Los Caracoles

Restaurant

Los Caracoles
Calle Escudellers 14
08002 Barcelona
Spain

Phone 93 302 31 85

Overview

As noted earlier, Eva and I went to Barcelona the other week for a well earned holiday. Despite being on holiday, we managed to continue on our mission to seek out new dining experiences and tried out a number of very enjoyable restaurants and eateries.

One of these being Los Caracoles (The Snails), a marvellous grill restaurant (famed for its spit roast chickens which can be seen roasting, against a large vertical barbecue, through the front window) situated near La Rambla.

Ambience

Los Caracoles is a family (Bofarull) run restaurant established in 1835.

The restaurant was a hive of activity, the cooking being done "open plan" so you can see as you enter the restaurant the chefs labouring over the wood fired barbecues.

There are several rooms in the restaurant, we were taken to one away from the barbecue area. The restaurant is decorated in light colours, with numerous photos of Spanish celebrities who have dined there adorning the walls. Cured hams hung from the ceiling.

Menu

The menu offered an excellent selection of steaks, chicken, seafood dishes and roast suckling pig.

Service

The service was very friendly and efficient, the menu was in English and the staff spoke English.

We were made to feel welcome.

Food

I started with the selection of cold meats, which was a mouthwatering array of chorizos and hams. The bread rolls that came with it were rather amusing,as they were shaped like snails

Eva decided to save herself for her main course which was a paella. This was a very fine dish indeed, containing a variety of seafood; clams, mussels and squid served in a bed of rice which had been cooked in a fish stock.

The taste was well balanced and not overpowering, and the fish were fresh and not overcooked. Eva was well pleased with her choice.

I had a sirloin steak for my main course. This was a very fine cut of meat, rich, thick and with just the right amount of fat to add flavour. The steak was succulent and tender, just right. It was served with French fries, grilled pepper and a grilled tomato.

The meal, which included a bottle of good bottle of Albario Pazo De Barrantes and a very good measure of cointreau, came to 88Euros before service.

Overall Opinion

A fine restaurant, which we will visit again when we return to Barcelona.