sworn to secrecy and all that. Very well executed Seasonal Catalan specialties, in a slightly off-the-beaten-track spot (over Diagonal, anyway). Just don’t tell everyone, okay?

C/ Santaló, 21

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Cometa

 

Salads, sandwiches, and of course wine, beer and coffee. A cut above your average sandwich joint, Cometa promises locally sourced slow food (and deliver service to match).

The sandwiches are good, however, and worth the wait.

Carrer del Parlament, 20

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Palo Cortao Restaurante y Bar

You’d think in the wilds of Poble Sec that you’d be a bit away from the tourist hoardes, but you’d be wrong. But at least this tiny restaurant and bar – I’d reckon it has seating for about 30 max – is never going to be on the group tour schedule. It won’t be on yours either, unless you book ahead. Do so – this place is a gem, if a discovered one. With excellent service and food can turn a pig’s ear into a…delicious dish. A new favourite, and another string in Poble Sec’s impressive bow.

C/ Nou de la Rambla, 146

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1881 per Sagardi

Okay. You’re in tourist central in Port Vell. But that doesn’t mean you need to suffer through a sub-par tourist meal. On the rooftop of the Museu d’Història de Catalunya,1881 per Sagardi rises above the tourist traps below, offering stunning views across the marina and superyachts (well, from the terrace out front, if not the dining room), and serving some of the best seafood dishes in town. You pay for the privilege (we spent around €50 a head with limited wine consumption), but in this instance you get what you pay for. We’re definitely going back.

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Bar Brutal/Can Cisa

 

Not a destination for masochists, necessarily. Some smartly prepared dishes with fresh produce, but the schtick here is the massive list of brutal (or natural) wines from across the globe. Unless you’re an anorak you’re probably not going to recognise any labels here – and you’ll be challenged by them too. A lack of sulphites means no next-morning headaches, but it may be a headache to find the right one for you. We went by the glass and tried a few – a safe choice, to be sure. If you’re a fan of natural wines, you may feel you’ve reached Nirvana, if not, you may wonder what the fuss is all about.

C/Barra de Ferro, 1 – enter through Can Cisa C/Princesa, 14

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Sucursal Aceitera

 

Another new addition to the burgeoning bar scene in Parlament (even if the address is Comte Borrell – it’s on the corner), Sucursal offers the expected tapas standards done well, alongside some more imaginative fare, and a focus on organic produce. With a good selection of wines by the glass and lovely big windows that are opened up on nice days it is one of Parlament’s better tapas bets.

Comte Borrell, 36

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Viblioteca

 

Please, please, please, do not go blabbing about this place – it’s hard enough to get a table already.

The name gives the game away – it’s a wine bar. But it is so much more than that. In a space not much bigger a double garage, Viblioteca seats about 30, and somehow from behind the bar the small team conjures up incredible sharing plates. There’s no stove in the ‘kitchen’, so no grilled or fried dishes, but it doesn’t matter – smoked sardines on toast with idizibal cheese, tuna tataki and avocado salad, a brilliant deconstructed caprese salad, confit potato with jamon and a poached egg are just some of the many highlights here.

The owner is an oenophile and will help you choose wines by the glass or bottle – she has loads that aren’t on the list. The prices are reasonable and there are around 50 different cheeses to choose from to finish. Absolute gold. Bookings essential.

Vallfogona, 12

932 844 202

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Tasqueta De Blai

 

In a street full of pinchos joints, La Tasqueta de Blai is always busy – surely a good sign. Fortunately the crowds ebb and flow, so even if there are no seats when you arrive the wait is usually not long, and worth it too. Select as few or as many pinchos from the bar as you fancy, save the toothpicks holding them together (at the moment they’re €1 for the short sticks and €1.80 for the fancy versions), and settle-up when you’re done. We can’t resist this place, and are inevitably back every week or two.

Carrer de Blai, 17

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Bodega 1900

 

Bodega1900_1_e

Sister to Tickets, just across the road, Bodega 1900 offers a more traditional take on tapas. It leans fairly heavily on the ingredients, and they stand up too. Service is excellent. It’s only a small room, so book ahead.

Bodega1900_6_e

Carrer de Tamarit, 91

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