Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
toothpicks. These facilitate their consumption, but serve another important purpose too:
when you're ready to leave, the toothpicks are counted up and the bill presented.
While a
tapa
is a tiny serving, if you particularly like something you can have a
ración
(rations; large tapas servings) or
media ración
(half-rations; smaller tapas servings). Re-
member, that two or three
raciones
can easily constitute a full meal; the
media ración
is a
good choice if you want to experience a broader range of tastes.
In addition to plates displayed on the bar, some tapas venues will also offer hot dishes
fresh from the kitchen. The bar staff will typically go around the bar and see if anyone is in-
terested. If you see something you like, take it!
Other places only bring out hot plates when ordered. Have a look at the menu, which
might be a posted chalkboard listing the day's specials. If you can't choose, ask for
la espe-
cialidad de la casa
(the house speciality), and it's hard to go wrong.
TOP TAPAS PLATES
If you opt fortapes/tapas, it is handy to identify some of the common items:
boque
querrons/b
s/boque
querroneswhite anchovies in vinegar - delicious and tangy
bommbes/b
s/bommbasmeat and potato croquettes
carrxoffes/alc
s/alcacchoffasartichokes
gammbes/g
s/gammbasprawns, either doneal all/al ajillo,with garlic, ora la plantxa/plan-
cha,grilled
navalle
s/navajjasrazor clams
pattattes b
alles/n
s brravaspotato chunks bathed in a slightly spicy tomato
sauce, sometimes mixed with mayonnaise
pop a f
s brraves/p
s/pattattas b
p a feiira/p
a/pulp
ulpo a la g
o a la galle
allegatender boiled octopus with paprika
ttrruit
uita de p
a de pattattes/t
s/torrttilla de p
illa de pattattaspotato-filled omelette; one with vegetables is a
tortilla de verduras
xampiinyons/ch
s/champiiñonesmushrooms
Classic Catalan Cuisine
Traditional Catalan recipes showcase the great produce of the Mediterranean: fish, prawns,
cuttlefish, clams, pork, rabbit, game, first-rate olive oil, peppers and loads of garlic. Classic
