Food in Barcelona

Needless to say, Barcelona, like all of the great cities of Europe, is a great city for food and for the enjoyment of food. Often the settings for eating are as amazing as the food itself. Such was the case of the Hostel restaurant on Montserrat -- the great historic Benedictine abbey just north of Barcelona. Though not properly in the city itself, it helps to illustrate the variety of settings for eating in this remarkable city and its environs. The Abat Cisneros hostel (http://www.frommers.com/destinations/montserratspain/H36329.htmlmontserratspain/H36329.html, has a restaurant that is partly carved out of the rock of the mountain, and is completed by vaulted ceilings and interesting wall paintings. The paella de marisco -- a dish whose origins are largely traced to Valencia -- was delicious and more than generous in quantity.

Food in Barcelona is available 24/7/365, as there are always food stands, restaurants, fast food shops, and vendors to be found. One place of note that we found on our first night in Barcelona was La Gravina, a beautifully situated restaurant in the Barcelonetta section of Barcelona. Located in the building that houses the Museu d'Historia de Catalunya (an extension of the larger museum on Mont Juic) in the Palau de Mar on the harbor, La Gravina is bright, airy, festive, without being heavy-handed about it. The food was plentiful, and the salad alone was huge beyond all reasoning. If anything, I realized that the locals must have substantial appetites, since all the dishes were easily made for two people. I had a type of whitefish local to the area, and it was remarkably prepared.

But of all the things to see or do in Barcelona having to do with food, a visitor has to go to the Mercat St. Josep -- La Boqueria. This is their version of a Farmer's Market, only just off La Rambla. This is a mecca for foodies, gastonomes, and food voyeurs alike. The rows and rows of counters and tables and samples of food were amazing in their colors and richness of textures. The owners did not seem to mind my taking photos inside, except in one case where I did not see the no photos sign. The butcher pitched a fit, but I indicated my sincere remorse on my violation of his little sign. But as he cut his chicken breast, and succeeded to keep his fingers despite my photo, I figured that I made a mistake and just kept on snapping where I was welcomed or at least tolerated. Here are some sample photos below:





"This little piggie went to market..." Somehow it's just not right when they wear baseball caps!

Oh yes, here is the offending photograph -- complete with intact fingers and less-than-intact chicken...

My one sweet tooth is ice cream and gelato. And everwhere you go in Barcelona are these incredible assortments of gelato. My favorites were the Chocolate Mint and Tiramisu flavors. Just amazing! Hazelnut and Stracciatella flavors were also pretty remarkable.

And what good is food if you can't eat it? They had raw and cooked fish/shellfish bars in a number of locations inside. And if you can get a stool, you must have been there early!

Next time: La Rambla...