Agua
Passeig Maritim 30 (93 225 12 72). Metro Barceloneta.
Open 1.30-4pm, 8.30pm-midnight Mon-Thur; 1.30-4pm, 8.30pm-1am
Fri; 1.30-5pm, 8.30pm-1am Sat; 1.30-5pm, 8.30pm-midnight
Sun.
The relaxed and sunny interior, good food reasonably
priced, and large terrace on the beach, all mean one
thing: book ahead. There are colourful prints on the
walls, squidgy sofas and newspapers to amuse you while
you wait amid a young and informal crowd. The menu rarely
changes (if it ain’t broke...); specialities include
grilled turbot with noodles cut from squid, a thick
steak with red wine gravy, salmon tartare with leeks,
and scrummy puddings like marron glacé mousse
and apricot crumble.
Can Majó
C/Almirall Aixada 23 (93 221 54 55 / 93 221
58 18). Metro Barceloneta.
Open 1-4pm, 8-11.30pm Tue-Sat; 1-4pm Sun.
Can Majó avoids the nautical trappings so beloved
of seafood places the world ’round, with a smart,
clean feel and cream and green walls. Start by sharing
a ‘pica-pica’ plate of shellfish, then move
on to one of the excellent paellas or fideuàs.
Fish is also expertly prepared; cod comes with clams
and salsa verde (made with garlic and parsley) and the
suquet is a triumph; a sizzling panful of monkfish,
hake, mussels, clams, prawns and potatoes. The service,
at worst, is endearingly forgetful.
Can Maño
C/Baluard 12 (93 319 30 82). Metro Barceloneta.
Open 8am-11am, noon-4pm, 8pm-midnight Mon-Fri; 8am-4pm
Sat.
Strip lighting, tiny formica tables, uncomfortable chairs
and yet still there’s a queue. The seafood is
what draws them in: superbly fresh and at knock-down
prices. The friendly waiters reel off the daily specials
at lightning speed, but you can’t go wrong with
the fat, succulent prawns cooked in garlic, or the soft,
creamy squid with parsley. In the mornings you can also
get mammoth truckers’ breakfasts.
Can Solé
C/Sant Carles 4 (93 221 50 12). Metro Barceloneta.
Open 1.30-4pm, 8-11pm Tue-Sat; 1.30-4pm Sun. Closed
2wks Aug.
Paellas and fideuàs are the main event in this
elegant century-old seafood restaurant, but are joined
by a host of other delights such as monkfish soup, lobster
stew, tiny wild octopuses, Palamòs prawns, the
freshest fish, and every crustacean served to the peak
of perfection. The sea-blue walls heave with awards,
photos and mementoes of regular customers (including
Joan Miró and Santiago Rusiñol while the
bustle of the open kitchen adds to Can Solé’s
friendly atmosphere.
Ruccula
World Trade Center, Moll de Barcelona (93 508
82 68). Metro Drassanes.
Open 1.30-4pm, 8.30pm-midnight Mon-Sat; 1-4pm Sun.
Ruccula’s situation in the WTC affords it great
views over the port, but its stark brown and grey decor
and largely business clientele make for rather staid
surroundings and give no hint at the delights about
to emerge from the kitchen - a huge, creamy portion
of besugo(sea bream) with wedge clams and peppercorns
and a rich, flavoursome monkfish and potato suquet to
name but two. Rice dishes, too, are excellent - try
partridge and artichoke risotto, but leave room for
the elaborate desserts.
Set Portes
Passeig d’Isabel II 14 (93 319 30 33
/ 93 319 29 50 / www.7puertas.com). Metro Barceloneta.
Open 1pm-1am daily.
Without doubt, this is the city’s most famous
temple to the paella, and there is always a queue of
hungry pilgrims outside. Despite its popularity, Set
Portes has managed to maintain the quality of its seafood
and rice dishes, although the vastness of the place
can be offputting - as can the house pianist playing
Three Times a Lady on the baby grand.
Suquet de l’Almirall
Passeig Joan de Borbó 65 (93 221 62
33). Metro Barceloneta.
Open 1-4pm, 9-11pm Tue-Sat; 1-4pm Sun.
There is a pretty terrace but it’s almost a shame
to miss the cosy ochre interior decorated with aquarelles
of wonderfully po-faced fish. The best way to eat here
is to try one of the set menus, which include a seven-course
sampler, the ‘blind menu’ of seven tapas
and a rice dish, or the light pica-pica with tomato
coca bread, red pepper escalivada with anchovies, battered
cod croquettes, fried fish, a huge bowl of steamed shellfish,
rock-salted king prawns, and a knockout fideuà
with lobster.
Torre de Altamar
Passeig Joan de Borbó 88 (93 221 0007).
Metro Barceloneta.
Open 8.30-11.30pm Mon; 1-3.30pm, 8.30-11.30pm Tue-Sat.
Spiked on the top of the cablecar tower, at the top
of a dizzying 75-metre lift ride, this wildly fashionable
restaurant has spectacular views and assimilates all
that is currently hip (Shanghai Lil and Twiggy do Blade
Runner) but the steeply priced food - a fairly limited
selection of fish and seafood - is less impressive.
The average customer, a mobile-wielding uptowner, notices
neither that the food could be better nor that the view
could not.
Xiringuitó Escribà
Litoral Mar 42, Platja Bogatell, (93 221 07
29). Metro Ciutadella-Vila Olimpica.
Open June-Sept 1-4.30pm, 9-11pm daily; Oct-Mar 1-4.30pm
Tue- Sun.
Smack on the beach and with excellent food, this would
be heaven but for the unpredictable service. The specialities
are rice dishes and fideuà, with wonderful starters:
a warm salad with tender partridge escabeche, for example,
or young artichokes with scallops and baby broad beans.
The desserts are spectacular if you have the patience
of Job.
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