Just one week in Spain brought its cuisine to the top of my most favourites of all time. That's understandable, given that it is the country that invented culinary foams and spheres, and home to some of the top restaurants in the world e.g. El Cellar de Can Roca. But to score an entry meant I had to go back one year in time to reserve it. I also really wanted to get tickets for Albert Adria's Tickets. Both were impossible to get in.
Thank goodness there were some really good restaurants that just required me to book a few days in advance. When I reached Arume restaurant and saw the long waiting line, I was delighted with my own foresight.
Spanish cuisine is regional in nature and
Wikipedia does a decent job summarizing it. Arume is based on Galician cuisine and it brought the coastal Galicia to Barcelona with its rich flavours and seafood. We inhaled the
crispy octopus that's cooked to perfection, with the paprika mayo and lime adding zest to the sweetness of the octopus. We did not regret ordering the
duck paella over the seafood paella. Best paella ever. The duck was moist, tender, and the rice was soaked with so much flavors and cooked to the right texture - neither too mushy nor dry. We were told the
blackberry mojito is a must and indeed it was - icy, fruity with a fiery kick.
We really love Arume's cosy atmosphere which had an element of quirkiness. The praise was certainly not because of what we saw in a man-made well near the restroom. Thank you Arume for making this one of the memorable highlights of our trip.
Crispy octopus, potato foam, paprika mayo and lime (€ 13.5)
Duck paella rice with Padrón peppers (€ 16.5)
Blackberry mojito (€ 8)
They'll throw you in a well if you don't like their food.
Address: Carrer d'En Botella, 11-13, 08001 Barcelona, Spain
