Friday, May 31, 2013

Great Paella + Playa? El Xiringuito d'Escribà Is The Ticket

By Javier Castillo - May/31/2013

You like paella, right? Of course you do. Rice, saffron, veggies, meat and/or fish, sauce, some of this, and some of that. Add a little love and time and you have a national dish from Spain that many tourists have tried at some point. Yet, due to the complexity and labor that is necessary to prepare, many previously frozen or pre-packaged paellas have come to market and many restaurants settle with offering this fast-food version to appease the hunger of starving and unassuming tourists. But if you want to have the real thing, and truly appreciate quality and freshness, then El Xiringuito d'Escribà is as good as it gets. Did I mention that the location is also great? The restaurant isn’t tucked away in some seedy back-alley, its on prime beachfront real estate at Barcelona´s Bogatell beach. That’s right; you get to eat all this goodness while looking out over the Mediterranean sea. I highly recommend the Sea and Mountain Paella (which contains both seafood and meats) or the Seafood Fideuà (which is similar but uses pasta instead of rice). Both are topnotch. What about appetizers or tapas if you aren’t in the mood for such a bountiful rice or pasta dish? Go ahead and get some grilled sardines, fried baby squid or grilled clams. Everything on the menu is fresh and excellent. Seriously. The name Escribà is a well-known and respected name in Barcelona; the family opened up the first family bakery back in 1906 on the famous La Rambla street. Expanding and adding to their already famous bakeries, the family decided to venture into the restaurant business and in 1986 they opened the El Xiringuito d'Escribà which is still run by chef Joan Escribà. Watch him in action here, right at the source, as he shows us how to prepare a proper paella:




So for those paella aficionados that wonder where the best paella in Barcelona might be, look no further than this quaint and exquisite establishment that has withstood the test of time and continues to deliver on their promise of quality paellas and quality service. Bon profit!

More information:
El Xiringuito d'Escribà
Litoral Mar, 42, Barcelona, Spain (La Vila Olimpica del Poblenou).
Telephone: +34 93 221 07 29
http://www.escriba.es/base_en.html

I highly recommend calling for reservations, especially on weekends during the summer.