While I’m sure it comes as no surprise that during my time in Spain I quite literally ate my body weight in traditional Spanish foods like cured meats, local cheeses, tortilla Española and so forth, I also made an effort to sample international cuisine when possible as well as more traditional dishes from the region of Catalonia, where I was traveling.
The following are the five gastronomic experiences in Catalonia that I’ll be dreaming about for years to come…
Spanish Specialties
Churros con chocolate
My first encounter with these surprisingly savory sticks of fried dough and the thick-as-molasses hot chocolate that’s served alongside them was a moment I’d been anticipating for a very long time. I found these babies at a charming cafe just around the corner from my hostel on Passeig de Gràcia called Il Caffe di Francesco. This coffee shop is known for having some of the best coffee in the city (sourced directly from Italy) and excellent service, but in my mind, that cup of chocolate was the real winner.
Montaditos
As I wandered the city solo one day, I found myself on the seafront promenade of Barceloneta when my tummy began to rumble. The beachside restaurants were all a bit pricey, so I opted for a street view instead and wound up at a place called Tapa Tapa Xiringuito. It wasn’t overly crowded and they had a long list of montaditos, which are essentially slices of toasted bread topped with various delicious things–think meats, cheeses, nuts, or all of those things at once. I ordered an unnecessarily large selection of these and proceeded to devour them all, accompanied by a glass of local red wine. They came topped with goodies like Camembert, jamón ibérico (cured ham), figs, and a whole portion of tortilla española.
International Delights
A Mexican Tasting Menu at Hoja Santa
Rather coincidentally, my former roommate from NYC just so happened to be in Barcelona at the same time as me. Needless to say, this called for a reunion in the form of dinner and drinks. Since she already had plans for that evening she invited me to tag along for a meal at Hoja Santa, a restaurant dedicated to the artful preparation of traditional Mexican recipes and flavors. Portions are all bite-sized and delicately displayed, but a bit on the expensive side (so unless you’re not terribly hungry when you arrive, plan to pony up to fill up). Each course was delivered with a full-blown explanation of the flavors we were about to encounter should they be too subtle for our undeveloped palates and disappeared before we could say “Wait, what was this again?” Overall, our meal at Hoja Santa was a unique and delicious experience.
Regional Decadence
Bassegoda Park
I may have hinted a time or two at all the incredible food we got to try during our post-TBEX camping trip through the Camping Parks of Girona. And while many of the meals we had were delightful, one meal stands out as particularly memorable. At Camping Bassegoda Park in the Pyrenees, we enjoyed a decadent meal of traditional Catalonian dishes. Everything we ate and drank was locally sourced, and I mean everything. Tapas as our starters, mains made from local meats and produce, wine pairings from the county of Alt Empordà, a dessert of creamy Catalonian custard, and finally the digestif, a local anise-flavored spirit called Ratafia.
Emporium
While touring Girona, we were treated to a meal at Emporium, a family-owned hotel and restaurant in Castello d’Empuries. Now, you’ll have to excuse me for not taking better notes on exactly what I was putting in my mouth during this meal. My hands were too busy…er…putting things in my mouth. I will say that a meal at Emporium goes far beyond just excellent food to provide an experience for all the senses. Every course was beautifully presented, unexpected texture combinations kept our tongues on their toes, if you will, and crumbs were skillfully whisked off the table between each plate. I felt pampered down to the very last bite.
What makes a meal special for you? Do you care about the ambiance or the experience, or is flavor all that matters?
