Barcelona Food Diary

My cousin and I may not be the real deal foodies but experiencing a bit of the food culture in Barcelona was something to look back to with a happy mind and of course, with a happy stomach. And here are a few photos of the food and drinks that sustained us while we were hopping places around Barcelona. This is in sequential order, starting from our first meal of the day, then our lunch and lastly, our dinner during our short stay of 3 days.

Day 1

Tapas at Granja Valencia

While my cousin recuperated after our agonizing overnight train ride from Paris, I hit the streets first and ended up in this tapas bar for my lunch. I quickly settled myself at the bar and ordered ham and cheese sandwich. It was freshly prepared which I very much appreciated because only hot meals can appease my hunger well. In that dire situation, the readily available tapas were not exactly what I needed.

I was the only one at the bar since it was just around noontime, rather early for lunch in this part of the world that enjoys a slow late lunch.

Waffle by the marina

Walking can be physically draining that the caramelized sugar wafting from the waffle stand at the marina was enough to tempt us. A sweet bliss to fight off the cold evening breeze.

Tapas by the bar again

Our first dinner in Barcelona, we had it at the bar because of the lack of tables in Piscolabis. We had tapas that came in plates and paired it with something alcoholic to help us relax through the night. Lakas lang maka-sosyal. lol I had Cava, Spain's equivalent to champagne while my cousin had red wine. Our tapas orders were patatas bravas, Andalucia calamari, squid and the other plate I can no longer recognize. Pardon my ineptitude. The plate of olives was complimentary because our order took some time.

Day 2

Ham and cheese sandwich and coffee at Pans & Company

Having a small appetite, a set of humble sandwich and hot coffee in Pans & Company was enough to jumpstart our mornings. This cafe was just across our hostel, a convenience we welcomed without having to think much on where to eat. 

A hearty meal that I had after our Camp Nou experience with the FC Barca boys as appetizer. Har har   And again, I am at a loss what's underneath that melted cheese. A reprimand to self. Why aren't you taking notes?? Given that you have such a short-term memory and worse, you write about something that has happened a long time ago! Errm... moving on...

For our dinner, we had Paella Señorito at Granja La Catalana, a random restaurant we found near our hostel. We had not really researched on the recommended restaurants because we gravitated more on sightseeing. We ended up often in whatever restaurant that came across our way and of course, the ones that would not burn our pockets. This paella was soggy unlike the ones I am used to and expect. The texture was more like risotto. Maybe, a visit to Valencia for an authentic paella? Wish ko lang! And yes, a cup of coffee just because.

Day 3

On our third day, we skipped breakfast from Pans & Company and had instead, our morning fill at Bar Boqueria in La Boqueria market. Breakfast at the bar in a company of grandpas and grandmas ushered wonderful memories.

Here's my not so appealing shot of my takeaway from La Boqueria that I brought to the Montserrat Monastery. I was overjoyed of my raspberries which I got for only €1! However, the berries got squishy when I ate it maybe because of the commute and the heat. For my carbo serving, I bought a big empanada, a savory pastry which has ground meat inside. It was a lot different from the ones I am used to because at home, the filling is a little sweet and that most of the time, it includes raisins. Well, empanadas are meant to be just a snack at home and not really an actual meal. Meals with rice are the real meals. haha

For our last dinner in the city, we binged a little bit at the restaurant of Hotel 54 Barceloneta, a short walk from the beach. We ordered a plateful of heavy goodness and a bottle of Moritz beer to wash down everything. Moritz is a Catalan beer with its base in Barcelona. I found it light, with only a recollection of strong beers in my mind to compare it with. I ordered Botifarra, a sausage made up of pork and spices and it is considered to be an important dish in the Catalan region. I tried it once in Cebu and this one in Barcelona tasted a world of difference. On the other hand, the grains of salt in my green salad had caught me by surprise but it somehow complemented the rawness. All in all, a good meal to cap our Barcelona trip!

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Whenever I visit new places, I am always inclined to try out the local cuisine because it is also one way to immerse myself into a culture. No matter where we are in the world, food is one of our common denominators. It is not only something that we eat to live but it also packs a long and rich history of a certain place, which tells us of its influences and its continuing evolution.

But in my resolve to sample the cuisine, it usually ends up into what's convenient and within reach, especially when I am already hungry after running around. However, squeezing a local flair into the manic business of sightseeing, even by a tiny bit is what I consider already a feat. And there is also that reality of wisely allocating the dough. Barcelona was of help because it is relatively cheaper than the other cities we visited in Western Europe. Our breakfast and lunch ranged from €5 to €10 and that we were able to indulge on our dinner from €10 to €15. I hope I will be back Barcelona, for more of what you can offer.