Skip to main content

Barcelona Tavern


If you're a bit lost, start HERE

One of the best part of summer is the parties; birthday and otherwise. One such party brought me to Barcelona Tavern, a Mediterranean tapas and casual dining spot in the heart of downtown. 

501 8 Ave SW, Calgary
$$$**

This place has never really popped on my radar, my assumption being that it was one of a number of interchangeable tapas places on Stephen Avenue, but I was surprised and delighted by the food. 

One is amazing, the other one is red

The wife and I were here for a massive birthday party, so we went in on these together. We LOVED the Calamari (Avocado Salsa Verdé, Romesco Sauce, Sweet Spanish Onion), but what set this dish apart was the avocado sauce. the red pepper sauce was pretty straight forward, but the avocado had a delightful limey zip to it that really tempered the fried squid of it all.


The only cross sections I care about

The Messi burger (8oz Wagyu & Chorizo, Crisp Spanish Onion, Bacon) we split was amazing. The chorizo really adds a depth the the burger that you can't find in plain beef, and half was more than enough. 

Even though it doesn't resemble my usual haunts, Barcelona Tavern is a pretty safe bet, with something to please everyone in a 20+ birthday party.

I'm headed on a Super Secret Food Trip, so there won't be a post next week, but you can keep up with my exploits on Instagram @tallblondehungryyyc
Happy Eating! 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

MARKET Restaurant

If you're a bit lost, start  HERE I'm back! This summer has been a hurricane of fun, and with that hurricane blew in some AMAZING food. One of my favourite discoveries of the summer has been MARKET Restaurant! MARKET Restaurant 17th Ave SW Calgary, Alberta $$$** Even thought it's situated right on the busy 17th Ave thoroughfare, MARKET feels like a hidden gem. It's focus on local, sustainable food and in-house preparation makes it one of the most wholesome dining experiences I've had yet. They make their own cheese, cure their own meats, and harvest from their own internal garden to craft some incredible dishes.  The neat thing is that none of this is apparent unless you go looking for it. From their social media presence to their waitstaff (who are amazing), the focus seems to be on the food itself, with the story and philosophy of it's sustainable initiatives only coming in on the official website for the restaurant.  BUT ANYWAYS The...

Hey There!

Welcome to Tall, Blonde, and Hungry. Lets get to know each other. I'm Jayme. I'm tall, blonde, and very hungry. I moved to Calgary in August of 2016, and I relished being able to eat at so many amazing places. I have a great joy for good food, and being in Calgary has fed that joy (and hunger) tenfold. As a lactose intolerant, hungry hungry hippo, I believe that food is one of the great joys in life. The flavours, the textures, the simple joy from a good meal is one of the best feelings in the world. I want nothing more than to share that feeling with as many people as possible, be that friends, family or you. Yes you! So join me while I eat my way through YYC, one dairy free bite at a time. Happy eating! Jayme

Portland Part I

If you're a bit lost, start  HERE Over the summer, I was supposed to do a lot of things. I was supposed to climb a mountain (yeah right), work on my writing (ditto), and go to a music festival. The music festival plan went 10 types of sideways, so instead I went to Portland for 4 days to eat my way through America's hipster capital. LET ME TELL YOU I did not want to come home. I may have cried a little upon liftoff. But before all the sadness and goodbyes, I managed to enjoy the city throughly. Rolling in on a balmy August Wednesday, the city welcomed me with open arms. The first thing I noticed about downtown Portland was that the transit system was way better than back home. (thanks Calgary) The second thing I noticed was the food carts.  In a handful of strategic spots downtown, Portland has given an entire city block over to various food carts. I'm talking tacos, shawarma, donair, kebobs, fried chicken, ramen, paleo BBQ, sushi, Cajun cuisine, donuts...