Pa amb Tomàquet, a Catalan specialty, is ubiquitous in Barcelona. My first experience with this tasty delight was our second day in Barcelona. My husband and I stopped in a tiny bar/café to get a Cortado (coffee shot with milk). The lady behind the bar was pressing tomatoes through a sieve and collecting the juice. When we inquired about this, she took out some good crusty bread, rubbed some garlic on it, poured some tomato juice and topped it off with olive oil and salt. YUM. So simple and so delicious because it is all about the flavors and quality ingredients. Read this mouth-watering article on SpanishJourneys.com about the art of the Pa amb Tomàquet.

Our eating experiences could be broken down into the following categories: tapas bars, restaurants, sweets and markets.

Tapas bars – forget what you were told about not eating while standing up. I say pony up to the bar, order yourself a glass of cava and start bringing me some small plates of Catalan treats. To familiarize yourself with some basic tapas, here is a small list of tapas. I am tapas simpleton – give me some Tortilla de Patata, good olives and cheese, Boquerones (marinated white anchovies) and I am good to go. The great thing about standing at the bar is that you can see it, point to it and try out things that just look good. Here are a few places to get tapas:

The bar at El Xampanyet

El Xampanyet is a traditional Catalan bar in El Born, the very oldest part of town, and has not changed one bit in 100 years. This is a tiny space that can get rather crowded but that makes for a great experience. El Xampanyet is known for their cava and marinated anchovies and I can vouch for them – lots of them. Note that El Xampanyet is closed in August. El Xampanyet is located very close to the Picasso Museum at C/Montcada 22 (map). Closed in August.

Quimet i Quimet is a little out of the way but totally worth it. Quimet i Quimet, another place where you eat standing up, specializes in combinados, a tapas plating practice that you’ll only see in a traditional bar. Make your way to the bar and ask for a little of this, a bit of that and a few of those, and it all goes on a combinado plate. Quimet has a great selection of Spanish and Catalan cheeses. Quimet i Quimet is located at C/Poeta Cabanyes, 25 in the Poble Sec neighborhood (map). Read this review in the New York Times Travel review.

The next place is a transition between tapas bars and markets.

The bar at El Quim

El Quim de la Boqueria is a tiny tapas bar located right in Barcelona’s Mercat St. Josep La Boqueria on Las Ramblas. There are only 18 stools so you can expect a wait, and then some. But when it is your turn, you will understand why people take their time at this great place. El Quim uses fresh ingredients from the La Boqueria to create their mouth-watering dishes. Favorite El Quim dishes include fried artichokes, Tortilla (especially the spinach & potato), white beans, grilled asparagus, and eggs prepared with tiny squid. Prepare to spend some time at El Quim (both waiting and eating) and don’t feel rushed by the people waiting behind you! They will understand the wait.

This brings me to Markets. Barcelona has several markets – the most well-know to visitors being La Boqueria, off of Las Ramblas. As I said in my Montreal post, markets are great places to taste local/regional cuisine, find great gifts, and mingle with the locals. Here is a list of all the major markets in Barcelona (list).

From the markets we move to the more “traditional” style restaurant but that does not mean traditional food.

Anima, located near the MACBA Museum of Modern Art at C/Àngels 6 in El Raval (map), is a gastronomic experience. The food is as beautiful to look at as it is to eat. The interior is very clean and minimal and there is a wonderful terrace where you can sit when the weather is beautiful. Although I don’t remember all of the specifics of my meal, I do remember that it was delicious. I do remember, in great detail, the absolutely divine mozzarella ball filled with roasted eggplant and a sweet tomato jam. I also remember that when the door to the kitchen would open, you could see a poster that said “The only Bush that I trust is my own.” Even if the food was terrible, I would still love this restaurant! Read a great review on Find.Eat.Drink a wonderful blog that has great information.

Calcots at El Glop

Taverna el Glop is a low-key, rustic restaurant that serves hearty, traditional Catalan food at several different locations. I went there for one reason – their calcots – grilled spring onions served with romescu sauce. I had read about their calcots, searched out the original in Gracia, at c/de San Llouis 24, and was not disappointed. The waiter was most confused when we said that all we wanted was one order of calcots, a glass of wine for my husband and a cava for me. Calcots are a spring feast not to be missed – whether it is at El Glop or any other place.

Foodball is a quirky “healthy” restaurant located in El Raval at c/Elisabets 9 (map). Foodball, owned by the Camper group that is known for its shoes and innovative design concepts. serves rice balls stuffed with delicious fillings and various dipping sauces, such as soy and ginger or coconut curry. There are also sweet balls made from dates or carob and various organic drinks such as hemp beer and bancha tea as well as microbiologically pure filtered water. FoodBall is strictly environmental, ecological, organic and local. It is “built on the principles of bioconstruction, using non-contaminating materials and renewable energy sources.” Even the plates, cups, and take away boxes, made from sugar cane and corn, are biodegradable. Don’t be put off by the word “healthy.” The balls are compact sources of yumminess.

Granja M. Viader – one of best memories. Located at c/Xuclá 4 (map), in a little alley off Las Ramblas, Granja Viader is oldest of the city’s granjes (literally, farms) cafés that specializes in dairy products and sweet delights such as Suize (thick hot chocolate topped with whipped cream) and mel i mató (cheese curd with honey). The evening we went to Granja Viader, it was cold and misty, perfect for a hot, thick Suize that requires a spoon. This charming café, with its century- old fittings and enamel adverts, where marble- topped tables, and decorated tiles, was host to the most diverse crowd I had seen: a group of young students, a father with 3 daughters, a mother with her older son, and other countless fans of all good things rich and creamy. When you slip that spoon of mel i mató into your mouth, you are tasting the history of Barcelona.

Bubo is a sweet shop that I wish I had gone to but did not get the chance – NEXT Time.

This was just a small sample of the delicious food that we ate in Barcelona. There are so many wonderful traditional restaurants that have been around forever mixed with innovative chefs that are setting the standard for international cuisine – it is hard to choose. Check out the Barcelona: 1wrongturn post where I have placed links to great websites that will lead you to all kinds of new and wonderful culinary experiences.

Other helpful links from Find.Eat.Drink:

• Restaurant List that can be downloaded as a PDF

• Map of restaurants that can be downloaded as a PDF

One thing that stands out about the food in Montreal is that there is an incredible freshness, all around. Regardless of the ethnicity, restaurants feature local produce, dairy, and meats, soups and pastas are homemade and pastries are fresh out of the oven. There is tremendous amount of pride in their food, from the local poutine restaurant to the finest dining establishment.

I want to point out that I have only visited Montreal in the summer (I don’t think that my thin, southern blood could handle the winter temperatures). Therefore, my eating experiences are limited to the wonderful summer fruits, outdoor dining, and lovely, sweet summer corn. I would be interested to hear other’s winter eating experiences of cozy restaurants, warm soups and hearty meals.

The following are some of my favorites. Below my favorites is a list of other’s favorites and great websites for Montreal Eating.

Farmers Markets:
Montreals’ Farmers Markets offer a virtual cornucopia of local produce, seafood & meats, fresh pastas, artisanal cheeses, homemade breads, ice creams, maple products and more, as well as restaurants, cafes and stores to buy local/regional products. We like to start our mornings at a market for breakfast and end our day buying food for dinner. Very often, we will purchase a basket or two of fresh raspberries or cerise de terres (the most amazing little fruit, aka ground cherry) and eat them throughout the day. Markets are also great places to put together a picnic when you plan on taking advantage of one of the wonderful parks in Montreal (see Montreal Outdoors).

marchespublics-mtl.com is the official market site but I find it a bit difficult to navigate. About.com has a good, comprehensive listing. There are 4 major markets:
Marché Jean-Talon (map) that is located in Petit Patrie, aka Little Italy.
Marché Atwater (map)
Marché Maisonneuve (map)
Marché Lachine (map)
We have always stayed close to Marché Jean Talon. When you visit, you MUST eat an ear of corn that is dripping with butter. Other than that, it is all wonderful. On the outside corner of Jean Talon market is a great store called Le Marché des Saveurs du Québec, which sells regional foods, products, etc. It is a virtual 1-stop-shop for gifts.

Two favorites in Petite Patrie/Little Italy:
Casa Napoli is the quintessential Italian restaurant – grotto, Venus de Milo statues, singers and great food! 6728, boul. St. Laurent near the corner of Rue St. Zotique.
Restaurant Mary is a corner bistro that does not look like much. But, the food is great and the service is always friendly. 6700, boul. St. Laurent at the corner of St. Zotique.

Le Plateau:

Delicious vegetarian Thai dinner at Chuchi courtesy of Peacockchic.com

Laurier/Outremont:
Pâtisserie de Gascogne. I could eat here everyday. There are several locations – I always go to the shop on Rue Laurier (map). Last summer, my daughter and I had breakfast there and she had tiramisu (WE WERE ON VACATION). She still talks about the chocolate shell. The atmosphere is inviting and the food is fresh and delicious. I can’t get enough of their salad de celeriac. Yum, yum and more yum.
Glacier Bilbouquet in the lovely tree-lined Outremont neighborhood. Ice cream that is yummy, yummy and more yummy. The line of people snakes around the block but it is worth the wait. The locations is 1311, ave Bernard Ouest (map)

Downtown:
Nocochi: This is a charming and elegant cafe at 2156 rue Mackay on the corner of Sherbrooke specializes in light breakfast/lunch fare and offers lovely little, multi-colored Persian cookies.

Lovely little cookies from Nocochi courtesy sitebits.com

Vegetarian throughout Montreal: Commensal is a great vegetarian food buffet, with throughout the city.. You load up your tray but be careful because you pay per kilo. Try the poppyseed cake for dessert.

Recommendations from other blogs and websites:
Well Fed and Socially Conscious in Montreal on www.madatornights.com. Great overall travel site and specific article features a few delicious vegetarian restos.

Pubs on St. Elisabeth. Winter, spring, summer and fall – pubs are the place to be in Montreal. Go Canadian beers!

Santrapol is a charming cafe, very close to Mont Royal (map), which serves great sandwiches, breakfasts, desserts, etc. The ambiance is charming and includes a lush terrace that is open in warmer months.

Bagels – Montreal is famous for its bagels. Most famous are Fairmont Bagel and St. Viateur Bagel.

Poutine is a traditional Montreal delicacy consisting of french fries, cheese curd and gravy. You can have down home poutine or dressed up poutine with fois gras. Montrealpoutine.com has a great review of several poutine restaurants.

Famous Restaurants
Au Pied Cochon
Toqué