SPAIN - Best of Europe 2014 - page 1494

Bakery: Baluard, one of Barcelona's most highly regarded artisan bakeries, faces one
side of the big market hall in the center of Barceloneta. Line up with the locals to get a loaf
of heavenly bread, a pastry, or a slice of pizza (Mon-Sat 8:00-21:00, closed Sun, Carrer del
Baluard 38, tel. [phone]).
Budget Meals Around Town
Bright,clean,andinexpensivesandwichshopsproudlyholdtheculturallineagainstthefast-
food invasion that has hamburgerized the rest of Europe. Catalan sandwiches are made to
order with crunchy French bread. Rather than butter, locals prefer tomàquet (a spread of
crushed tomatoes). You'll see two big local chains (Bocatta and Pans & Company) every-
where, but these serve mass-produced McBaguettes ordered from a multilingual menu.
I've had better luck with hole-in-the-wall sandwich shops—virtually as numerous as the
chains—where you can see exactly what you're getting. Kebab places are another good,
super-cheapstandby;you'llseethemallovertown,offeringaquickandtastymealforabout
€3-4.
A Short, Sweet Walk
Letmeproposethisthree-stopdessert(or,sincetheseplacesclosewellbeforethetraditional
Barcelona dinnertime, a late-afternoon snack). Start with a chunk of torró or a glass of or-
xata, thenmunchsome churrosconchocolate, andendwithavisittoafine xocolateria —all
within a three-minute walk of one another in the Barri Gòtic just off the Ramblas (Metro:
Liceu). Start at the corner of Carrer de la Portaferrissa midway down the Ramblas. For the
best atmosphere, begin your walk at about 18:00 (note that the last place is closed on Sun).
For locations, see the map on here .
Torr at Casa Colomina: Walk down Carrer de la Portaferrissa to #8 (on the right). Casa
Colomina, founded in 1908, specializes in homemade torró (or turrón in Spanish)—a vari-
ation of nougat made with almond, honey, and sugar, brought to Spain by the Moors 1,200
yearsago.Threedifferentkindsaresoldin€8-12slabs: blando,duro, and yema —soft,hard,
and yolk (€2 pre-wrapped chunks on the counter). In the summer, the shop also sells ice
creamandtherefreshing orxata (or horchata, adrinkmadefrom chufa nuts—a.k.a.earthal-
monds or tiger nuts). Order a glass and ask to see and eat a chufa nut (Mon-Sat 10:00-20:30,
Sun 12:30-20:30, tel. [phone]).
Churros con Chocolate at Granja La Pallaresa: Continue down Carrer de la Porta-
ferrissa, taking a right at Carrer Petritxol to this fun-loving xocolateria . Elegant, older
ladies gather here for the Spanish equivalent of tea time—dipping their greasy churros into
pudding-thick cups of hot chocolate (€4.50 for five churros con chocolate ). Or, for a more
local treat, try an ensaïmada (a Mallorca-style croissant with powdered sugar) or the crema