"Tapas", instructions for use
Pintxos are tapas made on a slice of bread and spiked with a toothpick. They are typical of northwestern Spain, particularly the Basque country. They are usually eaten standing up, with the fingers, to accompany an aperitif. In Barcelona, the establishments offering this type of tapas are generally very touristy, with the exception of a few good addresses such as Cervecería Catalana and Koska Taverna. The latter is one of the flagship addresses on Carrer Blai, a pedestrian street in the Poble Sec district, home to many of the city's most authentic pintxos and montaditos bars. The montadito bears a striking resemblance to its cousin the pintxo: in fact, only purists will know the difference! It comes on a slightly wider slice of bread than the pintxo, and is distinguished by the absence of a toothpick. The bodega Quimet & Quimet, Barcelona's temple of montadito, is a must-stop to try these divine morsels garnished with mussels and caviar, mushrooms in truffled olive oil, or foie gras in volcanic salt. All to be enjoyed standing up, leaning against the counter or at a high table, as tradition dictates. Another gastronomic highlight is raciones (" racions " in Catalan), which generally refer to popular or seafaring cuisine: portions of squid, chocos (small cuttlefish), chipirons and bunyols de bacallà (cod fritters) are placed in the center of the table for better sharing. This type of tapas is truly typical of Barcelona, much more so than pintxos or montaditos. They're usually eaten with a fork, as a starter or as a complete meal, the only requirement being that you share your plate! In the taverns of the maritime districts, portions of fritos (fried fish) are accompanied by clams, prawns and fresh razor clams grilled a la plancha, as at Jai Ca, L'Ostia or the unmissable Cova Fumada. The latter is also famous for being the birthplace of the bomba, La Barceloneta's emblematic tapa in the form of a large ball stuffed with meat and potatoes. At l'hora del vermut - meaning "aperitif time" - Catalans are fond of stuffed olives, marinated anchovies, cockles or canned mussels, which are pecked with a toothpick. The old bodegas, with their walls full of bottles and barrels, are of course the ideal setting for a Catalan-style aperitif, such as Bodega Vasconia in Barri Gòtic or El Xampanyet in Born, but the vermouth craze, which has been enjoying a resurgence in popularity over the past decade, has also seen the birth of more "gastro" vermuterías, where traditional tapas are updated by young, up-to-the-minute chefs. Morro Fi, with several addresses in Barcelona, was the forerunner of this trend. Barcelona's hipsters love its revisited classics, such asesqueixada (cod salad) orensaladilla rusa (mixed vegetables).
The "tapas" revolution
One of the classics of Barcelona's bars is, of course, the patatas bravas, potatoes browned in olive oil and served with a spicy red sauce and a white aioli sauce. The ones at Bar Tomas are among the city's most famous. Croquetas (filled with ham, mushrooms, etc.), tortillas and the famous pa amb tomàquet (a slice of toasted bread rubbed with tomato and seasoned with olive oil) are also must-tries!Escalivada, made with oven-braised strips of eggplant, onion and red bell pepper, is the perfect accompaniment to tomato bread. It also serves as a topping for coca de recapte, a delicious Catalan pizza topped with sardines or anchovies. In addition to these few specialties, tapas can be endlessly adapted according to the imagination of chefs. Indeed, since the late 1990s and the "El Bulli" revolution - Ferran Adriá's arch-famous restaurant and the cradle of molecular cuisine - Catalan chefs have seized on tapas to bring about a veritable culinary revolution. Known as platillos in Castilian or platets in Catalan, these "creative" tapas are omnipresent on Barcelona's tables, from bodegas pur jus to trendy gastro-taverns, chic neo-bistros and even Michelin-starred restaurants! The Gresca Bar and Teòric taverna gastronòmica are just two of the many places where tapa d'auteur can be found. Tasting takes place in a friendly, informal atmosphere, far removed from the stilted atmosphere of some gourmet restaurants. For tapas, whether modest or innovative, are above all a matter of atmosphere! For a complete overview, head to Bodega La Palma or La Pepita, both of which offer a blend of counter-top classics and creative tapas. A number of agencies offer tapas tours in French, including the Food Lover Tour (foodlovertour.com), with its five gourmet stops. The Ma Barcelone agency, run by a French-speaking team, offers a "creative tapas" workshop for groups. Finally, don't hesitate to visit the city's markets, such as La Boqueria or Mercat de Sant Antoni: their counters are a must for munching on Catalan terroir!
