Tejana, I also really liked the paella at Set Portes. Glad to have some validation. I also had some delicious grilled fish there, and I loved the escalivada (smoky eggplant and peppers, but I love eggplant in any form).

mike: Don't we now use "paellera" to refer to the pan used to make paella? It's interesting to note that some linguists think that "paella" evolved from "patella", Latin for a flat pan. Now of course, we think of patella as another name for "kneecap".

Whether it's called paella pan or paellera, what matters to me is that my most favorite paella dish is Squid Ink Paella (Arroz Negro) - I am swooning, just thinking about it.

I remember when I was growing up, I always looked forward to my secret midnight feasts everytime we had paella for dinner. Our cook made a mean Paella de Marisco con Chorizo - paella with seafood (clams, shrimp, mussels, crab) and chorizo de bilbao). At bedtime when nobody was looking, I would raid the fridge and get a small plate of some leftover paella. It was heaven! I didn't mind that it was cold (pre-microwave era) - it was so good!

Thank you for this thread - it sure brought back good memories!

I need to contradict myself actually the best Paella I have ever had was in the heart of the Pays Basque in a village called Espelette in the restaurant behind the old Hotel Euskadi. I know you are not going there but in case one of the readers is feeling adventurous...
It's some of the most beautiful countryside in France and not far across the border from the Pais Vasco of Spain.

If it were me I would ask Maribel on the Spain forum where she would recommend eating paella in Barcelona.

There are a couple of homey family style little restaurants in Seville---not touristy---off the beaten path--that will serve you a real sangria that will knock your socks off. If I'm not mistaken the real stuff has gin, vodka, and some other liquor in it. A few sips is all you need!

FWIW, I, too, enjoyed the paella, and my experience at Set Portes.

La Cucafera, plaza santiago rusinyol which is a stonesthrow away from the cathedral. If you like ancient Roman ruins Tarragona is great, right on the Med. Well worth one night or a daytrip from Barcelona.

gelato, correct, we call it a "paellera" now.

Agree that paella is not really indigenous to Barcelona, however with that being said, we've had excellent paella at La Nansa in Sitges. They cook their paella in a wood buring oven. They also do excellent Xato.

Elizabeth - Kaiku sounds like a restaurant that would meet my needs for my visit to Barcelona. I want to have a seafood lunch in Barceloneta before heading to the beach with my family. Am I correct in thinking that this restaurant is on the casual side and reasonably priced?

Susan

Justine: do you mean the restaurant in the hotel euskadi or another restaurant? I will be there and am curious.

I had a wonderful squid ink paella in Barcelona but the worse paella I have had was in Valencia.

jerseysusan - yes, quite casual (especially on the patio) and reasonably priced. There was a 10E lunch special when we were there (which of course we didn't have!)

Yes that's the one. In Espelette. That evening some locals gathered in the bar in front of the restaurant and sang eerily beautiful Basque songs. The whole trip through the Pays Basque for me and my family was what traveling is about and what it's for.

JustineA: thanks. we will be spending eight days in the Basque country, both Spain and France, and I am very excited.

There is a chowhound post today waxing eloquent about a 7E black ink paella at Delfin.

That's a good Chowhound post ... and Casa Delfin is very close to our apartment. Thanks again for all the suggestions; I think we'll eat well, whatever we eat, in any of these recommended places. (How long does it take for your teeth to lose that black tinge after eating the squid ink rice dishes??)

I remember eating a squid ink pasta in Venice; I was forced to drink lots of white wine to get rid of the color. It was a terrible sacrifice!

Hah ... I feel your pain, jubilada.