Wow!!! We were walking around looking for a place to eat and Italian sounded really good. So we took a chance on this place. Now, just as a qualifier, I am a quarter Italian and my mother cooked many many Italian meals (mostly northern Italian cuisine). I have also been to Italy and have lived in major metropolitan areas, particularly NYC. I say this only to give you a frame of reference in my experience with Italian cuisine.
First, when we walked in we were greeted by the hostess in a very friendly and warm manner. She seated us immediately (granted we started dinner on the early side for Spain, roughly 9pm). The ambiance was inviting and cozy, but not claustrophobic. It is not a large restaurant, so it filled quickly. The servers were very responsive and friendly. I ordered a bottle of Sangiovese (for 14 euro, I was pleased with the quality) and we had the eggplant parmesan for an appetizer. We are particularly picky about eggplant parm because it gets bastardized so much in the US. This was fresh and light and had excellent balance of flavor. It was also just the right size for an appetizer. They also brought out bread and olives.
For the main course, I had the truffled mushroom lasagna and my husband had the mezzo penne arrabiata. I knew the lasagna was homemade because it had the same look and mouthfeel of my mother's lasagna (and she makes the lasagna noodles from scratch- typically at restaurants where it's not from scratch the pasta is much thicker resulting in a very dense lasagna) and had the distinctive bechamel sauce which is typical of northern Italian cuisine. It was light and filling at the same time. The flavors were balanced and not too truffle-y. The mezzo penne arrabiata was fantastic as well. The right amount of heat and sauce was very well executed.
For dessert, my husband had the cannoli and I had the panna cotta. Both were excellent in presentation and flavor. The waiter also brought over a complimentary glass of limoncello.
If I could give this place an extra star, I would. We will definitely make an effort to come here again the next time we are in Barça. Bravíssimo- keep up the good work! read more