Nice Restaurant in Barcelona

Old Jul 28th, 2004, 08:20 AM
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Nice Restaurant in Barcelona

My husband and I are going to be in Barcelona in November for our anniversary. I would like to go to at least one very nice restaurant during our stay. What are your favorites?

thanks!
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Old Jul 28th, 2004, 09:06 AM
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Have you checked out Maribel's Barcelona guide? www.maribelsguides.com

Her recommendations are fantastic.

You can click on my name and read my trip report to get a review of the places where we ate.

- Sharon
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 01:05 AM
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There is only one Michelin-starred restaurant in Barcelona, the Drolma, at the Majestic Hotel (one Michelin star). It is very nice. That would be my fist choice for a special meal.

Drolma
Majestic Hotel
Paseig de Gracia 70
tel (34-93) 496-7710

Wins all sorts of awards for its nouvelle cuisine. Often rated the best restaurant in Spain. Small and elegant, maybe 15 -ables. It is somewhat expensive, we paid about $255 for a three-course dinner for two with two cocktails and a bottle of cava. Try to get a window seat.

Other less formal a less expensive suggestions would be:


Taberna del Cura, Gran de Gracie 83 tel (34-93)-218-1799
Botafumeiro, Gran de Gracia 81 (34-93-218-4230

These are sister restaurants next door to each other which have the same menu. The Botafumeiro was first and is very well known. The sister restaurant opened to take the overflow ? and I actually like the atmosphere there better as it is a bit more rustic and less crowded than the Botafumeiro. As the menu is the same in both places, it doesn't really matter. I have been several times and never been disappointed. Seafood is their speciality ? try to cold seafood appetizer plate ? more like a meal. Excellent sangria. Moderate to expensive. Reservations recommended.

Aqua
Pg Martim 30
tel: (34-93) 225-1272

Great seafood restaurant located down on the beach. This is one of the exceptions to the rule that the are very few good restaurants on the waterfront. They don't have a lot of indoor tables, so you would need a reservation at least a day in advance. They have an outdoor terrace which would be great in the summer. Very lively place, good music. To find it, go to the Hotel Arts (Ritz Carlton) and walk out to the boardwalk in front of the hotel. With the Hotel Arts behind you, turn right and walk down the boardwalk and look for a small glass room on the boardwalk with the name "Acqa". This is the entrance to the restaurant, which is down a flight of stairs. You will pass at least two of these glass boxes, one called Posit (looks like another good restaurant) and one call "Baja" (to be avoided). You can also access this from the beach itself. Moderate to expensive. This would also be good for lunch on a nice day.

Set Portes
Passeig Isabel II 14, 73-74
tel (34-93) 319-3033

A very good Cataluyna restaurant with a large and varied menu. Paella is their speciality. Charming décor with black/white tile floor and wood paneling. Noisy but in a fun way ? lots of families and big parties. It is a large restaurant, so you could probably get a table just by walking in. Very good value for money.




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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 01:23 AM
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Sharon. Also a thank you from me. I had been trying to find out more about Le Drolma in another thread. Is the food there of Spanish influence ?
I like what you say about Set Portes - did you have paella there ? We really enjoy the hard to find great paella ! Thanks again.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 02:25 AM
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I would not say there was a Spanish influence in the food at Drolma, at least not on the menu the night I was there.

I did not have the paella at Set Portes, but I have eated there a few times and the food is alwasy good, so I imagine the paella is as well. I think Botafumeiro may be a good place for paella as well.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 05:30 AM
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SydneySteve,
Set Portes is supposedly a Paella shrine in Barcelona. I thought their paella was tasty, but it was not quite the revelation I had expected. Their steamed vegetables were fabulous as were the salt cod fritters. My husband ordered the roast shoulder of kid which was cooked to perfection. The night we were there, someone was playing Barry Manilow pop tunes on a piano.

You can check out their menus at http://www.setportes.com/ing/index_7portes.htm You will see they offer several kinds of paella. The portions are huge.

- Sharon
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 09:32 AM
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Thank you so much for all of your suggestions. We just want to make this trip as memorable as we can. I do have Maribel's guide, Sharon, thank you.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:02 AM
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Just to throw in another opinion - we really did not like our meal at Set Portes - I had paella (striclty so so IMO), can't remember what DH ate. It was our least favorite restaurant of the trip. Thought the service had a bit of an attitude, also for the price of the resturant (not cheap), they "nickled and dimed" you - my husband requested butter, as he did in all the resturants, they charged us 1.50E, none of the others did. But if you decide to go, you might want to make reservations - we had to wait about 30 minutes for a table (we arrived about 9pm)
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:04 AM
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I noted that restaurants seldom provided butter with bread, it's a Spanish thing, but most annoying.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:29 AM
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The Spanish people don't really use butter in anything (similar to Italy) so they of course don't put it on their bread. Bread is eaten plain as a way to "mop up" sauces and whatnot.

Also we found that all the nice restaurants had a strange little charge of anywhere from 1.50E to 5E, when we asked what it was we were told it is an old custom to charge for bread and linen service!
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:32 AM
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I understand that, but mopping up sauces and soup with bread in a relatively refined restaurant is vulgar. Dipping bread in oil in a separate dish is acceptable, but not dragging a piece of bread around a plate.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:41 AM
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Actually mk it isn't vulgar at all, it is quite the norm in many of the finest restaurants in France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy. It actually is exactly what plain bread is served for. Dining is so different everywhere that I understand your thought about it, I for one am a butter-a-holic so always miss the spread but when in Rome........
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:48 AM
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It's just a little peasanty - peasants have to mop up every last drop of sauce because they need the food to survive. I think it looks appalling to be doing that in public at a smart place.
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Old Jul 29th, 2004, 11:55 AM
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Here are my suggestions Mongolia:

Botafumeriro- Grande Gracia #81 was wonderful. I had an amazing mixed seafood dish that was excellent. the service was first rate as well.

CASA CALVERT- Casp 48- this was our "special splurge" dinner.
It was in a historic Art nouveau Gaudi building that was just beautiful. It is Traditional Spanish Food- nothing "new school." But it was very elegant, a chic well dressed crowd, and wonderful service. Not at all touristy. It is a beautiful and intimate dining room, that I thought was top notch.

Drolma- did not eat there, but it was in my hotel The Majestic, and it seemed like a good choice to a special occasion anniversary dinner. It has a famous chef and gets good reviews.
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