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On the Menu…Barcelona Gastronomic Festival – Passeig de Gourmets 2019

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If you plan on being in Barcelona from March 14-24, 2019, be sure to check out the 2nd annual Passeig de Gourmets food festival.

The 10-day event will feature gastronomic events at 20 acclaimed local establishments, including Michelin-starred restaurants and top hotels. Choose from Gourmet Experiences, such as wine tastings, cooking sessions, and a cocktail making demo with a mixologist from the Claris Hotel. You can even learn how to fry an egg 1001 ways.

The Ruta de Platillos (small plates tour) consists of 13 restaurants that are each offering a small dish paired with a glass of beer, wine of Cava, and the Tasting Menu features specially designed tasting menus at a variety of restaurants.

For more info – https://passeigdegourmets.com/en/

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On the Menu…El Cocinillas, Madrid (Spain)

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El Cocinillas is a charming and inviting neighborhood restaurant that is tucked away on a winding cobblestone street in Madrid’s hip and trendy Malasaña neighborhood. As you walk by the large picture windows you will be drawn in by the casual and chic decor, with white painted brick walls, wood furnishings and crisp white linen tablecloths.

Chef Julián Lara traded in his career in interior design, which no doubt contributed to the restaurant’s welcoming and cozy interior, to dedicate himself to his true passion for food. The menu he created at El Cocinillas draws from a number of Mediterranean influences beyond his native Spain, including Italian, French and Moorish cuisine. Some of the dishes offered include eggplant with mozzarella gratin and tomato sauce that is light and delicious, delicately cooked cuttlefish over an avocado timbal, homemade meatballs with a Sicilian caponata sauce, chicken tagine served over couscous with confit lemon and olives, cannelloni filled with braised oxtail and pecorino cheese, mussels in curry sauce, and cod served over a confit of red peppers and tomatoes. And be sure to leave room for dessert, as you wouldn’t want to pass on the creamy rice pudding, tasty tiramisu, or decadent dark chocolate cake, all of which are prepared with the same refined touch as the savory dishes.

Diners will find it hard to choose between the many delicious dishes offered at El Cocinillas. While many of them seem simple and traditional, the secret is that the kitchen is turning out dishes that are delicately prepared using the freshest ingredients, and at a price point that represents true value for money. Appetizers range from €9.50 – €13, entrees range from €13.50 – €21, and desserts are €5, which means that for around €30 you can enjoy a true dining experience at this little gem of a restaurant located in the heart of one of Madrid’s hippest neighborhoods.

  • San Joaquín, 3
  • Madrid, Spain
  • Phone: +34 (91) 523 29 60
  • Website:  El Cocinillas

Photo credit: El Cocinillas

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On the Menu…Quimet y Quimet, Barcelona (Spain)

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Still going strong over 100 years after first opening its doors, Quimet y Quimet is a Barcelona institution. If the line out the door indicates anything, it’s that this is one of the tapas bars in Barcelona that is not to be missed. Despite being a standing room only place that can fit 15-20 people at a time, Joaquim (“Quim”) Pérez continues to welcome patrons to the same establishment that his great-grandfather first opened in 1914 to sell homemade wine.

Located in El Poble-Sec just off the Avenida del Parallel, patrons will find a somewhat quirky tapas bar that specializes in creating the most delicious tapas from “conservas” which are canned foods, including vegetables, seafood and meats. Spain is known for producing some of the highest quality canned food in the world, and the walls inside of the tiny Quimet y Quimet are lined with cans of food and bottles of wine. Diners can select from a wide range of offerings, including a long list of traditional tapas, fresh local cheeses and meats, and over 30 “montaditos”, which are tapas that are served open-face on a piece of bread and are created on the spot.

Once you step into Quimet y Quimet you will feel like you have stepped back in time, as the place has not changed much since it first opened. You can go traditional with your selections, or you can let Quim and his staff create something new for your that will be sure to delight your culinary palette.

  • Poeta Cabanyes, 25
  • Barcelona, Spain
  • Phone: +34 (93) 442 31 4

Photo credit: Quimet y Quimet

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