Saborosa

If you had had no preference either way and it was your first time, I'd say go for the tasting menu. But if you don't really feel up for a degustacion then I think you'll be happier a la carte - and CS is not one of those places where it's degustacion or bust. On their current carta I'd recommend the vieiras (scallops) or foie to start and the cochinillo (suckling pig) as a second course. But it's all good! Enjoy!

Other Sunday dining options are discussed here: http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?act=ST&f=38&t=100347 where I recommend Mam i Teca, C/Lluna, Raval, which recommendation I am happy to repeat. I don't think they're closing for August - I seem to remember the two guys who run it, Alfons and Robin, saying they were going to take alternate weeks off so they could stay open. However, this was after dinner, which is not a good time to tell me anything I need to remember.

I ate there last year. We had the 5-course dessert menu and an extra savoury dish (fantastic suckling pig). I loved the range of sharp, bright and intense flavours, interesting combinations of ingredients, beautiful presentation, friendly, efficient and helpful service. My two stand-out dishes: A soup of marialuisa (lemon verbena), green apple, lemon mousse and spiced yoghurt. I found this totally addictive, so refreshing and zingingly tasty, I'd love a bowl every morning to really get me going for the day. A symphony in 'red': an oblong of red wine gelee sat under a tomato sorbet, which was next to raspberry ice cream and strands of wild strawberry marshmallow. A pool of hisbiscus sauce was poured over and clouds of vanilla granita and ice-cream added a dramatic Snow White-style contrast. It looked and sounded too much but it was wonderfully balanced and an intriguing exploration of flavours. One small criticism: I thought the middle courses of the menu were too similar in their combinations of form, texture and temperature, and I thought there was too much ice-cream. I find the very-cold/warm combo slightly taxing. Jordi Butron also managed to produce a chocolate dish I didn't much like - which is almost a miracle - a german black bread cake with a basil-chocolate cream. the cake was too rich for me and i thought the basil didn't do the chocolate any favours. but that's just my personal preference. Overall I would highly recommend a visit unless you hate fruit and veg. Even if you do, it may be worth going - it might change your palate's mind. I'm actually doing a mini-course at the espai sucre school this week. Today's the last day and I have to create my own dessert. Wish me luck!

.. or did you mean gerona?!

Thanks Nathan. I think horsemeat is generally quite popular in Italy, especially cured in various charcuterie. I am more particularly interested in the market in Spain, though. Thanks

Thanks for your replies guys. I read somewhere else that there's a horse butcher in Barcelona near the Sagrada Familia, perhaps on Rossello and Marina? Can anyone confirm it exists, before I trundle over there? (perezosa, eh?) I'm a fan too, because of flavour and its high iron, low-fat content. Also, the animals concerned seem to lead a fairly natural, free-range life before being turned into my burgers (at least according to the lady at my local carniceria de caballo). But if anyone knows better...? I've read comments from owners of a horse sanctuary saying that the horse meat trade encourages the neglect of old horses, but I would have thought the opposite – that a starved horse wouldn't fetch you a good price, and it gives a cost-effective way of getting rid of an old horse. But we're talking here about horses that aren't raised for meat. I'm told by horse butchers that the horsemeat they sell is specifically raised for meat and comes from the Pirineos. Anyone have more info? There seems to be more of a tradition of eating horse in the northern part of Spain - Castilla y Leon, Navarra, Catalaunya. Though Castellon seems to crop up quite a bit, too. Any comments on that, why that might be? Cheers

Hi I'm interested in finding out more about horsemeat, specifically in Barcelona and Catalunya, but also Spain generally. Does anyone here, who lives or has spent any time here, eaten it? Where did you get it from? How was it prepared? Do you know anything about the raising of horses for meat in Spain/Catalunya? Thanks in advance

I'm left today with two large bunches of mint and a large bunch of coriander. And I mean big. More of a bushel than a bunch. It's a common occurrence as they don't seem to sell less than a field's worth at a time here (Barcelona). So I'm looking for suggestions of ways of using them to make something that will keep, that I don't have to eat straight away (as whatever it is, there'll be a load of it). Something along the lines of chutney or pickle. Instructions would be fab, detailed if poss. I'm a pickle novice. Other ideas greatly appreciated too. Also suggestions of the best ways to store these herbs in their fresh state. My current thinking is coriander in water under a plastic bag in the fridge; mint in a dampish tea towel in the fridge. Any comments on these techniques or other suggestions? Thanks in advance

C'mon, you didn't really go to Meson David just for the food. In fact, you can get similar food in maybe 10 other places in the city. It was the atmosphere that made it fun. And the new owners have turned that into the usual tourist trap atmosphere. Moreover, I've been twice since they changed owners (I have friends who own a youth hostel a couple of blocks away), and I do think that the food has gone downhill (not that it was that great to begin with). My two cents: not worth it anymore. ← Yeah, I'd kind of argued myself around to your position by the end of the post.

Meson David has recently changed owners and is not worth the visit. ← While I agree it's not the same, I wouldn't completely condemn it out of hand. While I miss Ramon's joviality and big bellied kisses, and the decor is not the same without the 'painting' of the crying clown adding a melancholy note to the surrounding jollity, the tv's still on in the corner, the food is mostly the same, the prices are still pretty good value and now there are cute dining rooms upstairs (with the added thrill of potentially being trapped up there in a fire - how was this ever passed as up to code? Is there even a code?). Oh and the toilets are positively luxurious in comparison with their previous incarnations (anti-dandruff shampoo for washing your hands, anyone?) Having said that, our own visits are seriously down in number, hmmmm, maybe Silly's right after all.

jamon: spanish, pernil: catalan (ie different words for same thing, not different things) Great, thoughtful, detailed post. Thanks!

The trad ingredients for turron de jijona are almonds, honey, sugar, egg white (you can make it virtually on the turron de jijona website, with a rather suggestive animation of the trad mixing bowl (boixet) and pestle type thing!). So is this just almonds, egg white and sweeteners? Have they added any other additives to correct consistency, for example? I suppose calling it 'crema de turron' gives them leeway to play with it.

One of my favourite recommendations for Sunday is Mam i Teca, which I've mentioned elsewhere in this forum: "Try Mam i Teca C/ Lluna 4, Raval, 93 441 33 35 - a great Sunday option. It's nothing like any of the places you've mentioned, but offers good simple food such as local charcuterie, jamon iberico, and Spanish cheeses, plus home catalan cooking - botifarra and beans, pork confit, meatballs, grilled baby squid or prawns... But the quality ingredients (Joselito ham), decor (chandeliers, citrus colour scheme), interesting wine list, and warm welcome make it a cut above your average barrio bar."

I think that's the artificial sweeteners, I remember seeing similar warnings on some sugar free gums and sweets. Or does the honey make things runny?! (sorry) ← Yes, this is the sugar-free version--it's sweetened with artificial sweeteners, not honey. A lot of turrón (and chocolate) companies put out sugar-free versions. The gold label that the importer put on it is not correct. ← Oh, I assumed they took the sugar out and left the honey in. If there's no honey and no sugar, what's in the damn thing!?

I think that's the artificial sweeteners, I remember seeing similar warnings on some sugar free gums and sweets. Or does the honey make things runny?! (sorry)

Bright colours and patterns may be Spain but they're not that Catalan - the overriding colour here is brown. Although that's more true of the older generation. Barcelona is pretty hip itself, you know - Paris, huh! But really, I don't think she should stress too much - they have it all here: from Williamsburg-style hipsters to bling label-junkies to 'normal' people. But what they almost all are is impeccably groomed, with obsessively well-behaved hair - how do they do it?! I hate them! Sorry, end of the girl talk.

Your recipe looks great hathor, and turron icecream is quite fashionable in the restaurants here so you're thinking alike with some great minds. It's also being made into soups and sauces to accompany savoury dishes. But as Raisab says it's traditionally just meant to be eaten as it is. There are two main types - the soft jijona (or xixona) one you have and the alicante style which is hard, more like a nougat. You can get more info here http://spanishfood.about.com/od/dessertssweets/a/turron.htm The company that makes the El Lobo brand has a turron museum in Jijona, if any obsessive fan happens to be passing! I'm wondering why you've bought the sugar free version, was that intentional? I wonder how it affects the flavour and texture? Even with less or no 'sugar' it's still pretty calorific and not good for diabetics, and I'm not a big fan of artificial sweeteners. Personally, I'd rather eat the sugar version in smaller quantities. But that's just me!

Easiest way to Sant Pau is train - Trains leave Barcelona Sants station at 12.13 (arrives 13.11), 12.43 arrives 13.41, 13.13 arrives 14.11, 13.23 arrives 14.27, 13.42 arrives 14.46, 13.54 arrives 14.59. Returning from Sant Pol 15.00, 15.17, 15.30, 15.47, 16.00, 16.17, 16.30 etc etc. The train web site is www.renfe.es. The line from Barcelona to Sant Pol is a Cercanias line. Leave the station and turn left on C/de la Nou and Sant Pau is a few yards dow the road on your left. Reservations for Cal Pep or Inopia or Euskal Extea? Cal Pep - most people say it's best to sit at the bar, for which you can't reserve and I agree. Inopia - they do have a small area for reservations but again I'd do the walk in/stand up/sit on stool thing. Euskal Etxea - stand up at the front is for pintxos (basque things-on-bread snacks), the dining room is for full meals, which I haven't tried, so I can only recommend the pintxos - and I'm assuming that's what you want to come here for, anyway? Hope this is of some help!

Sanghay ← Ah, you did mean Shanghai! bah, thought it was something new - got me going!

Any more info on Sanghay?

Maybe there aren't any left now, but we used to have a sweetshop near my old house when I was a child in Chester. (I do have false memories – "I didn't say that…" "I did the washing up every day last week" – but that ain't one of them.) It was the whole works: bell on the door, big jars behind the counter, sugar and liquorice in the air... It's now a posh Spanish deli and wine shop. What does that tell you?!

Sorry, Spanglish! Well, the edges are rather fuzzy but, to me, tapas are small portions of snacky dishes (pintxos, pimientos padron, cheese, charcuterie, small dishes of fried fish, or small portions of dishes such as stews, paella, etc), often eaten standing up, with a few glasses, and probably with friends. Whereas what Pinotxo dishes out are the equivalent of a 'main course', eating sitting down. Having said that, however, you could share a plate of clams and beans or cap i pota between a few people, and they do indeed do sandwiches, plates of seafood a la plancha etc. So, like I say, the distinctions can be a bit blurred!

I think the latter guy looks just like Obelix! It's like he just walked off the page! It is a great bar. I love their cheese plates.

Bar Pinotxo is more of a place for plates rather than tapas. As are Universal, Quim and Central, also in the Boqueria. Go there for breakfast. Jamonisimo has a sit-down tasting room (tiny though) offering a tasting of three hams from the different DOs (Guijuelo, Huelva, Extremadura) and another of ham from the three parts of the same leg which I describe using the technical terms of 'top' (from the front of the leg, 'maza'), 'bottom' (the back of the leg, 'mazilla', which is where you usually start cutting a leg first) and 'stump' ('punta', the top of the thigh). I would think they should have enough English to understand what you want. But I'll happily come translate in exchange for some ham! As Silly points out, it is pricey. BryanZ, I appreciate you want to make the most of your time and you're trying to squeeze in a lot of eating, but I think wandering around lost and seeing what you find is one of the best things to do in BCN! But if you do want to plan, bcn.es/guia is a decent online searchable map, with some restaurants marked (though the info given about them is sparse). There's a flash version http://www.bcn.es/guia/guiabcn/catala/guia_bcn.htm, but it's a bit slow. (By the way, carrer means street). Oh, and Silly, I don't think Plaza de la Revolucio de Setembre de 1868 is the kind of numbered street Bryan was thinking of

A couple of reasonably priced (100 euros or less) 'stylish' hotels for you: http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/guidevenu...rket_Hotel.html In the Sant Antoni area, next to the Raval, near the Sant Antoni food market, which is a bit like a mini Boqueria, but without the tourists. The cafe inside the market does good Catalan homecooking usually. The hotel is part of the Quinze Nits restaurant chain. Friends have enjoyed the hotel's restaurant, but I have to say I'm a bit suspicious of the places in this low-price chain. http://www.timeout.com/barcelona/guidevenu..._Orientals.html In the Born, which is a pretty good place to base yourself in.