PRICE:
Frommer's Exceptional

Although the competition is strong, this classic marisquería consistently puts Barcelona's finest seafood on the table. Much of the allure comes from the attention of the white-jacketed staff. You can eat at the bar. Or, if you venture to the rear, you'll find a series of attractive dining rooms noted for the ease with which business deals seem to be arranged during the lunch hour. International businesspeople often rendezvous here, and the king of Spain is sometimes a patron. Menu items include fresh seafood prepared in a glistening modern kitchen visible from parts of the dining room. The establishment prides itself on its fresh and saltwater fish, clams, mussels, lobster, crayfish, scallops, and several varieties of crustaceans -- such as percebes (goose barnacles) -- that you may have never seen before. Stored live in holding tanks or in enormous crates near the entrance, many of the creatures are flown in daily from Galicia, homeland of owner Moncho Neira. With the 100 or so fish plates, the menu lists only four or five meat dishes, including three kinds of steak, veal, and a traditional version of pork with turnips. The wine list offers a wide array of cavas from Catalonia and highly drinkable choices from Galicia, in particular the highly regarded Albariño white.

Copyright: Excerpted from Frommer's Barcelona, 2nd Edition, (c) 2008, Wiley Publishing, Inc.

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