THE TEMPLE OF THE ROCK MUSIC

You are passing your weekend in barcelona and you feel like dance rock music ,the right place will be Magic Club.

Is a small club located in the Born district just in front of  Parc de la Ciutadella .
There are two dancefloors in both they pass the some music ,you can hear Madonna ,Nirvana ,Gun s Roses.The club attract young crowd and it's not a typical high hells and silk dresse place .
Is open just during the weekend ,the entrance cost 12 euros and include a cerveza, if you like a drink you need to add some more euros . Is started to be packed after 3am, before you can a have a drink in one of the many bars of the surrounding .

Hours. Thu to Sat and holidays eve from 11pm  till   6.00 am

TAPAS MADE FROM THE GRANDMA

Yesterday before to go to the  beach we stopped to Cova Fumada is a small celler located in the middle of  Barceloneta just on the left of the big market.There are no signs over the doors ,so 

you´ll have to look for people waiting outside and follow your nose toward the aromas wafitng out the window from the kitchen.From the moment you come  in you felll  in warm family atmosphere

There are just seven old , marble-topped tables and old pictures of the city around .The kitchen is open and you can see the Grandma still to the stove .They don't have menú but  just a prehistoric blackboard with all the dishes that they serve ,but the waiter will be very  helpful

We start with two bombas(potato croquette with traces of crispy mincemeat ) topped with a alioli and a spicy sauce , be careful of the grade of spiciness you ask .Seems  like that this tapas were invented here by Maria Pla ,grandmother of the current owner in 1950s . Then we had  a  russian salad,nothig special 

Some simple grilled artichoke came after, very tasty .They are specialize in cod and we order it with tomato ,i don't realy like it but this was amazing  ,actualy had a sweety taste .Finish  off with grilled calamari with parsley and garling,impossible to asking something simpler and more complex

For drink we had a quinto of Estrella damm and a jar of wine .

Maybe remain few mythical places like this in barcelona ,some catalan people seated next to us asked some dishes to take away.You can miss this spot if you are in the barceloneta quarter and you like fresh seafood .Be careful they don't acept reserve so if you want to get a table you need to go in a not busy time .

Hours : Day time  Monday to  Friday  9.00 to 15.30 

                            Saturday    9.00 to 13.30 

            Afternoon  Thursady and Friday 18.00 to 22.30 

            Close on Sunday and Bank holiday 

EL MEATBAR

Yesterday I was so eager to go to Bardeni .I heard and read good opinions about it by local people

Let's call it a  Gastrobar , is basically a bar where can seat 10-12 people and there are few more high tables along the wall . Is located near the Sagrada familia ,just beside the restaurant Caldeni owned by the same chef Daniel Lechuga .

There is a small menú with 15 plates all to share and on the blackboard you can see all the dishes of the day .

We opted for a caramelized foie with apple jam over a toasted bread .Was very good and the caramelized crunchy veil make it more interesting 

Then oxtail cannelloni with dry fruits parmantier just so tasteful to clean up the dish with  bread 

After that a spicy steak tartar with his secret dressing ,high recommended for tartar fans  ..and finally arrive the  veal fricando (tipical catalan dish) made in finger food style ,the meat was juicy and melt in the mouth like to order few more 

As ceviche lover I was attracted to try it,but wasn't so amazing as the rest ,served like a veal carpaccio    seasoning  with a lime ,onion and aji amarillo.We match this amazing food with a beer but they also have local wines .

To finish we had a catalan cream  in a foam version ,I prefer the classic one 

In the end was a great experience I reccomande this place to all those people who are by the Sagrada Familia ,but be carefuly  they don´t accepts reservation so the best way to find a seat is to go when they open .

Hours  : Tuesday to Saturday  13:30-15:30  20:30- 22:30

AUTHENTIC BAR EN BARCELONA

Maybe you can pass by and will not realize that is a bar,because is located inside a building  that communicates  San Pere street and Trafalgar ,near the Palau de la Musica .El Bar Pasaje is  a hallway with some old  kiosks  where customers shared the tight corridor with locals residents .
For me it´s a unique ,authentic and unsophisticated place in Barcelona

They serve  cold beer or local vermouth which you can  combine with tapas, homemade sandwiches and empanadas .Every things is very cheap and delicious 

Another aspect  I really  like about this bar is that is always full of locals and neighbors ,you can miss it if you are nearby the Palau de la Musica .

FREE FLAMENCO SHOW

Well if you are in Barcelona on a tuesday night and you don't know what to do, don't worry you are in the city where there is always something to do .

What about a free flamenco show to the Cafe' Royal is a bar near Plaza Real. Start at 11pm and they make 3 shows till 2.30am.  In Cafe' Royal every night there is  something from jam session  to brazilian and latin live music.The entrance is always free

MENU DEL DIA IN FRONT OF THE BEACH

Yesterday was a sunny day , so I decide to go for a nice menú del dia( cheap daily menú)  to Kaiku ,is a restaurant located to the end of Passaige de Joan Borbo`just before the Barceloneta beach  

In the menú del dia you have the option to choose between 3 starters ,3 main courses and deserts. We all opted to start with fideua with squids and mushrooms ,it was so tasty and instead of  a classic alioli sauce they served a mushroom cream .

For main course we  were tempted also for the same dish. Mairas(blue whiting) deep fried over cous cous ,the fish was fresh and full flavoured

At the moment of the deserts the waiter came with  a long list to choose from ,but this time everyone take a different one .We had homemade brownie, red fruits mousse (very refreshing)  and panna cotta with strawberry coulis .No words 

To match this food in the beginning we thought for a glass of white wine ,but the waiter said that if we choose a red we will get a whole bottle and it wasn't a bad idea because it was a little bit fresh and easy drinking .

The most amazing thing is that the menú cost only 11 euros and you are eating just in front of the beach, they have also a nice terrace .I suggest to make a reservation before you go, because is always fully booked .

The restaurant was full of locals  which most of them opted for a la carte menú,because they serve fresh fish from the market and I heard that they make a good paella. The service is very friendly 

                    

Tel: 932 21 90 82

Hours 13:00- 15:30 ,19:00-23:00

LA XAMPANYERIA

Maybe can sounds like a place where you will find some champagne ,but you will able to drink only cava from their own winery Can Paixano .I always go here before 5 pm because you can have a bottle of cava for 4.10 euros after  they serve only glasses  (the cheapest one  cost 0.85 cents).
La Xampanyeria was founded 1969 , is located between Barceloneta metro station and the big post office of Carrer Layetana .

They have 5 kinds of cavas ,from the rosat (rose')to the driest one,with my friends we always go for the rosat because is easy drinking.They don't serve you alcohol unless you order some food ,if not everyone  will come out very drunk .

On the wall you can see what they  offer to eat ,they have differents  bocadillos (sandwiches) made with grilled meat  or  classics with jamon serrano .Also there are differents kinds of tapas: cecina (kind of catalan bresaola ) , cheese in oil and many spanish cured meats.
Every thing is so good and perfect to match with the cava

There are no chairs or table,you just stand, be pushed by people passing by and  throw your trash on the floor (very typical spanish )
Can Paixano offers the opportunity to buy at the store itself, because the   bottom part is like a small shop where you can find a variety of preserves, sausages, cavas and wines
A place to visit  before you go the Barceloneta beach


Adress :Carrer de la Reina Cristina  ,7
Tel.933100839
Closed on sunday