When my husband and I first moved to Barcelona we landed in the strange land of San Gervasio. Don't get me wrong, it's a very nice, conservative Catalan neighborhood, but it's also obnoxiously expensive, which further translates to there being very few bar-restaurants to grab an affordable lunch menu or a beverage and an average tapa. We were, however, fortunate to stumble upon La Campana on the corner of Diagonal (a main street) and Calvet within only a few weeks of our arrival.
Our first visit was not premeditated, it was more accidental. A friend who was in town for a visit pointed and said, let's go in here! I just want a tortilla (spanish omelette)! And we chose several tapas based on their "good looks" in the re-fridgerated case at the bar. I can't remember what exactly we chose, but we were impressed: very fresh, perfectly cooked and delicious! We swore we'd return to try more, to lunch or dine, and we quickly did.
In the nearly 3 years that we lived in Barcelona, even when we moved across town to the Poble Sec neighborhood, we made sure to have lunch at La Campana at least twice a month. During that time we made our way through the entire menu: I devoured each fish and seafood dish with crazed relish and my husband, all of the meat offerings. We never left disappointed or unsatisfied.
This gem of gems is essentially a neighborhood, working man's restaurant (not bar so much because I never really saw people tossing back booze when we were there- folks were mostly chowing down) All of the food and deserts are homemade, and made with love. The place was always busy, if not full. But, the service was so efficient and friendly that you never really noticed a wait. The owner and staff and quality of the food always made for a highly pleasurable dining experience. Whenever we're in town for a visit, this is one of our first stops. read more