http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/ Welcome to Been there. Your tips on the places you know - that you love, live in or have just visited - are what make this guide. http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34017 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/34017 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32839 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/32839 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31554 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31554 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31545 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/31545 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30958 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30955 Following a fast disappearing tradition, Ponsa offers certain dishes on certain days:
stew on Mondays, a warming escudella on winter Tuesdays, paella on Thursdays…
You’ll also find the entire range of classic Catalan staples on the menu, fricandó braised steak with wild mushrooms, squid in batter, pigs trotters, kidneys, canalons, white beans and sausage, steak, fresh fish, crema catalana, curds and pastries.
It’s not at all unusual to see the heart-warming sight of three generations sitting down to Sunday lunch together, sharing food lovingly cooked in the traditional way.
As an additional bonus, Ponsa has kept its original decoration: simple, elegant and
comfortable.
Dolors presides over the dining room with a fine and friendly style.
Don’t miss it.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30955 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30953 The veal used is produced bio-dynamically, that is slowly and naturally in the rich, green pastures of L’Espunyola in the Pyrenees foothills. The animals are fed organically and given none of the hormone and antibiotic treatments common in industrial stock raising. The chicken is also free-range and fed naturally. Both are bought direct from the suppliers.
El Filete Ruso also tries to ensure all food and other supplies have the minimum carbon footprint by sourcing as much as they can from as near as possible.
There are thirteen kinds of hamburger: the more common variations of veal and bacon, cheese and so on, and some very unusual ones such as veal, wild mushrooms, wild asparagus and brie, or the vegetarian white beans, rice, mushrooms, tomato and lettuce. There is a wide selection of garnishes including caramelised onion or tomato, onion rings, roast potatoes with allioli.
Owners Alex and Claudio will be happy to suggest interesting combinations.
The low wooden tables are pleasantly comfortable, but most people prefer to eat
outside, if they can. Heaters will keep you warm if it’s unseasonably chilly. Well worth a visit.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30953 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30834 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30725 Tapas tend to be quite simple, cheeses, cured Iberian meats and ham and high quality tinned stuffs (tuna, sardines, shellfish).
And of course top ranking croquetas with extraordinarily crisp coatings surrounding smooth, flavourful yet subtle fillings.
The cod variety is a smooth mousse of cod and creamy béchamel – a delight. The Gruyere and Parmesan cheese ones defy description.
Delicious with a glass of Barcelona’s traditional beer, Moritz, and especially Epidor, the dark double-malt ale also made with water brought from Montseny mountain.
The restaurant is rightly popular and serves fine food; the lamb is highly recommendable and so is the fresh seafood. There’s a good selection of mid-priced range wines. Service is friendly and efficient.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30725 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30724 Massive and misshapen, these authentic croquetas bear little resemblance to those industrial cylinders facetiously served as the real thing in unsavoury bars devoted to tricks on travellers.
Jaime’s octogenarian mom spends a couple of hours separating and shredding the ingredients, mixing them with a thick béchamel and coating them in crumbs.
Anyone wishing to experience the genuine traditional croqueta should drop in, order a couple and wash them down with a bottle of Moritz, Barcelona’s original beer.
Moritz appeared in 1856, disappeared in the late nineteen seventies and has now made a triumphant reappearance. Its distinctive yellow and blue label, fine graphic design and superb marketing knock the hell out of Estrella Damm’s pretentious efforts to be trendy. The beer’s great, too; Moritz brings spring water from the Montseny massif and uses only the finest hop flowers in its fermentation. The beer tastes fresh, clean and delicate.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30724 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30720 As the name suggests, several varieties of cupcakes figure largely on the menu, alongside traditionally popular breakfast favourites such as toast, ham and other freshly made sandwiches.
All products are freshly handmade using the finest natural ingredients and there’s a strict no additives policy.
Coffee is 100% organic and the baristas are all qualified by the Specialty Coffee Association of Europe, guaranteeing you a first class café con leche.
Cup and Cake has no terrace but there are cushions on a bench just by the window where you can enjoy your coffee and the bright Barcelona mornings.
Inside, the décor is a quaint mixture of odds and ends with a welcoming, informal feel.
Cup and Cake is open for breakfast and tea but closes at lunchtime.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30720 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30682 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30682 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30679 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30679 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30425 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/30425 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29285 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/29285 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25556 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/25556 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24173 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/24173 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23819 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23819 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23228 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23228 http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23173 It's a cosy trattoria and if you want to try an authentic Italian risotto, this is a place to choose.]]> http://www.ivebeenthere.co.uk/tips/23173