Caracoles, one of my new favorite restaurants in Barcelona was recommended to me by a local friend living here in the city. When I first heard about this restaurant I was told that it was not the most luxurious restaurant in the city, but its where the Kings and Queens would go to eat when they wanted to try the world’s best paella.
I have always considered myself a picky eater, one not interested in experimenting with food, especially seafood that still had a head and feet still attached. Little did I know, this restaurant displayed all of their meat right out in the window of their restaurant. My stomach began to churn at the sight of roasting chicken in the window, however, I knew that I had to taste the best Paella the city had to offer. The restaurant was packed and people were bulging out of the restaurant in all directions. The overwhelming scent of fresh cooked food and flavor rushes at you the second you venture inside the restaurant. It was time to order and I knew I had to be a little more selective than the other people joining me for dinner. The entire group ordered the typical seafood Paella consisting of names of fish I had never ever heard of, while I ordered the safety only chicken Paella.
This restaurant had an ambiance that drew me in right away. I had been living in Barcelona for a few weeks now, but I had never been in restaurant that had people playing and singing to Spanish music. I loved the men walking around to each table, dressed in costume and strumming to a local song on their guitar. I was so distracted by the men singing and dancing that I failed to notice a Paella plate that can fit my whole body in it. I was shocked to see the amount of rice and food that this restaurant just brought over to our table. Not only was the presentation of the food incredible, but this Paella experience was very special to me. The rice and flavor was cooked to perfection and I couldn’t have been happier with the way my food tasted. I was surprised that the chicken had some bones left in it, but that didn’t stop me from digging in.
I believe that Caracoles is a very special restaurant found in the city of Barcelona, and one that I probably would not have wandered into on my own. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking to enjoy the local cuisine the city has to offer and an ambiance that fits the food as well. I will never forget my first hand experience of trying Paella- the local food dish of Barcelona, especially from a restaurant that I enjoyed as much as Caracoles.
No comments:
Post a Comment