Barcelona--What foods are they known for?

[GlendaleCruiser]

I've seen posters say that tapas and paella are not what Barcelona is known for so we probably won't get the best of it there.

 

If not those, then what are they known for? What is the "must try" in Barcelona?

[riffatsea]

You pose an interesting question that is a little hard to answer.

It is kind of like asking "what is California known for?"

I will tell you that 2 Catalan dishes that are "typical" would be pa amb tomaquet--bread with tomato. The really traditional kind gives you some fresh crunchy bread that you rub with a clove of garlic and then also rub on some dripping fresh tomato! It is delicious but most restaurants just give you a version that is already put together and not as good.

We had this traditional one in Montiel, which is a nice restaurant right near the Picasso Museum.

When I was there I ate in a modern Catalan restaurant and a traditional one.

The traditional one had all sorts of fresh seafood and rice dishes similar to Paella but with more combinations of food like meat+ fish in the same dish. This was known as mar y muntaner(sea and mountain) The rice comes out a bit like risottos where the flavors are soaked up into it.

The modern Catalan restaurant had just received its first Michelin * and had all sorts of interesting dishes.

It is a wide ranging cuisine with fresh seafood being a big part of it.

I am getting hungry while I write to you!!

[catllar]

If you can find Boles de picolat you will be into traditional food. They are meatballs made traditionally with a mix of 3 meats cooked in a tomato-y, spicey sauce with olives. There is also Ollada in the winter. This is an acquired taste - it is a type of stew made from parts of pig, salted, white beans, carrots and the piece de resistance is the addition of "sagi" which is rancid pork fat - sounds gross and in overdose it is! Cargolade is a dish of small snails - grilled over wood and then each tiny snail is basted with melted fat and garlic. Boutifarre sausage, often served with mongetes - white beans. You might find brasoucade - mussels grilled over wood and then basted with spicy oil and garlic till they are black and charred - very delicious. Bacalla is salted cod that can be prepared many ways - hot, cold in salad, puree'd with oil. Lots of simple salads - mediterranean vegetables. Deserts - crema catalan - a creme brule flavoured with aniseed. meli mato - fresh cheese with honey. All this alongside the traditionally understood spanish food, mediterranean fish, fruits and, sadly not too many veges. Hope this helps!

[GlendaleCruiser]

This helps a lot. Thanks!

I'll make notes of these for when we go --we'll look for them.

[Ainhoa]

Real, local Catalan cooking (which may not be easy to find in Barcelona) often mixes two ingredients that you wouldn't normally expect to go together. As well as mar i muntanya which is a chicken and lobster (or shrimp/prawn) ragout, you can find oca amb naps (goose and turnip ragout), anec amb peres (duck and pear ragout). They are cooked in an earthenware pot and look brown and rather unappetising. Don't be misled, they taste delicious. Fideus, again cooked in an earthenware pot is a Catalan version of pasta, short thin noodles cooked in a rich fish sauce. Suquet is a famous Catalan fish stew usually made with rascasse (scorpion fish) when in season. My favourite starter is Escalivada which is a simple dish of grilled vegetables, usually red pepper, aubergine and onion. Sound boring but isn't. The ubiquitous pudding is of course, Crema Catalana which is a kind of creme brulee using custard rather than cream.

 

If you find on your table before you start eating, some garlic, a tomato and some toasted bread, they are there for you to make your own pa i tomaquet. Cut the garlic and rub the cut end over the toast. Cut the tomato in half and again rub the cut end over the toast until all the pulp has gone. Sprinkle with salt and olive oil. Eat.

 

Catalan dishes are different from those found all over the rest of Spain, so it's worth trying them when you find them.

[SwissDave]

Also, to get the best food try to avoid the places on the main streets, they are not bad (well not all of them) but you can better for less away from the tourist spots.

 

I go to Barcelona quite often and am usually taken out for dinner by my office there but I can never remember the names of the places. I will ask my colleagues there to send me some details and post them.

[bobalink]

After visiting Montserrat, on our way back into Barcelona, we ate lunch at a wonderful Catalonian restaurant. I don't know the name of the dish, but it was described as, "Green Beans with Sausage". When the waiter brought it, it was actually Lima beans with sausage. Just a little mix up on the translation. Anyway, it was delicious.

 

For dessert, we had a traditional dish, Crema Catalana - very similar to creme brulee. It was heavenly!

 

Our amazing tour guide, Saskia, from Spanish Trails Adventure, taught us how to use the Porron - a traditional glass wine pitcher. I was not brave enough to learn to use it filled with red wine, so we practiced with water. Picture attached.

 

Enjoy your visit to Barcelona!

[catllar]

Did you manage to swallow at the same time, Bobolink? I remember when I finally acquired that trick - got me lots of brownie points with our friends - a "gavatx" who could drink from a porro!

 

Ainhoa, I just love escalivada too. It's hard to believe something so simple can be so good. Here it can be served with the addition of anchovies - just soooooo tasty!

[wcook]

There's a fun article in "Afar" magazine this month on some chefs in Barcelona promoting native-to-Barcelona seafood. Lots of creepy-looking shrimp if you ask me. But if nothing else, the pictures are spectacular.

 

One point made in the article is that Barcelona is known for serving crap paella to unsuspecting tourists.

[TLCOhio]

It is BOTH the food and setting to be loved in Barcelona. Where you eat can be as important as what you eat. People dine late in this charming town and the right setting adds to the fun and experience. We loved the paella and sangria wine as we sat outside about 11 pm along the waterside overlooking the harbor area in Barcelona. Below are a couple of visual highlights for a town that is so wonderful. Aiming to be back there June 6-7 to start a Med cruise from this port location.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For lots of interesting details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. Don’t be shy and feel free to ask any questions of interest. This posting is now over 26,550 views. Appreciate those who have “tuned in”.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

In Barcelona, here is the view of this harbor area, up the Rambala, the Christopher Columbus statue, etc. Lots of excitement and action in this town.:

 

 

 

The Rambala in Barcelona has so much to see and enjoy. Lots of entertainers, shopping options, people-watching, etc. This is a “JOY” point for this great and historic city.:

 

[caripoo]

We had GREAT paella, tapas and sangria in Barcelona!!! Fresh fish also good!!:p:p

[chipmaster]

All I know is the Paella I had in Barcelona has yet to be matched by what I've had in the US.

 

I would say the same about Cantonese food in China from provinces that aren't known for Cantonese food. Assuming you enjoy more authentic versus Americanized the foods of a country will always be more authentic as its what they survive and compete on, in the US its a different set of competition and standards.

 

I've seen posters say that tapas and paella are not what Barcelona is known for so we probably won't get the best of it there.

 

If not those, then what are they known for? What is the "must try" in Barcelona?

[GlendaleCruiser]

Thanks all for your input. Sounds like it's going to be fun to find out!

[Roadtripster]

Uh Oh. I have a feeling I am going to be starving the whole time I am there.

 

I am a very picky eater. Nothing mentioned above will I even touch with a ten foot pole.

 

Where might the nearest Mickey D's be???? LOL

[GlendaleCruiser]

Uh Oh. I have a feeling I am going to be starving the whole time I am there.

 

I am a very picky eater. Nothing mentioned above will I even touch with a ten foot pole.

 

Where might the nearest Mickey D's be???? LOL

 

 

There is one there along with a Hard Rock Cafe and a Starbucks.

[H2Otstr]

Uh Oh. I have a feeling I am going to be starving the whole time I am there.

 

I am a very picky eater. Nothing mentioned above will I even touch with a ten foot pole.

 

Where might the nearest Mickey D's be???? LOL

 

I kind of felt the same way. We had a great pizza and pitcher of sangria on Las Ramblas. Had some tapas that was good, too. Cheese and tomatoes, or ham and cheese sandwich, or salad. You will find something without resorting to eat at McDonald's.

[Roadtripster]

Thanks for that info. I was really starting to worry. I am going to be there for a week, so we shall see what I can come up with. Plan on packing some food that will travel well.

 

I eat very little different types of food. Don't do seafood, pasta, most salads (away from home), wine, etc... Not much left. LOL

[cruisemom42]

This discussion is REALLY making me want to get back to Barcelona! Love the cuisine there....

[catllar]

Thanks for that info. I was really starting to worry. I am going to be there for a week, so we shall see what I can come up with. Plan on packing some food that will travel well.

 

I eat very little different types of food. Don't do seafood, pasta, most salads (away from home), wine, etc... Not much left. LOL

 

What is wrong with a salad away from home? Lettuce is lettuce, tomato is tomato There is plenty you can eat without resorting to McYuk. You maay have to spend a bit more time menu reading, but you can get good plain grilled food.

[browneyes7]

Uh Oh. I have a feeling I am going to be starving the whole time I am there.

 

I am a very picky eater. Nothing mentioned above will I even touch with a ten foot pole.

 

Where might the nearest Mickey D's be???? LOL

 

There is a McDonalds and a Burger King near the Placa de Cataluyna at the end of Las Ramblas! :))

[jocap]

There is a McDonalds and a Burger King near the Placa de Cataluyna at the end of Las Ramblas! :))

Handy for a clean loo....just buy a coffee, and you're in!!!

Jo.

[bonnieg]

I've seen posters say that tapas and paella are not what Barcelona is known for so we probably won't get the best of it there.

 

If not those, then what are they known for? What is the "must try" in Barcelona?

 

There are many great tapas restaurants in Barcelona. Our favorite meal was at Cal Pep http://www.calpep.com/ Sit at the bar and order away! Whenever in Spain, I can't get enough of the Iberico ham. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jam%C3%B3n_ib%C3%A9rico

The higher quality, the better. In Barcelona, it is served with bread rubbed with tomato.

BTW, I never knew that Barcelona was not noted for their tapas. You wouldn't know it from seeing all the tapas bars. There's also a few good ones in the La Boqueria market on Las Ramblas

[Desert Cruizers]

My DH & I will be taking our first TA from Barcelona and I worry a little about the food, not so much for myself, but DH. He is use to meat and potato so not sure how he will take to non American food. I wouldn't know what to order if we were to go out, can anyone recommend something that isn't to spicey.

[Shak]

My DH & I will be taking our first TA from Barcelona and I worry a little about the food, not so much for myself, but DH. He is use to meat and potato so not sure how he will take to non American food. I wouldn't know what to order if we were to go out, can anyone recommend something that isn't to spicey.

 

Gay I believe you are confusing Spanish with Mexican cuisine. It has been a while since I was in Spain but as I remember the food is more European/Mediterranean. I still remember eating a delicious veal meal with a glass of wine at an outdoor restaurant. I am sure your DH will be able to find something he will love.

 

Shak

[Desert Cruizers]

Hi Shak, actually I wasn't comparing the food in Spain to Mexico as I knew it would be differant, but having not been to Europe and Spain in particular, was interested in its preparation and seasoning. Again this isn't so much for myself but for John. I am all for trying differant foods.:).

 

Gay