| | |  Entertainment | Restaurants & Dining 
Barcelona Tapas for Lunch
 Gary R. Beck - PVNN
June 18, 2010
| | Open for lunch and dinner, Barcelona Tapas is located at Matamoros & 31 de Octubre in downtown Puerto Vallarta, México. For more information or reservations call (322) 223-0831. | |
During a recent evening at Barcelona Tapas, we learned from our server that this favorite place is open for lunch. What an opportunity to gather and share tapas with the backdrop of the skyline and vista of Puerto Vallarta and the bahía far below. This was a must-add to our culinary list.
The tapas experience is characterized by sitting down, ordering a beverage, perusing the large menu of small and large plates, with each person choosing one and then adding a few more so the food flows a-plenty. Then, plate by plate, the dishes arrive and are passed around the table. One taste and flavor is supplemented by the following new compositions.
Quoting the restaurant's website: "The original tapas were the slices of bread that sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses between sips. This was a practical measure meant to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry. But soon, enterprising bartenders were putting small snacks on the bread, and the lowly tapa - derived from the word tapar, (to cover) - became as important as the sherry."
One choice which all guests insisted upon is the dates wrapped in bacon and served on a light red bell pepper purée and chile oil. They were munched so quickly, we instructed our server to bring another plate. This was but the beginning of a rich, exciting journey.
Barcelona Tapas' offerings are so wide and taste-tempting one can barely choose. Tapas include layered thick beet slices with goat cheese, sautéed calamari plates and tentacles and sizzling spicy shrimp with garlic slices, best served on the lovely toasted bread.
There are larger plates for diners desiring one item per person. Size portions may be adjusted to the number of guests. Paella Mariscos [ordered for 5] was so enormous we all stared for a while before sampling. The base, a saffron arborio rice, was perfectly prepared. The serving bowl was topped with a myriad of fish and shellfish, mainly shrimp, fish fillet, calamari and mussels.
To complete the pleasurable trip through Spain, one needs to stop at the ice cream option. All helados are house made with fresh fruit and ingredients, most definitely employing a rich heavy cream in the process. One perennial favorite is the coconut-pineapple version.
Special daily promotions are being offered. Monday shrimp dishes are 1/2 price; Tuesday and Thursday menu is 1/2 off; Sunday paella plate is only $99 pesos! Consider organizing a group of friends for a trip up the staircase into the sky. The view is barely surpassable, the food memorable.
Open for lunch and dinner, Barcelona Tapas is located at Matamoros & 31 de Octubre in downtown Puerto Vallarta, México. For more information or reservations call (322) 223-0831 or visit BarcelonaTapas.net.
 After 20 years in the San Francisco restaurant business, Gary R. Beck turned his attentions to cooking, dining out, creating recipes and exploring Puerto Vallarta's rich array of eateries. Famous for his restaurant guide, available online at CafePress.com or Lulu.com, Gary also writes restaurant reviews for Puerto Vallarta newspapers, Bay Area magazines, and now, a feature column for BanderasNews.com. Contact Gary at garyrbeck1(at)yahoo.com.
Click HERE for more articles by Gary R. Beck. |
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