Wednesday, January 1, 2020

14 Must-Try Eats while in Barcelona



Planning a trip to Barcelona soon? Here's a list of food we tried and enjoyed while there last Christmas 2019 including prices and location.

It was 8 am when our Emirates plane landed in El Prat Airport in Barcelona. We were all exhausted , badly needed a nap, a hot shower and some hot food . But we were all excited and wanted to hit the ground running.

It was a cold 16C when we found ourselves on the prowl for brunch. We arrived at our airbnb abode at Avinguda Diagonal 325  at 930 am and the check in was smooth and problem free. Dropped all our luggage and promptly just passed out on our beds for a much needed power nap.

We were all set and ready for the cold with our heat tech shirts, wool coat, scarves, etc. We set  out on  foot towards Valencia  Street just planning to hit the first resto we see.

Our very first meal happened in  365 Cafe which we did not know then was actually a chain of restaurants you can find almost at every corner in Barcelona.

It was our first  of 10 days in this city. . It was a Saturday  December 21 and will be our 6th Christmas vacation outside the Philippines in 6 years.

My first impressions?

1. Public smoking is allowed.
2.Architecture was amazing
3. It was a treat walking around in the cool weather
4. Freshly baked bread everywhere! Yay!

Naturally, I googled some of the must-try foods while there in the land of our  former  colonizers.

We ticked off the following in our list.

1. Pintxos

Per our Sommelier Javier Roquefort, Pintxos means tooth pick literally. To distinguish it from tapas, you actually order pintxos (pronounced pinchos ) by piece.

In the Food Crawl  of 4 restaurants   we booked via Viator Travel  during our first night , the first stop was La Esquinita de Blai The pintxos were   laid out like a buffet . You get a plate and get what you want. Do remember to keep the toothpicks  because those will be the basis for your  la cuenta or bill in Spanish.

Delightfully surprised that there were dessert pintxos too!



My favorites are  the ones with cod, boquerinos and there's another pintxos we tasted at Casa Lola in Rambla that has goat cheese,sesame seed and honey... sublime!

Best paired with Cava which is Spain's version of  Prosecco in Italy and Champagne in France. A glass of cava starts at  4,5 Euros

Price range :  starts at 1.50 Euro each (La Esquinita de Blai, Carrer de Blai 16, 08004 Barcelona Spain,  IG @laesquinitadeblai )

Watch out for my blog post about our FOOD CRAWL IN BARCELONA soon at https://www.piggingoutonsundays.com


2.Bocadillos

The bocadillo or bocata, in Spain, is a sandwich made with Spanish bread, usually a baguette or similar type of bread, cut lengthwise. Traditionally seen as a humble food, its low cost has allowed it to evolve over time into an iconic piece of cuisine. In Spain, they are often eaten in cafes and tapas bars- Wikipedia


The first meal we had in Barcelona was at 365 Cafe along Valencia street a few minutes from our Airbnb abode along Avinguda ( also called Avenida, like how we call it in Manila)  Diagonal 325.

Give me freshly baked bread anytime and Im a happy camper.  I had mine with Iberico Ham of course and it was absolutely divine.  That Iberico ham was just outstanding and it was not even the expensive kind yet!

First Spanish hot chocolate and  Americano we  tasted and both were amazing. The hot chocolate was really dark and dense. All of us dunked our bocadillo in that sinful pool and just about closed our eyes in pure rapture. Americano was strong and robust. Just the perfect cure for jet lag.

It was around 11am in Barcelona  and about 8pm in Manila

Price :  A 12' baguette sandwich with Iberico or Serrano starts at 4 Euros

365 Cafe,  Carrer de Valencia, 321 08009 Barcelona Spain



3. Hot Chocolate

I think the best chocolates are in Barcelona.Why? All of the hot chocolate we ordered during our 10 day vacay were amazingly good!

Think   dark chocolate ganache! Now if only I could find some churros right at that moment. There was none at the cafe so consoled myself with dunking a freshly baked chocolate croissant  and bocadillos into that liquid dark pool...ambrosia


4.Churros

Omg churros! Finally had it on our second day at 7am still dark at  Farggi  Cafe along Placa Catalunya while waiting for the bus that will take the family to the amazing Montserrat. Sunrise is at 830 am (ish)

The churros were long , thick , not oily and chewy specially when you dunk it in that rich dark chocolate pool of  sin.

If I were you though, I would eat them churros  at Xurreria , a kiosk or stall all over  Barcelona where you can have a cone of  6 churros and hot chocolate for 5,5 Euros.





Xurreria Passeig de Sant Joa 85 08009 Barcelona Spain


5.Xiuxio  ^, 80 Euros ( or less than 1 Euro per piece)

Pronounced chucho,  this pastry is reminiscent of our bicho bicho but with  Catalan Creme inside.

What is Catalan Cream? Think Cream Anglais or Bavarian Cream. It is actually a famous staple in Girona  ( of the GOT) fame where we went on our 3rd day.

Tried this at Martina Sweet Cake Carrer de a forca 1 Girona Spain
IG  @martinasweetcakes


6.Huevos  Rotos or Huevos de Corral Con Ceccina Iberica 9,50 Euros


Literally 'broken eggs' so named because this plate of  what looked like french fries and ham was topped with egg which you break all over the dish. Bueno!

Tried this at Denassus located at  Carrer de Blai 53, 08004 Barcelona
IG @denassus

Photo was taken during our lunch @casalolabcn

The other version we tasted was @casalolabcn at Rambla Catalunya 70 which was a 15 minute walk from our airbnb home.



7.Paella Negra


Enjoyed this  as one of our mains for our Christmas Dinner. This restaurant called Kook has not disappointed us yet.

Paella , a portmanteau of  para  meaning for and Ella  meaning her or  FOR HER was originally created for the Queen . Yes the her alludes to The Queen.

The 12' paellera was meant for two but can actually be shared by 3. Do not forget to squeeze some lemon all over it and mix in the aioli before attacking.

Omg , each rice granule just absorbed all the squid ink like sponge  so that every mouthful gave you the taste of that cephalopod  and the ocean. The aioli gave the whole ensemble another layer of flavor and texture elevating the dish to a whole new tier of  gastronomic experience.

Price : 14 Euros for a 10' pan

Kook is located at Passeig de Sant Joan 85 08009 Barcelona Spain

8.Paella Mixta

That tomato based  paella is reminiscent of  caldereta in Manila marrying with the flavors of the sea. Another  favorite of mine, I am amazed how succulent the shrimp, langostine, clams and mussels were.

When you order Paella in Barcelona, be prepared to wait at least 25 minutes for it. After all perfection takes time.

Price : 14 Euros for a 12' pan

Caffeteria Interval Placa Ajuntament 9, 17600 Figueres Girona Spain

9.Butifarra

Butifarra is a juicy, mild farmhouse sausage originating in Catalunya. Seasoned with black pepper and garlic, it is one of  our favorite grilling sausages. - www. tienda. com

Tried Butifarra for the first time at Interval in Figueres just right after we enjoyed Dali's Museum. We were all famished and naturally we wanted to eat authentic Spanish food.

My Butifarra was huge, juicy and flavorful. I loved that the whole dish included  grilled eggplant, red bell pepper and onion. You eat them all together and I was astounded how they all those flavors and textures blended together as one and basically became a party in your mouth

Price : 7,5 Euros

Adress; See Caffeteria Interval above

10. Pulpo 



Nothing beats the palengke for fresh produce and bounties from the sea.  That is why we can not leave Barcelona without trying Mercat La Boqueria along La Rambla.

Think Kuromon in Osaka and Tsukiji in Tokyo .Albeit  a tourist trap, La Boqueria  is an exciting  and vibrant place one must try while in Barcelona.

Price :17 Euros for that pulpo.

Posting a blog about our La Boqueria soon. Check it out in my website https;//www.piggingoutonsundays,com

Check out Pez Gordo Marisqueria  inside La Boqueria at La Rambla

11. Iberico Ham





Spent 4 Euros for that cone of Iberico. It contained about 4 slices. Nobody beats Spain when it comes to Iberico.

Check out the tags on those tasty legs. Black tags are the most expensive. Red is a little cheaper . White tag is the cheapest.

You can find Iberico in restaurants and groceries in Barcelona but the most exciting find is the one in Mercat de la Boqueria along La Rambla

12. Pimientos de Pardon 




Also called Padron Peppers or blistered peppers., it is one of the must-try Spanish Tapa in my list. None of the piggery would even try however. So me and the handsome hubby had the plate all to ourselves.

It was tasty with Maldon salt.

Price: 4,7 Euros

Taller de Tapas Rambla e Catalunya 49 Barcelona. It has 6 branches all over Barcelona

13. La Bomba



Think mashed potato and beef formed into a ball then deep fried. Reminiscent of croquetta, it was really good with a little kick because of that red sauce on top tempered by the creamy aioli.

Price : 3,9 Euros

Enjoyed this La Bomba at Taller de Tapas at Rambla Catalunya

14. Cava  & Wine

Cava is the Spanish version of what is known as Prosecco in Italy and Champagne in France. Had a taste of  Cava and different reds and white during our Food & Wine with Sommelier Tour which I booked from Viator app and our Montserrat adventure via Klook which included a visit to  a Winery and unlimited red and white.

Price of  a glass of Cava & Red/White  starts at 3,5 Euros

We would have wanted to try Cochinillo.  I googled it and did not get anywhere. We were told  it was best to try it  in Madrid. Oh well good enough reason to visit Spain again soon.


Hasta lluego Espana!

For any questions you may have, just comment on the space below and I will answer as best as I can:)

Gracias to our generous  and muy guapo sponsor -- the handsome hubby! haha


Monday, January 15, 2018

Hong Kong 4/2017

Day 1 - Started early. Arrived in HK at 730

Took the A22 bus from airport to our airbnb 2 br unit at Jordan street near temple street market. 

Brunch at Ming's kitchen. Roast goose  Iced coffee was surprisingly yummy, we ordered 4 glasses at hk$3.00 only or P21.00. Cheap and addicting ! 




Targeting the michelin starred hole in the wall restaurant. Started with Cheung Hing Kee Shanghai's pan-fried xiao long bao 



Tracked down Tai Cheong Bakery which is rated top 13 in the top 25 bakeries in the world because of its delicious egg tarts. It was non-descript , we almost missed it. 




Bubble tea in mongkok  Serenitea taste better though.  Street food ie squid and siu mai




Jeffrey Pattisserie Koo - I must say our pastries in Manila are way better and cheaper than that of HK





Dinner at Mak's noodles. One of the top 10 must eat places famous for its noodles. I must say after more than 24,000 steps logged in my iphone, the simple noodle soup at half past 8 pm is the perfect panacea to 6 tired and hungry piggery.

At the end of day 1,

HK by bus 
HK by train 
HK on foot  24,000 steps on my iphone

Food :
Roast goose
Siu mai 
Iced coffe 
Bubble tea 
Street food ie squid and siu mai 
Michelin starred Cheung Hing Kee ShangHai
Mak's noodles 

Places:
Mongkok
Tsim shat tsui
Jordan
Temple street
Ocean Terminal

Tuesday, July 18, 2017

Bucket list : Eat at Sushi Dai in Tsukiji Market Tokyo



Who/What is Sushi Dai  

Sushi Dai is a famous sushi restaurant in Tsukiji . It is said that Master Dai is the poor man's Jiro. Although not as ancient in the sushi art nor as rigid as Jiro, Master Dai is in a class on his own with experience of more than 20 years. His restaurant is just a hole in the wall in the acclaimed Tsukiji market. The only way to know you will experience the freshest and best sushi is to get it from the source which is Tsukij. 
Who is Jiro
Sushi hs been elevated to art form by the notable 87 year old master Chef , Jiro of the "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" fame. 

The world-renowned Sukibayashi Jiro is just located in Ginza. However, the price of his omakase is nothing to be sneezed at... USD300 and it is said that he is already booked for the year. A blog says that Chef Jiro demands that you eat the sushi he creates for you within a few seconds of being served to guarantee freshness. So all in all you will only be in your stool for a total of 30 minutes. 

Legend has it that he is stern-looking and does not engage in any playful bantering. Hmm mental note -- must watch the documentary stat. 

*****

The Task : Eat breakfast at Sushi Dai

Level of Difficulty : Very high 

How to do it : Wake up then start queueing at 3am

Level of incredulity : The blogs I have read must have been exaggerated. Surely nobody wakes up at that ungodly hour to queue for 2-3 hours just to eat sushi breakfast...... do they ? Hmm.... we found out soon enough 


What actually transpired

1st attempt : May 5, 2015
Our first attempt for mission Sushi Dai was May 5 our anniversary. It would have been wonderful to have breakfast on this very important day. Alas, it was Golden Week so the whole wet market of Tsukiji was closed huhuhu 

2nd attempt May 6
Woke up at 7am and started following google map to Sushi Dai. The good news - we found it Yay! The bad news -- the line was so loooong, it will take hours just to get in ! My heart sank. I thought there goes my dream to eat at Sushi Dai huhuhu 


But towards the evening, handsome hubby said. We could give it another go on our last day. Yay!!!! Warned him though that we would have to wake up at 3 am. 


His reaction -- "what? !!%#@? " 


DDay May 8 about 18 C : 
Woke up at 359 am here 259 am Manila time. To go or not to go. 


My fear : I will look stupid. I will never hear the end of it from hubby if I woke him up at 4 am to walk 5 minutes to this place and find it deserted. 


420 am - I am all dressed up and woke up the hubby --- grumpy, tired, achy handsome hubby....poor thing. 


But I was merciless and unrelenting .This is our last day. By hook or by crook, we are going to eat at Sushi Dai or die !! haha 


Walking from our hotel to Tsukiji market, I had spring in my step. The market was bustling and alive so early that morning. It was like a tight-rope-obstacle-course- combined-trek though, briskly traversing the sidewalk on foot. 


Small delivery vehicles were coming left, right and center of us. We were in danger of being ran over at any time. 


And then we saw the line...... 


What?!!!! I thought we would at least be in the first 20 or the first 12. Noooo! I counted the people ahead of us and we were number 40!!! These people were even crazier than us haha. Wow that felt good . They must have been here as early as 3 am !! 

This gave me little comfort though when I saw hubby's face. Uh oh signal #1 fast approaching. I decided to turn my patience button on high. I recited the mantra " I will not be maldita today. I will be patient and sweet, We will make it to Sushi Dai or perish" 


It was our last day in Tokyo. From Day 1 (May 4), we hit the ground running.  We  woke  up early and walked all day every day for 12 hours . We wasted no time. We went to Ginza, Asakusa, Roponggi, Shinjuku, Kabuchiko, Omatesando, Shibuya, Harajuku, Akihabara, Hakone, Mt. Fuji, etc. 


We rode the train like locals and in between, we walked, then ate , then rested then walked some more. We must have finished gallons of water chugging along as we walk .Then stuffed ourselves with all kinds of  sushi, ramen, yakitori, wagyu beef and had  japanese ice cream in Family Mart and SunRUs  before we went home to our hotel. 


We were exhausted. We ached everywhere and we lacked sleep. 

But this was our last day and I had a mission. So I only felt excitement and joy at the prospect of finally experiencing Sushi Dai. 


The hubby? well, he had no choice you see haha. Thus he was grumpy. Who wouldnt be at 4 in the morning. 


We arrived at the line at 445 am no. 40. We got in at 7 am. Ooohhhh happy happy joy joy!! 


Inside Sushi Dai : 

12 stools only. 
Master Dai in glasses. 
2 sous chefs.
Less than 20 sq meters area 

The food started arriving almost immediately as soon as we sat. I looked at our batch and it was mix and match group of locals and tourists..


We can order ala carte, omakase ( chef's choice 10 nigiri +1 personal choice 4000 JPY or P1200 more or less) or just regular (7 nigiri 2000 JPY or P600 more or less). 



Hubby and I were initially confused. There was the problem in translation plus the lack of caffeine made understanding really slow hahaha. At any rate, I just wanted to start the experience so I said yes to omakase and hubby ordered ala carte. 


We were given hot tea, miso soup and egg. Then the feast began.... 



Baby Octopus was so fresh it was still moving!
Oooh Yummy Fatty Toro
Japanese Scallop
Uni!!!!


Horse Mackerel and Salmon


Verdict : 
We highly recommend the experience. Nothing quite like it. Undoubtedly, the best and freshest sushi we ever tasted. 


Be ready for a 2-3 hour wait though . We will return most definitely with the piggery next time :) 


As in all Japanese art, the key is perfection. The temperature of the rice, the freshness of the sushi, the ratio of the rice to fish, the dedication and preparation that goes with, all combine to achieve accuracy and excellence.


Bucket list  ... check :)