November 4th, 2009
Sant Antoni Barcelona – An Alternative to Las Ramblas
Any one looking for a little authenticity and local knowledge must stray further afield than the touristy stretches along Las Ramblas. On the surface Sant Antoni, ensconced between the Raval, the Eixample and the Poble Sec, appears like little more than a tired, residential community. Young parents watching their kids as they climb on the monkey bars. Dog lovers of all stripes mooching up and down Avinguda Mistral with their canine companions. A good mixture of long time residents and new arrivals, Catalans and various international contingents. The’hora del vermut’ is a Spanish custom neatly woven into the fabric of normal life in Sant Antoni, 2nd nature to most locals and enthusiastically embraced by many who have made Barcelona their adopted home.
Casa Jacinta ( Tamarit, 154 ; 933 172 059 ) is a giant local favourite. Found across from the Sant Antoni market, a low-key sibling of the Boquera on Las Ramblas, it is a popular meeting place, particularly for the weekend market crowd. The bar prides itself on being an expert when it comes to the’vermouth hour.’ purchasers get to choose from vintage vermouths, vermouth on tap, and wines from acclaimed regions like La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Bierzo. The Spanish have a long-standing love affair with tinned food, but make no mistake – they have zip to do with tuna or corn in a can. A tapa of these fish and seafood delicacies or great Spanish ham are perfect companions to a tumbler of red or white vermouth, served on ice with a piece of orange or green olive.
Casa Jacinta ( Tamarit, 154 ; 933 172 059 ) is a giant local favourite. The bar prides itself on being an expert when it comes to the’vermouth hour.’ customers get to choose from vintage vermouths, vermouth on tap, and wines from commended regions like La Rioja, Ribera del Duero and Bierzo. The Spanish have a long-standing love affair with tinned food, but make no mistake – they have zip to do with tuna or corn in a can. A tapa of these fish and seafood delicacies or great Spanish ham are perfect companions to a tumbler of red or white vermouth, served on ice with a slice of orange or green olive. An impressive spot for delicious food, good portions, good vermouth, all served with a good dose of rock’n'roll and jazz. After two visits, the waiters remember you and then you are part of the family – a large family, given that Bar Ramn draws trustworthy followers from the neighbourhood, the town at huge, even people who have long moved away but make it a point to return each time they are in the city. The tapas ( terribly generous portions which make the term’tapas’ a stretch ) are simple, straightforward, hearty fare : patatas bravas ( roasted potatoes with a side of spicy tomato-almond sauce ), pimientos del padrn ( small, green, spicy peppers ), pulpo a la gallega ( Galician-style octopus ), bombas ( deep-fried dumplings full of potato and beef ), cheese platters, gigantic piles of pan con tomate the way it should be ( bread, crispy on the outside, soft on the inside, topped with excellent olive oil, delicious tomatoes and a touch of salt ).
Whereas superchef Ferran Adri won over food critics with orange foam, his bro, Albert, and his partners turned to their grandmothers’ cooking books. Instead of going the nouvelle cuisine route, they went about recovering old, classic recipes, collecting the very best ingredients and sprinkling them with a hint of imagination. The result : Inopia ( Carrer Tamarit, 104 ; 934 245 231 ; www.barinopia.com ), one of the most celebrated tapas restaurants in Sant Antoni, which even caught the eye of the New York Times. The sole drawback of fame and excellence : the crowds. It becomes very busy, and reservations are only accepted for the restaurant’sone table, which seats twelve and includes a tasting menu. The other option is writing your name on the chalkboard and waiting for a spot at the bar or along one of the long, white, tile ledges.
While superchef Ferran Adri won over food critics with orange froth, his bro, Albert, and his partners turned to their grandmothers’ cookery books. Rather than going the nouvelle cuisine route, they went about recovering old, classic recipes, collecting the best possible ingredients and sprinkling them with a touch of imagination. The result : Inopia ( Carrer Tamarit, 104 ; 934 245 231 ; www.barinopia.com ), one of the most celebrated tapas cafes in Sant Antoni, which even caught the center of the New York Times. It’s tough to go wrong here, every dish is a delight, but their seafood and fish tapas are particularly superb. The sole drawback of fame and excellence : the crowds. It is getting really busy, and reservations are only accepted for the restaurant’s one table, which seats twelve and incorporates a tasting menu. The crowd is colourful enough to provide plenty of entertainment as you wait, and the food and atmosphere at this perfect union of convention and modernity is definitely worth it.
For those of us who call Sant Antoni home, these are all familiar names and faces. Other Barcelonans are making the trip across the city to discover what all the excitement is about and discover a corner of the city that hasn’t lost touch with its roots. And if you’re visiting from out of town and need something off the well trodden path, a spot that’s's still more area than memento stand, it could be a smart idea to search out a little home away from home in Sant Antoni.
Nothing causes you to feel more of a local than staying in your own apartment ( www.bcninternet.com is a safe bet for quality apartments in Barcelona and round the area ), heading to the corner and ordering a tapa of boquerones al vinagre ( fresh anchovies in vinegar ), some olives and a tall glass of vermouth.
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