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| Restaurante Viana on Carrer Vidre |
So we decided to go to a real restaurant. I wanted to try Restaurante Viana. It was the #2 (out of 7,151) ranked restaurant in Barcelona, but it was affordable price-wise. I was afraid to go because the reviews all said reservations were essential. It is intimate.
We got a seat, initially, in the bar area, across from the very well-stocked bar. The food was SO worth squeezing into this place to get to eat.
This was the complimentary pre-appetizer dish that they brought us. It was very good, Very fresh. It was a little wrap, with some fresh vegetables (heart of palm?) and some blackberry syrup drizzled in.
We then got moved to a table. I could see the little kitchen in the back.
Then it was time for my real appetizer. Carpaccio de Presa Iberica con Virutas de Provolone. Translation: Iberian Pork Carpaccio with Provolone Shavings. I was scared to order this. I'm no gourmet but my understanding is that "carpaccio" refers to extremely thinly cut RAW meat. The waiter (who I later found out was the co-owner) insisted that it would be good.
He was right. It was incredible. Raw pork. Sliced extremely thin. Topped with provolone shavings, yes, and radish slices and little tiny tomatoes. So, yes, I ate raw pork for my appetizer.
The bar was very well-stocked for a tiny restaurant.
Then came the main course.
Merluza de Pincha con Salsa Naranja Sanguina y Chips de Espinacas y Yuca. Atlantic Hake with Blood Orange Sauce and Spinach and Yucca Chips. Oh. My.
The hake was cooked perfectly. Thorough, but not dry. The yucca chips held their crunch throughout the eating and totally worked as a topping to this dish. Best of all, the blood orange sauce overpowered the hake, which was an absolutely awesome thing to have happen. The blood orange sauce was absolutely completely delicious. I could put that sauce on chicken, or fish, or shrimps, every day for the rest of my life and die a very very contented man.
For dessert? Because you have to have dessert after a meal this delicious.
La Torrija (Muy) Especial de la Casa con Helado de Vanilla. Our Very Special House Torrija with Vanilla Ice Cream. It's basically bread pudding (which I know I should not have but come on it's the last day of vacation) with a scoop of ice cream. But it was SO much more.
Other dessert options looked equally delicious. This was the cheesecake. Served in a jar! And topped with a berry mousse.
The meal ended with a complimentary shot of a drink made with chocolate and cherry. Maybe chocolate liqueur and a cherry syrup. I don't know. It was incredible. Dinner for two was about 60 euros, including a lone glass of the house red wine, for an incredible awesome artisanal gourmet meal.
I highly recommend Restaurante Viana when you are in Barcelona, which I have thoughtfully embedded their webpage as a hyperlink. And not just because the waiter-owner Ruben used to be a lawyer and got out of the law business to feed people like me very delicious gourmet food at mid-market prices.
All good things must come to an end. As must this meal. As must this trip to Barcelona.
Walking back to the hotel, near the top of Las Ramblas, I finally found the legendaery Font de Canaletes.
The legend is that he who drinks of the waters of Font de Canaletes will return to Barcelona.
Here is the Font de Canaletes under the Super Moon, which, had not yet turned into the Blood Super Moon. But, before I left to end this trip, did I drink of the waters?
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