India Trekker: Food, Barcelona style

Food, food, glorious food. Oh, and great wine too. One eats very well in Spain. Delicious fresh seafood, paella, and of course, 'tapas'. Everywhere one goes you are offered these small portions of gastronomic delights. Actually tapa means 'lid' but in food speak it's 'snack', then there are pintxo (food on a stick) and montadito (food on bread). One cannot and should not live on these delicious snacks alone. I always tried to fit in a daily salad of crunchy vegetables. Not really hard to do. But, on to tapas...

The staple of tapas (just like fries are in North America): Patatas Bravas (Fried potatoes with the spicy brava sauce) Patatas con all-i-oli ( Potatoes with garlic mayonnaise)

Below, offered at restaurant Ciudad Condal, Barcelona (click on link for their web site)

Montadito: Langostinos (Prawns/Shrimp)

Montadito: Cangrejo (Crab)

Montadito: Camembert crujiente (Crunchy camembert )

These were amazing. The cheese was baked, rolled in chopped almonds, set upon a bread slice and drizzled with a tart raspberry sauce. Yum.

Tapas: Boquerones (White anchovies)

Tapas: Ensaladilla rusa (Russian potato salad)
This was everywhere. Almost or more common then Patatas Bravas. It usually had tuna on it. A popular lunch item. I could take it or leave it.

Tapas: Pimientos de Padron (Padron peppers)

Tapas: Buñuelos de bacalao (Cod fritters)

I hate cod, particularly salt cod. There is nothing redeeming about cod and nothing you can do to it to make it taste good.

The best tapas ever at La Vinateria del Call, Barcelona

Escalivada (Smoky grilled red peppers, aubergines and onions).

Fuet Chorizo picante and

Jamón ibérico de bellota de Guijuelo

The Iberico ham was the best I had ever tasted!! Highly recommend this place.

Another day, another kind of meal. I stopped into a restaurant called Lluis de les moles, Barcelona and had a great three course lunch with a jug of house wine.

Sautéed thyme green beans with spring baby garlic & iberic ham,

Grilled fillet rabbit with romesco sauce & mousseline potatoes

Apple tarte and vanilla ice cream.

Another lunch - wine and squid.

This was really good. 6 parts beer and 4 parts lemon. Refreshing.

Wine time! If this is not your thing, don't bother to read any more.

Spain is not cheap. You get what you pay for by way of food, accommodation, entertainment, etc. but..... good wine is a bargain. Beer is inexpensive too. A glass of wine in restaurant on average 2 Euros and beer 1 Euro. Bottles of wine in a corner, grocery or wine store are from 2 Euros to 8 for nice wine. You can pay a lot more too if you want - particularly in the special wine stores. Here's a few I liked: