Topik Restaurant - Big Flavor in Barcelona

By Javier Castillo - June/27/2015

Adelf Morales is a name you want to know. The founder and chef of the restaurant Topik is part of the young and creative generation of chefs continuing to put the Barcelona culinary scene on the map. His time spent in Japan and his experience working with Martín Berasategui at Lasarte and Arzak in San Sebastián, to name a few, has helped him fine-tune his profession. Topik is a place for lovers of seafood, sushi, nouvelle cuisine and those with an open and curious appetite. If you hunger for oysters and something cold and frizzante, well then search no further as there is a french oysters and cava special most nights that is gauranteed to satisfy that craving. When you look at the menu, some of the plates offered might strike you as odd or of an unusual combination at first thought, but believe me, they work. Like an alchemist’s ability to transmute base metals into the noble metals, Adelf churns out impressive delectable creations.

images courtesy of http://www.topikrestaurant.es/

For example, who would think of pairing guacamole with uni? Well, you will be surprised as the result is a dish that is surprisingly smooth, delicious and wonderfully balanced. In this regard, and in many others, Adelf is experimental, daring and knows what he's doing. Fresh grilled squid stuffed with butiffara sausage (chipirones rellenos de butifarra y sus patitas) is one plate that stands out particularly in my mind. And if paella or rice dishes are your thing, don’t pass up the seafood rice with shrimp and mushroom (arroz de ceps y gambas rojas). The menu is broad and offers other great choices of meats and fish so there is something for everyone. Check that out here.

For dessert I had the house tiramisu - which I believe should be renamed to “tearamisu” - as rather than using the traditional coffee-soaked ladyfingers, they use green tea as a substitute making it fresh, light, and most definitely delicious. This place is a must-try for foodies and those interested in exploring new tastes and sensations. 

More info:

Topik Restaurant
Calle València, 199 - 08011 Barcelona

http://www.topikrestaurant.es/

T +34 93 451 09 23

Open everyday except for Sunday and Monday nights closed.

Barcelona's Best Peruvian Restaurant For Your Buck

By Javier Castillo - April/30/2015

Ceviche 103 is quite possibly the best Peruvian Restaurant in Barcelona for your buck.

When it comes to South American Food in Barcelona, Peruvian food has comfortably carved its own niche in the great international cuisines options. And it’s well-deserved. I'm a fan of Peruvian food: Papa a la huancaina (Huancayo-style potatoes) and Causas? Bring it! Chairo, Copús, and Ceviche? Yes, please! The variety of Peruvian dishes (close to 500) is impressive to say the least. Different regions of the country have their own delectable creations and with over 4,000 varieties of native potatoes, that's right, a 4 with three 0s, imagine the flavors, textures and creativity that can be derived from such a savory staple. 

American wine and food critic for The New York Times. Eric Asimov, has described Peruvian food as one of the world's most important cuisines and as an exemplar of fusion cuisine (Nikkei for example, which I also write about here), due to its long multicultural history. 

If you find yourself in Barcelona and want to scratch your Peruvian food itch then you really need to try Ceviche 103. Head chef Roberto Sihuay has spent several years perfecting his craft in restaurants in Peru as well as Spain. His vision is to offer tasty original dishes but not skimping on detail or presentation. According to him, his philosophy is to “focus on the traditional flavors of Peruvian cuisine applying cooking techniques that captivate the most discerning palates."

Ceviche 103, as the name might imply, doesn’t offer 103 types of ceviche, they offer 8 varieties and they are all magnificent. Besides ceviche, they have popular and mouth-watering plates such as Causas (which is a mashed yellow potato dumpling mixed with key lime, onion, chili and oil and to which you add tuna, chicken or other toppings), rice with seafood (reminiscent of paella), and wild sea bass in leche de tigre which is a juice that is comprised of white wine, vodka or pisco, ground green chillies, salt and pepper. It's an awesome hangover cure as well, trust me. You can check out there menu here to start getting prepped before your actual visit. As for the restaurant, it is a friendly, modern and colorful place and an excellent choice to enjoy some of the best Peruvian cuisine Barcelona has to offer. The young and helpful staff - ever attentive - can assist and guide you through the menú all while you sip on a delicious and expertly made Pisco Sour.

More Information:

Ceviche 103

http://www.ceviche103.com/

Calle Londres, 103 - 08036 Barcelona. 

Tel.: 932 098 835 

Email: info@ceviche103.com

Barcelona’s Own Silicon Valley: District 22@

By Javier Castillo - March/31/2015

Barcelona’s Own Silicon Valley: District 22@ is a perfect example of urban renovation that allows for growth in the tech, science and other knowledge-based industries all while preserving the local neighborhood life.

Image courtesy of http://www.pemb.cat/

As a follow-up to the article I wrote last year regarding Barcelona’s local tech scene, I thought it appropriate to highlight the district which houses many of these innovative startups and modern enterprises. Many cities have their own tech neighborhoods or areas - New York has Silicon Alley, San Francisco Bay Area has Silicon Valley, Dublin has Silicon Docks - and Barcelona is no exception with its 22@. In line with the idea of transforming and redeveloping a rather industrial and abandoned area of the city known as Poblenou, and backed by 180 million euros of public investment in infrastructure, the 22@ (also known as 22@Barcelona) district is a conglomeration of high-rise residential properties, large shopping complexes, hotels and, you guessed it, new firms. Since its inception in early 2000, it follows the aspiring urban renewal model – both socially and economically. As such, it has brought a lot of advancements to the area by offering present-day corporations of all sizes incentives to help them set up shop and breathe new business life into that zone.

In terms of size, 22@ comprises 200 hectares of industrial land of Poblenou. The local government, faced with the challenge of coping with growing demand by innovative companies looking for a tech hub, and following in the footsteps of other cities around the world embracing urban renovation, found that Poblenou would be the ideal district to accommodate these tech, science and knowledge-based industries. Today the area is home to several startups and larger corporations that have transformed business in the area and by no means in a disruptive way. Rather, they bring high-quality business and employment to the area and in doing so improve the quality of life for most by providing a robust business friendly environment for neighbors that have called the area home for decades. Working class mom and pop restaurants and cafes that once had to struggle to get costumers in the door, don’t have to worry any more as they now have access to thousands of workers that come daily for breakfast, lunch, dinner and client meetings. As one report mentions “22@Barcelona provides a new, high quality, diverse, ecologically efficient and economically strong urban model that strikes a balance between production and neighborhood life.” Moreover, during the early phases of the development, an Industrial Heritage Protection Plan was developed and passed to help new businesses and old neighbors find an agreeable and beneficial coexistence. 

Image courtesy of http://www.barcelonacheckin.com

Ambition has always been a defining factor of Barcelona. As 22@ continues to grow, evolve and thrive, the city and its citizens should benefit from the overall success of this plan that is already well on its way to becoming an proud example and reference-point of new city urban modelling for years to come.

More information about 22@:

Total Planning Area: 198,26 Ha, 115 blocks, 1.159.626 m².

Location: The Poblenou area, which lies to the northeast of the city between Vila Olímpica and Plaça de les Glòries and the sector delimited by Avda. Diagonal and the streets Perú and Rambla Prim.

Housing: Recognition of the existing 4.614 dwellings.

Creation of 4.000 new state-subsidized housing units (minimum 25% rental).
New Facilities: 145.000 m² land.
New Jobs Generated (estimate): 130.000.
Investment in Infrastructure Plan: 180 millions Euros.

Increase in Green Spaces: 114.000 m².

Further information about 22@ can be found here: http://www.22barcelona.com/

Garage Beer Company - Brewed in Barcelona

By Javier Castillo - February/28/2015

The brewing and gastropub revolution has gotten a firm foothold in Barcelona with several new locales opening their doors in the past few years. And most, if not all, seem to be bustling with happy clients excited to pour a cold one back while enjoying some delectable bites. The gastropub concept born in the 1990s - where the simple notion of actually providing and pairing delicious foods with the microbrews you consume - is now almost a standard, and rightfully so. Garage Beer Company has been around for a few months and it’s already all the buzz in the Eixample district of the city. In what used to be an old bookstore, years closed and forgotten, you will find a lively establishment housing art, graffiti, battered walls, funky furniture, and illustrative designs - giving the place a distinctive and warm personality.

James, one of the co-founders, comes from a family that has had decades of experience perfecting this craft. You could almost say beer is in their blood. He told me that the idea behind the place was to provide a unique venue for beer aficionados to chill out and enjoy a great locally produced brew and flavory food. The name Garage Beer also has an explanation: before opening this locale they had the fermentation drums and were testing out their brewing methods in, you guessed it, a small garage in the heart of Barcelona. Besides a nice selection of craft artisan beers from other brands, they brews their own beers in-house with a small setup capable of producing some 20 delectable hectoliters of beer a week. This volume is expected to increase as the demand for their beers will lead them to invest in more fermentation tanks and production units. I’ve tried most of their beers and they are all unique and tasty. My personal favorite is the Karma Winter Ale, a beer that has had a slow fermentation process that with a little work of magic makes it elegant and full bodied with a fruity and buttery taste. If Pale Ales are more your thing, try the Riba, one of the house favorites. The food menú offers perfect companions to their premium beers. You can find savory ecological cheeses from the Catalan Pyrenees with tomato marmalade, Coca (a Catalan flatbread) with roasted zucchini, aged goat cheese, and pesto; or try their Porchetta sandwich with eggplant, sun-dried tomatoes and rucula (one of the best selling dishes). The verdict? All delicious. Certainly a place not to be missed if you ever find yourself thirsty and hungry.

More Information:
Garage Beer Co.
Carrer del Consell de Cent, 261 08011 Barcelona
http://garagebeer.co/
Tel. 935 28 59 89

In Vinitus Veritas - A Tapas Restaurant Not To Miss

By Javier Castillo - January/30/2015

Vinitus will not disappoint. As bold as this statement may seem, I'm confident in my declaration. Stemming from the same parent company that has several acclaimed restaurants in the city, such as Ciudad Condal and Cervecería Catalana, Vinitus follows the same quality and service mantra as its predecessors. Few places in Barcelona deliver on that promise and fewer still have eager patrons waiting in queues to be seated at their establishment on any given night. That's an indication of value and Vinitus is well on its way to achieving that distinction. In its prior life the restaurant was found in L'illa Diagonal - a shopping complex with heavy foot traffic but away from the more touristy areas of the city. At its new premises in the Eixample district - two streets away from busy Paseo de Gracia avenue - it continues to provide the same delicious, affordable tapas in a charming and warm environment. 

What is unique about Vinitus, perhaps - as compared to the parent company's other establishments - is that many of their tapas are prepared on the spot. This is something that has been communicated to me from the friendly staff on more than on occasion and I've seen it at work. For example, if you ask for a "montadito de salmon" the server behind the bar will grab a mouth-watering cut of fresh pink salmon, carefully slice off a thick sliver, place it on a piece of warm toasted bread and add a few decorative toppings. Presto. Other savoury offerings typical of traditional Mediterranean cuisine that can be found on the menu include: fried cuttlefish, grilled shrimp, grilled and salted green peppers, lightly sauteed asparagus with mushrooms, cured ham - to be honest there are tons of selections and there will be few plates you will dislike. Let me walk you through my latest experience there:

Over an ice cold Moritz beer, I started off with a plate of Iberico ham, thinly sliced, buttery and nutty and accompanied that goodness with pan con tomate – crunchy toasted baguette rubbed over with a fresh tomatoe and adorned with a dash of garlic, olive oil and a sprinkle of rock salt. Next I moved on to the juicy grilled prawns, perfectly seared and seasoned. And lastly - one of my favorite dishes - four types of mushrooms grilled to perfection and varying in flavor, texture and color. All four were excellent. There was much more I wanted to try - and I will - but alas a stomach is only so big.

As for the interior space, per se, it has two floors and it appears a bit more modern and artistic than 
its brethren restaurants, but that is rightfully so as there is a great amount of attention paid to detail as far as decor is concerned. For example, the design and shape of some seats by the door: champagne corks. Illustrations and graffiti-like images line some of the walls, and colorful tiles, polished wood and stone, and other whimsical and decorative patterns abound. This is a place certainly not to be missed and is already high on my list of favorite go-to joints.

Practical Information:

Vinitus
Consell de Cent, 333 
Barcelona, Barcelona 08007
España
Phone: 34 933 632 127

Open Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays.
Mondays to Thursdays: 7.30 am to 12.00 am.
Fridays and Saturdays: 7.30 am to 12.30 am.

El Nacional - Barcelona's Restaurant of Restaurants

By Javier Castillo - December/31/2014

In what used to be a large and drab car park on Barcelona's main artery - the famous Paseo de Gracia Avenue - you will find a new culinary oasis that is quickly becoming a reference point for epicurean enthusiasts and those appreciative of aesthetic interior design.

El Nacional is establising itself as a beacon of culinary-chic, offering multiple dining spaces in an impressive environment that resembles the glamorous Art Deco years. It is a complete reinvention of a complex that was built in the 1870s and first opened its doors as a café-theatre. Over the last 140 years it has gone through various transformations: from fabric and dye factory to car dealership to parking structure and to then finally shed its skin once more to embody the majestic space we witness today. 

One can’t talk about El Nacional without giving credit to the firm behind its makeover. The well-known Barcelona-based studio Lázaro Rosa Violán has giving the place its signature touch, full of floral and symmetrical designs, elements from a post-industrial world (metal gears turning and grinding), corners reminiscent of Grandma’s rustic kitchen space, and more modern and minimalist touches. It’s an abundance of different styles, a mosaic of atmospheres that all seem to blend perfectly together giving the interior a smooth, transitional composition. Think the Great Gatsby with a Spanish twist. In addition to the elegant atmosphere, the roughly 200 staff members: waiters, bartenders and floor managers help make you welcomed at every corner. And the food speaks for itself. The spaces you will find inside include a beer and preserves bar, a wine and cured meats bar, and oyster bar, and a cocktail bar that also offers food options. And the peripheral restaurants that are housed inside are La Braseria which specializes in meats, La Llotja which specializes in fresh fish, La Taperia which besides being considered the most festive part of El Nacional, specializes in – you guessed it – tapas.  And last but not least is La Paradeta which caters to those that want an uncomplicated and quick bite, serving up simple dishes such and sandwiches, pastries and cheese. El Nacional promises to be a major reference point for foodies in Barcelona and will most certainly continue to garner fame and lasting appreciation for many years to come. Its definitely worth checking out.

El Nacional Barcelona

Passeig de Gràcia, 24 Bis 08007 Barcelona

http://www.elnacionalbcn.com/en/

+(34) 93 518 50 53

Open Every Day from 12.00 pm to 1.00 am with a capacity for 770 diners. 

They do not take reservations

3 Great Options for Thanksgiving Dinner in Barcelona

By Javier Castillo - November/25/2014

The date is steadily approaching to get our Turkey on. That’s right, Thanksgiving is right around the corner and what sort of expat would I be if I didn’t impart a few recommendations with my fellow hungry and homesick brethren of where to wine and dine on this special evening. The reason for me writing this blog post is that I was researching some of the best Thanksgiving dinner menu options in Barcelona to enjoy in the company of friends. Based on my findings, I have included 3 of the best offerings worth considering to help you make the best of Thanksgiving this year.

For starters, the American Society of Barcelona, has over the past years been the prime and perhaps best choice for the Thanksgiving night affair, having hosted their dinners in prestigious locations such as the Arts Hotel and Le Méridien Barcelona. This year promises to follow in the footsteps of great food in a great ambiance, as the event takes place in Barcelona's Hilton Hotel. The menu this year will leave you satisfied as they are offering a huge buffet with traditional American Thanksgiving dishes. There is also a wide variety of food for vegetarians. Ticket prices are 63 euros for ASB Members & 73 euros for ASB Friends.

The American Society of Barcelona

Reservations:

Telephone: 93 368 4689

Website: www.amersoc.com
Menu: http://www.amersoc.com/index.php/en/2014-thanksigiving-dinner

Hilton Barcelona

Avinguda Diagonal, 589-591, Barcelona‎

Telephone: 934 95 77 77‎

Picnic Restaurant in the Born area offers a rich 38 euro menu with delicious offerings such as deviled eggs and roasted squash for starters and a maple and herb-glazed roast turkey as the main attraction. Plus plenty of wine and a special cocktail is also included.

Picnic Restaurant

Carrer Comerc 1

Barcelona, Spain

Reservations:

Email: picnicrestaurant@gmail.com

Telephone: 93 511 6661

Menu: http://on.fb.me/1y8dNFd

Hard Rock Café Barcelona offers a proper and well balanced menu with all the fixings. The starter is a Ceasar salad and the main course is Turkey with gravy, garlic mashed potatoes and Pepperidge Farm stuffing.

Hard Rock Café

Plaça de Catalunya, 21

Barcelona, Spain

Reservations:

Email: barcelona_salescoordinator3@hardrock.com

Telephone: 932 70 23 05

Menu: http://on.fb.me/1uTAk8W