Espana 1 - First Nights in Barcelona

I arrived in Barcelona and took the train to my friend Diana's house in Gracia, Barcelona. Despite my massive jetlag, after a nap Diana, her roommates and myself proceeded to drink wine and go to a club...until 7am. This rite would be repeated several times in the following weeks.

In the day or two before I left to meet my fellow Backroads employees for the staff ride Diana and I explored the city: Parc Montjuic, Barceloneta and the port, the ramblas, the Boqueria market. Lots to see and do. Here are a few highlights.

Dinner at "Petra"

Diana had heard of a small restaurant in the Borne neighborhood that was meant to have affordable eats to die for. Boy was she right.

We showed up at 9:15pm for dinner, it having opened at 9pm, and the place

was already full. We snagged the last table for two. The decor is simple, creative and fun. The ceiling lamps are adorned with forks and spoons and the menus are located on wine bottles sitting on your table when you arrive.

A bottle of house wine, a salad, and two main courses were 33Euro. That's unheard of around here so far as I can tell.

The Salad: Ensalada de Queso de Cabra, Pina y Nueces. A delicious mix of fresh greens, a generous portion of goat cheese, juicy chunks of pineapple and walnuts to finish it off.

The Main Courses: Pato con grusella y rucula. A leg of duck over a bed

of spicy arugula. The duck itself was tasty but it was served with a sauce that was a little overbearing and resembling bubblegum. I took the duck out of the sauce and ate the meat, wrapping each bite in a warm and gooey bit of arugula. Flavor country.

Hamburguesa con brie y mermelada de tomate: A bun-less hamburger with a massive hunk of brie sitting atop. Served with a sweet tomato jelly that complimented the brie.

Aside from the food the setting was perfect. A small restaurant, full of people talking but not at all too loud. A good 'evening in Barcelona' energy about the place. The service was fantastic. That's saying a lot considering how many of the servers in this city seem to have a not so secret disdain for tourists.

Get there, and make a reservation if you're smart.