TAPAÇ 24

Interiors of TapaC24

TapaÇ24 is a relatively new addition to the Barcelona tapas scene. It opened sometime last year and has been packed for lunch and dinner since. Understandably so since this particular tapas bar is the brainchild of celebrated Catalan chef Carles Abellan. One of Ferran Adria's disciples, Carles worked in El Bulli before opening his own restaurant comerc 24. Later on, he created this small space and turned it into a bustling tapas bar with a young, hip vibe. The interiors are made to look like a little deli with produce displayed artfully in large vases and chips, canned goods and whole Jamon legs displayed as well.


Once seated at the simple white formica-topped bar, we are immediately given a menu-printed paper bag also serving as a flatware holder - a fun touch. Along with the traditional tapas listed on the menu, there are also daily specials listed on small blackboards scattered all over the bar featuring fresh fish from the Boqueria market. There is also a small display of canned goods that can be oredered as the chef would like to showcase how Spanish preserves are often as good as fresh seafood. All menus are written in Catalan but the waiters were more than happy to explain the dishes either in Spanish or basic English.

From L to R, first row - daily specials, calcots, morcilla; second row - gambas, paperbag menu, boquerones al limon; last row - arroz negro, dark chocolate sorbet with olive oil, walls papered over with street scenes

our first visit, we chose a few tapas - grilled calcots (small leeks available at this time of the year and eaten grilled with romesco sauce), morcilla de Burgos (black sausage from Burgos), gambas al Andaluz (deep-fried shrimps), boquerones al limon (fried lemon-flavoured anchovies) and for our main course, opted for arroz Negro con sepia (black cuttlefish rice). The calcots were soft and smoky from the grill and perfect dipped in the Romesco sauce, the morcilla were crispy nuggets of sausage complemented by sweet caramelized onions and the gambas were crispy and the shrimp was extra sweet. The arroz negro came in a small cast iron pot and was piping hot creamy rice made black by squid ink and topped with soft strips of cuttlefish - delicious! We split one of the four desserts available - three dollops of dark chocolate sorbet with crispy bread, olive oil and salt (you read that right, I did mean olive oil and salt). The sorbet was very good and the salt did complement the chocolate although we felt that there was too much olive oil added which just didn't go with the chocolate. short espressos finished off our lunch.

From L to R, first row - making pan con tomate, escarola salad, crispy arichoke chips; second row - garlicky spicy patatas bravas, the delicious Bikini sandwich, entrana con chimichurri; last row - milhojas, crema Catalana, waiters busy serving tapas

On our last day in Barcelona, while walking along Las Ramblas and Paseo de Gracia, we decided to go one more time to TapaÇ24 for lunch and this time tried a whole new selection of tapas from the regular menu. We started out with ensalada de escarola con bacalao (chicory with cod), alcachofas (fried artichokes), entraña con chimichurri (skirt steak with chimichurri sauce) and two traditional dishes found all over Spain - patatas bravas con aioli (fried potatoes with garlic mayonnaise) and the tostado de jamon y queso (toasted ham and cheese sandwich) cheekily-named "Bikini" in Barcelona. (I don't know why Catalans call this sandwich a bikini - maybe because it's served in triangles?) The escarola was tossed in a light vinaigrette and had chunks of cod and small black olives. The alcachofas were artichoke hearts thinly sliced, tossed in corn flour and deep-fried to a crisp and were delicious. The entraña was seared on the grill then sliced thinly and topped with the oily, red pepper and oregano mix that makes up chimichurri. And what of the traditional tapas? Well, the patatas bravas were so good we were almost tempted to order another plate - homemade french fries with aioli and a spicy sauce squirted over them - perfect comfort food. The Bikini sandwiches were given a twist - four small triangles of white bread toasted and filled with an oozing layer of Mozarella cheese, jamon Jabugo and grated black truffles to make the best sandwich we've ever had. For dessert (no, we weren't full enough yet), I had two little pieces of milhojas (crispy millefeuilles filled with sweet pastry cream) and my husband had the traditional crema Catalana (the Catalan-version of a creme brulee) plus the usual short espressos to finish off our scrumptious lunch.


TapaÇ24 is one of those rare finds that becomes an instant favourite, which is why we ate there twice in the six days we were in Barcelona. It's also the kind of place that is fun to recommend to friends as they'll be sure to have a fantastic meal and a good time as well. The bet part is that they are open daily, except Sundays from 8:00 a.m. straight through till midnight so you can drop in for breakfast, a mid-mroning snack, lunch or even a late evening tapeo. If you're ever in Barcelona, don't miss it!
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TapaÇ24
Diputacio 269, Barcelona 08007
(near Paseo de Gracia)
Tel: +34 934 880 977

***** Food - excellent tapas, fresh seafood, delicious creative dishes; DON'T miss the BIKINI - think of me when you bite into it.

**** Service - quick, efficient and friendly although when it's packed some things may take a bit longer than usual.

**** Atmosphere - Elbow-to-elbow seating at the bar and more often than not, there's a line of people waiting to take over your stool, noisy and bustling but fun nevertheless. Only downside is that smoking is still allowed despite having an open kitchen and being below-ground. I suggest you get there early so you can dine and dash before the puffers arrive.

La Boqueria Market

The last time I was in Barcelona in spring 2006, I joined a guided gastronomic city tour which started off with a visit to La Boqueria, otherwise known as the Mercat de St. Josep (or St. Joseph's market). Our tour was followed by a paella lesson with Michelin-starred Chef Mey Hoffmann and a gourmet lunch in a private room at her Michelin-starred restaurant and cooking school Hoffmann in the La Ribera district.

This time around, I wanted to revisit the market with my husband and take my time seeing all the stalls and produce available and head off for a tapas lunch nearby. We set off mid-morning to La Boqueria right smack in the middle of Barcelona's main historical boulevard - La Rambla - which runs from the main square, Placa de Catalunya all the way down to the port.

Our visit started with a slow leisurely walk around the market, starting off at the far end where all the fresh fish and seafood were, through the fresh meat and delicatessen area then towards back to the front where the fresh produce were. We saw tables filled with all kinds of fish - from monkfish to sole to tiny clams and large squid, from butifarra - the local sausage to Argentine cuts of meat, from towers of colorful fruits to stacks of green vegetables. The whole experince was an assault on the senses which left us hungry and craving for a bit of breakfast.

We had initially intended to sit at Pinotxo, the famed counter in the market, but there were no stools available so we wandered back into the market and finally settled on the Bar La Boqueria at the far end for a cafe con leche, a wedge of tortilla, some jamon Iberico and what else but pa amb tomaquet. The tortilla was disappointingly dry and the ham nothing special. Next time, we'll go to Pinotxo instead.

After our breakfast, we headed off to another of Barcelona's main streets, Passeig de Gràcia in the Eixample district also known as the Quadrat d'Or (Golden Square). We walked along the wide leafy avenue, alternately window shopping and sightseeing. Several famous buildings can be found on this street, among them Antoni Gaudi's Casa Batlló and La Pedrera. We admired the Gothic architecture alongside the stone facades and worked up an appetite for lunch which we planned to have in a little tapas place nearby.

CAL PEP

Upper row: at the bar of Cal Pep, baby clams, tiny deep-fried fish; Middle row: baby squid with chikpeas, placemat art, tortilla with aioli; Last row: monkfish tail, flavoured foams, the tiny kitchen behind the bar

On our first day out in the city, we go for for a tapeo in one of the city's oldest tapas bars. Just off the Plaça de Palau in the cobble stoned Born district of Barcelona is the cozy tapas bar Cal Pep. Here is an example of the typical tapas bar in this beach side city - no frills and extra fresh seafood. This little place has been here for 25 years sustained not just by the good food but as well the dose of humour from Pep himself. The interiors are simple with a long bar near the front and small dining room at the back. If you want to be in on the action and witness not just Pep in his seafood-printed chef's pants but the cooking going on behind the counter, then the bar is where you should be.

Paper place mats printed with different designs are laid at each place while the originals of these artworks are framed on the walls right behind. There is a small display cabinet with fresh fish and seafood and a little area where two chefs manage to squeeze in and cook non-stop in front of about 30 hungry clients watching their food being made.

We chose several tapas to make up our lunch starting off with the Catalan staple pa amb tomaquet (toasted bread rubbed with a split tomato and drizzled with olive oil) followed by several seafood dishes. Chipirones con garbanzos (baby squid and chick peas), which were cooked and served in the same little metal pot, tasted of the sea with the beans making it into a hearty dish, almejas con jamon (tiny clams with ham) steamed open with some white wine and made scrumptious with the addition of tiny pieces of ham and a bit of dried chili pepper crushed onto them, llanguetas con huevo (tiny deep-fried fish topped with a fried egg). We also couldn't resist the ubiquitous tortilla de patatas (Spanish potato omelet) which was unusually, but deliciously, spread with a bit of aioli (garlic mayonnaise). The last dish we had was cola de Rape (monkfish tail) served with some sauteed potatoes. The simplicity of the garlic and chili infused olive oil didn't overpower the freshness of the fish. We finished our meal with a light dessert of flavoured espumas (foam) - 4 shot glasses of lemon, chocolate, sambayon and crema Catalana plus two very short espressos. After our satisfying lunch, we meandered the tiny streets looking into shop windows and admiring the facades of the old buildings before wandering back towards the beach and the hotel for an afternoon nap.

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Cal Pep

Placa de les Olles, 8

Barcelona

Tel: +34 933 107 961

**** Food - stick to the seafood tapas and you won't be disappointed although the aioli- topped mini tortilla is also very good.

*** Service - quick and efficient with Chef Pep adding to the local flavour

**** Atmosphere - get ready to squeeze in elbow-to-elbow for communal dining at its' casual best

HOTEL ARTS

Clockwise from top left: the bedroom; the sitting area; the bathroom; the desk with a view

Staying at the Hotel Arts is such a treat. Upon arrival, we were whisked through the lobby straight up to the Club level on the 33rd floor where we were graciously upgraded to a roomy corner Executive Suite with fantastic views of the city, Acqua di Parma toiletries, Bang & Olufsen electronics with an iPod connection, a Nespresso machine, mini-bar snacks from Hediard. Need I say more? After unpacking, we went upstairs for some light lunch and relaxed with espressos in the comfort and the unobtrusive service at the Executive Club.

Clockwise from top left: the city with Gaudi's Sagrada Famlilia in the distance; the Mediterranean; Nespresso in every room; the welcome amenity

Cocooned in the luxury of our suite while enjoying the breathtaking views of this seaside city, I finally understood why the 2006 Louis Vuitton guide on Barcelona ends it's entry on the Hotel Arts with this: "The only downside to the place, which was magnificently renovated in 2004, is that once you're inside, you may never want to leave." and I totally agree with them.

Eye-catching flower arrangements all over the hotel

Barcelona

My husband and I left sunny Malaga early today for an impromptu trip to Barcelona where we'll be staying a few days at the city's iconic Hotel Arts. Located on the beach overlooking Port Olimpic, its' 455 rooms and suites plus 28 duplex apartments on the top floors offer fantastic views of the Mediterranean or the city including Gaudi's unfinished cathedral, the Sagrada Familia.

We had been to Barcelona almost two years ago when we first arrived in Spain but unfortunately haven't been back since. We were lucky enough to have stayed at the Hotel Arts then as well as now so we are a little bit familiar with their restaurant offerings and the penthouse Six Senses Spa. I'm looking forward to going back to their hip and happening tapas restaurant Arola, the local outpost of celebrated Michelin-starred Catalan chef, Sergi Arola. I also want to try and make it back to Barcelona's celebrated market, La Boqueria, and experience tapas at Pinotxo or at least a pa amb tomaquet (Catalan's breakfast of tomato-rubbed toast) right in the middle of all the food stalls and vendors. Lots to see and taste so check back in a couple of days for my gourmet update on Barcelona.