A decent run of the mill Catalan place on Rambla Poblenou.
Keep in mind:
Catalan = Awesome Cuisine
Rambla Pobleneu = Awesome Location.
So "just an average" Catalan restaurant on this "just an average" broad boulevard is like "just" having a date with a contestant in the "Miss Catalunya" beauty pageant.
* * *
There are restaurants all over Barcelona.
Including near the downtown tourist swamps of Raval and Ciutat Vella,
Neighborhoods that I recommend avoiding like the plague.
However, outside of the Tourist Imperial Conquest Zones,
Barcelona has all sorts of charming restaurant streets.
These are broad boulevards where nearly every other establishment is a restaurant
And tables are out on the sidewalk all over the place.
The streets are green and leafy.
Barcelonans stop and have drinks -
Or stroll along for their evening walks.
The location is magical.
The food at these places is often very good.
(Just for starts, this is mostly locals eating here ...
So you can't rip them off with imitation tourist junk.)
* * *
El Capritx is a "we-got-everything" Catalan place.
Some of it is wonderful.
Some of it is so-so.
When we were there, the waiter was pushing patatas bravas.
Usually, I don't like being told what to eat.
But we did what the waiter said - and became true believers.
Everyone serves a patata brava in Barcelona.
But THESE patatas bravas were really really really good.
My wife and I inhaled ours.
I also had a "bacon and eggs" plate that was wonderful.
There were of course patatas bravas underneath the bacon and the eggs.
I wonder why things tasted so good.
Fried Camembert cubes with tomato jelly were ho hum.
My lovely wife had a potato omelet (tortilla de patatas) and tomatoes on toast that were "just average" for Barcelona - which as I said before - means peachy keen.
However, it was mostly just a wonderful place to sit and eat and drink.
A very superior vermouth (on my part) and a decent enough sangria (on my wife's part) improved the overall attractiveness of the scenery.
However, the scenery was just fine even without the enhancement of enhanced grapes.
* * *
Now if you really don't want to eat at El Captritx, I am sure you can find any number of wonderful alternatives on Rambla Poblenou that will keep you happy.
I would make Rambla Poblenou a top location if you go to Barcelona.
And if you just happen to pick a table at El Captritx ....
Your evening will not end up in bitter tears. read more