The chef from Hell
Barcelona the most visited city in Europe has until now not been visited by me, to rectify this, last weekend I flew off there to eat drink and sightsee around this exiting city.
Boqera market was of course my first port of call a real insight to the heart of the culture people and cuisine.
A huge variety of produce of the highest quality with the emphasis on fish and seafood of which there is abundance here.
Some of the unusual types are gooseneck barnacles or Percebes in Spanish just plain boiled and you pick them from the shells.
One of the original stalls if only at least the most popular in the market is pinoxto a small bar situated near the entrance serving local specialties from early in the morning packed with locals and you may have to wait for a seat but well worth it ,one of there specials is cap o pot which is calves head and calves foot stew cooked with tomato and paprika delicious and sticky, good even for breakfast.
Most visitors to Barcelona come just to see the architecture of Antonio Gaudi the sinuous forms and colorful tiling make is work totally individual. Love it or loathe it one can only admire it for its adventure in design and sheer brilliance.
Park Gruell in the hills overlooking the city, the Segrada Famillia silhouetted against the shimmering sea.
Built as a new housing area for the wealthy with three houses ready built as show houses it failed to generate enough interest with buyers at the time so it remained unsold and unfinished.
Casa Batillio was a remodel of a current house, Gaudi pulled out all the stops here producing a work of art, no straight lines here just curves and organic forms throughout the house .
An atrium in the centre of the house soars up to the glass roof with blue graduated tiling darkening as it reaches the top.
Hand carved doors cast organic form door handles colored shot blasted and engraved glass, light floods in decorating the house with natural backlighting.
Enough of culture food is why I am here a few subway stops from Plaza Cataluna is pueto sud where taberna Taqerba has been plying its trade for many years this is the home of gargantuan portions of grilled and roast meat a single wine on the list keeps things simple.
Start with Carecoles snails with spicy sauce or with black pudding and tomato ,freshly cooked from live , snails peer over the top of baskets by the kitchen not knowing their fate.
A large Entrecote steak cooked perfectly on the grill tender and tasty washed down by the local wine, rough around the edges but this is what makes it so good!
Botifumero is an institution in Barcelona if it is fish or seafood this is the place, fine dining with the local produce cooked to perfection nautically dressed waiters rush around this busy restaurant ferrying around platters of seafood kitchen activity can be seen from most areas and the chefs working away sending out the expectant diners dishes add another dimension to your dining.
The Restaurant is an enclave for the wealthy and knowledgeable of Barcelona a great spot for dinner where reservations are necessary to secure a table.
On the other end of the scale is Casa Mano tucked away down a side street in the beach area ,family run father and son serving mother and daughters cooking the freshest fish really cheap and good ,squid ,red mullet octopus sardines ,white beans with sausage and good house wine ,television blaring away in the corner and packed with local people definitly one of the highlights .
For Stellar cusine there are creat chefs in this city, the proximity to wonderful produce is an inspiration Abac with Xavier Pellicer at the helm is a prime example.
When I visited his kitchend there was a brigade of chefs and there was fire and sweat in symphony creating wonderful contempory food in an old style enviroment
no sign of the molecular!
Boqera market was of course my first port of call a real insight to the heart of the culture people and cuisine.
A huge variety of produce of the highest quality with the emphasis on fish and seafood of which there is abundance here.
Some of the unusual types are gooseneck barnacles or Percebes in Spanish just plain boiled and you pick them from the shells.
One of the original stalls if only at least the most popular in the market is pinoxto a small bar situated near the entrance serving local specialties from early in the morning packed with locals and you may have to wait for a seat but well worth it ,one of there specials is cap o pot which is calves head and calves foot stew cooked with tomato and paprika delicious and sticky, good even for breakfast.
Most visitors to Barcelona come just to see the architecture of Antonio Gaudi the sinuous forms and colorful tiling make is work totally individual. Love it or loathe it one can only admire it for its adventure in design and sheer brilliance.
Park Gruell in the hills overlooking the city, the Segrada Famillia silhouetted against the shimmering sea.
Built as a new housing area for the wealthy with three houses ready built as show houses it failed to generate enough interest with buyers at the time so it remained unsold and unfinished.
Casa Batillio was a remodel of a current house, Gaudi pulled out all the stops here producing a work of art, no straight lines here just curves and organic forms throughout the house .
An atrium in the centre of the house soars up to the glass roof with blue graduated tiling darkening as it reaches the top.
Hand carved doors cast organic form door handles colored shot blasted and engraved glass, light floods in decorating the house with natural backlighting.
Enough of culture food is why I am here a few subway stops from Plaza Cataluna is pueto sud where taberna Taqerba has been plying its trade for many years this is the home of gargantuan portions of grilled and roast meat a single wine on the list keeps things simple.
Start with Carecoles snails with spicy sauce or with black pudding and tomato ,freshly cooked from live , snails peer over the top of baskets by the kitchen not knowing their fate.
A large Entrecote steak cooked perfectly on the grill tender and tasty washed down by the local wine, rough around the edges but this is what makes it so good!
Botifumero is an institution in Barcelona if it is fish or seafood this is the place, fine dining with the local produce cooked to perfection nautically dressed waiters rush around this busy restaurant ferrying around platters of seafood kitchen activity can be seen from most areas and the chefs working away sending out the expectant diners dishes add another dimension to your dining.
The Restaurant is an enclave for the wealthy and knowledgeable of Barcelona a great spot for dinner where reservations are necessary to secure a table.
On the other end of the scale is Casa Mano tucked away down a side street in the beach area ,family run father and son serving mother and daughters cooking the freshest fish really cheap and good ,squid ,red mullet octopus sardines ,white beans with sausage and good house wine ,television blaring away in the corner and packed with local people definitly one of the highlights .
For Stellar cusine there are creat chefs in this city, the proximity to wonderful produce is an inspiration Abac with Xavier Pellicer at the helm is a prime example.
When I visited his kitchend there was a brigade of chefs and there was fire and sweat in symphony creating wonderful contempory food in an old style enviroment
no sign of the molecular!
