Restaurant: Toto

Toto
C/ Valencia 246 (Eixample Izquierda)
Tel. 934-67 67 29
http://ilovetoto.es/

Toto is right accross the street from Cornelia and next to Crusto bakery. The decoration is really nice and thought through, but I can't help but think that I've seen this style in so many other restaurants in Barcelona in the last 2 years. Surprisingly, the owner of Toto is the same as Crusto's, which explains the excellent bread basket.

While in most Barcelona restaurants all the interesting dishes are on the starters menu and the main courses are just a fill-in, in Toto the main courses are the best part: Heavy meat stews with generous gravies and side dishes, everything well cooked and tender. Perfect food for a cold winter's night!

The staff is very sweet and they clearly want to make the clients feel welcome, but unfortunately fail in their task. Aperitifs come after first course, white wine ordered for first course comes together with the red ordered for the meat etc. Nothing too bad but not correct either for these prices.

Restaurant: La Malandrina

La Malandrina
Carrer de l'Almirall Cervera, 5 (Barceloneta)
Tel: +34-603621939

If you ever crave for a good steak in Barcelona, this Uruguayan restaurant offers an authentic atmosphere and good value for money. The staff is really frendly and with barely 10cm between the small tables you will most probably end up sharing your opinion on the day's meat with the neighbors.

One of the best things about this restaurant is that there are people having dinner already at 19:30. For peak lunch hour or dinner, a table reservation is highly recommended.

E's favorite: Vacio al punto with cream potatoes.

Bar: Barcelo Raval

Barcelo Raval (hotel)
Rambla Raval (Raval)
www.barcelo.com//Raval

Barcelo Raval's roof top offers nice 360 views over Barcelona during summer time:

Brunch: Meatpacking Bistro

Meatpacking Bistro
Travessera de Gracia 52 (w/ Aribau)
tel: 932 008 908
http://www.meatpackingbistro.com/


Very nice setup, ok brunch but must warn you - service is not their strong point.

Brunch: Villa Emilia

Villa Emilia (hotel)
c/Calabria 115 (w/ Diputacion)
tel: 932 525 285
http://www.hotelvillaemilia.com/


Villa Emilia offers extensive weekend brunch: starters, musli, fruits, cheeses & embutidos buffet + main dish from the menu. It also includes wine "buffet". To catch a table, come early (12am:ish) or book in advance.

Restaurant: Ikibana

Ikibana (Japanese-Brazilian)
Paseo de Picasso 32 (Borne)
tel: 932 956 732
http://www.ikibanagastroclub.es/


Japanese-Brazilian? Japanese style food, Brazilian drinks and good relaxed service!
Menu de degustacion recommended.

Restaurant: Indochine Ly Leap

Indochine Ly Leap
c/Muntaner 82
tel: 934 511 796
http://www.indochinebarcelona.com/


Ly Leap offers you oriental atmosphere with very nice food to match it!
Ask one of the tables surrounded by water - and ladies, you might find it bit tricky to get to those tables wearing a skirt...

Bar: La Dolce Vitae

La Dolce Vitae (Hotel Majestic roof top)
Passeig de Gracia 68
Open: summer
http://www.hotelmajestic.es/

Summer night, nice music by the DJ by the pool, good cocktails & view over BCN = La Dolce Vitae

Place: Puro Beach (Mallorca)

Puro Beach
Carre Pagell 1
Mallorca
tel: 971 744 744
http://www.purobeach.com


Looking for a place by the sea to have a coffee after lunch? A place for a nice aperitive? Day by the pool? Lunch by the sea...   well, Puro Beach is THE choice for all of those.

Restaurant: Simply Fosh (Mallorca)

Simply Fosh
Carrer de la Missio 7
Mallorca
tel: 971 720 114
http://www.simplyfosh.com


On holidays and feel like having a GREAT lunch - seek no further and head to Simply Fosh!

Restaurant: Mosquito

Mosquito (dim sum)
c/ Carders 46 (Borne)
tel: 932 687 569
http://www.mosquitotapas.com/


Dim sum, dumplings and good selection of beer - enough said! Do book (well) in advance!

San Carlos - castle (Mallorca)

San Carlos - castle / Museo Historico Militar
Carretera Dique Oeste
Mallorca


San Carlos - castle offers great views to bay of Palma and city itself + lot of cultural activities are organized within it's ground and halls.

Bar: Nicolas (Mallorca)

Nicolas
Plaza del Mercado 
Mallorca
http://www.barnicolas.com/


Our favorite cocktail bar in Palma, nice drinks - great location.

Restaurant: Tapas 24

Tapas 24
c/ Diputacion 269 (corner of Passeig de Gracia)
http://www.tapas24.net/


Carles Abellan's tapas "bar" - same family as Comerc24, but much more relaxed atmosphere.
Bikini (ham&cheese sandwich) is a MUST...
No table reservations, try to come early to catch a table without queueing.

Brunch: Federal

Federal
c/Parlament 39 (close to mercado de Sant Antoni)
tel: 931 873 607
http://www.federalcafe.es/


Brunches have finally landed to Barcelona and Federal is on top of our list.
Saturdays and Sundays packed - come early (11-12am) or be prepared for a wait... but worth it!

Aire de Barcelona

Aire de Barcelona (spa)
Paseo de Picasso 22 (Borne)
tel: 932 955 743
http://www.airedebarcelona.com


Aire de Barcelona is a VERY nice spa, they have 2h turns starting from early morning until mid-night. Do book ahead as it's been quite popular.

Restaurant: Komomoto

Komomoto (Nikkei: Japanese-Peruvian)
c/ Princesa 35 (Born)
tel: doesn't really matter, they don't take reservations

They don't take reservations, so come early (by 9:30pm) or be prepared to wait by the bar with some excellent drinks.

Ceviches are must! (the meat one is also nice) - in addition, go easy on traditional sushi and try the other great stuff on the menu. [they give you the menus and a piece of paper and a pen, then you just mark the numbers of the dishes you want and hand the paper to the staff]

Restaurant: Hotel Maricel (Mallorca)

Maricel (Mallorca)
Carretera de Andratx 11 (Illetas)
tel: 971 707 744
http://www.hospes.com/en/hotel-mallorca-maricel/gastronomy/the-best-breakfast-in-the-world-at-senzone-147.html

"The Best Breakfast in the World" is quite a statement, even more so when it was given to Hotel Maricel by restaurant critics' decision in this year's Madrid Fusion - gastronomic summit. And oh boy does Maricel's breakfast live up to the expectations!!!

Pretty nice view from the breakfast table

Restaurant: Cornelia & Co

Cornelia & Co
c/ Valencia 225 (between Balmes and Rambla Catalunya)
tel: 932 723 956
http://www.corneliaandco.com/

Cornelia is good for breakfast, lunch, dinner or just for a coffee or glass of wine. It's combination of deli, picnic store, cafe and restaurant - and a cheese room just to make sure all fronts are covered!

Bar: Tristan (Mallorca)

Tristan
Puerto Portals, local 1 (Mallorca)
tel: 971 675 547

Tristan is top of the line fine dining restaurant, with prices to match. Have never dined there, as the prices are too high for the stiff atmosphere you get - but they do have a nice lounge/terrace bar!

E enjoying her strawberry-champagne mojito

Tristan is right next to the biggest boats in port

Restaurant: Tempura Ya

Tempura Ya (Japanese)
c/Muntaner 153 (between Corsega and Rossello)
tel: 934 193 182

One of the "historical Japanese restaurants" in Barcelona, not cheap at all but you still get good value for your money as they serve excellent food! Yaki udon is a must for starters. Booking a table recommended.

Verdejo goes well with Japanese food

Restaurant: Flanigan (Mallorca)

Flanigan (Mallorca)
Puerto Portals
tel: 971 679 191



One of the more "relaxed" places to dine at Puerto Portals, Flanigan offers nice atmosphere with good variety of dishes: Mallorcan (tumbet,etc) , but also classics like steak tartar (well recommended!).

Do book in advance and when booking, make sure you want to sit at the terrace. Terrace offers nice view over the harbour.

Restaurant: Senyor Parellada

Senyor Parellada (Catalan)
c/Argenteria 37 (Borne)
tel: 933 105 094
http://www.senyorparellada.com/

Traditional Catalan dishes in a nice atmosphere with a good service, for dinner on Friday or Saturday - do book in advance.

Restaurant: Dolso

Dolso
c/Valencia 227 (close to Rambla Catalunya)
tel: 934 875 964

As the name suggests, known for their desserts - but also serve good creative cuisine. Lunch highly recommended!

Restaurant: L'olla de Sichuan

L'olla de Sichuan (Chinese / HOTPOT ! ! !)
c/Aragon 224 (Plaza Dr. Letamendi)
tel: 935 031 888

After last autumn's trip to China and all the great food experiences from there, hotpot being one of them - it was GREAT to find a hotpot serving restaurant right at your home square!

Very popular among Chinese, which is always a nice sign - and no wonder, hotpot is very good and variety good. Choose the broth flavors (make sure either one of them is hot) and you are set to go. If you like spicy food, ask for some more "picante" sauce to add to your hotpot or just to dip.

Good for lunch, good for dinner!

Our "modest" Sunday lunch

Restaurant: Kin Sushibar

Kin Sushibar
c/Provenca 97
www.kinsushibar.com
tel: 933 630 791

Good variety of sushis, nice atmosphere and ok prices - sounds like a nice place and it is!
Downstairs you feel more like in sushibar, upstairs more like in a restaurant - you choose.

Downstairs

Some of our sushis, upstairs

Bar: Tandem Cocktail Bar

Tandem Cocktail Bar
c/ Aribau 86

This is good old fashion cocktail bar. Excellent classic drinks at ok price - what else can you wish for? Ask a gin tonic and you get a goldfish bowl, superb! Normally it's us and other 50+ dudes, but still the staff is nice and welcoming.

Well, took a while before A dared to go into this bar... talking about mths! Living in gay district of BCN this logo can mean many different things...

Restaurant: Tafi

Tafi (Argentinian)
c/ Corcega 68 (between Entenca and Rocafort)
www.tafi.es
tel: 934 196 930

We have a great Argentinian meatshop at our plaza, they have really good beef - so went there to ask where do they think one can have THE best steak in town. "Easy, in our restaurant - Tafi."

Nothing fancy, but hey - it's all about great, quality steak. Sorry about the pic, couldnät find any decent one (we use the blog to record the contact details for ourselves :).

Barcelona Zoo

Barcelona Zoo
www.zoobarcelona.cat

Not the cheapest retreat with 16EUR per head for adults, but worth your money! Especially the dolphin show was amazing - check timetable from the website. Great plan for a sunny day.

Creps Barcelona

Creps a Barcelona (creps)
www.crepsabarcelona.com
4 locations, we tried the boqueria one

Perfect take-away food: creps, either salty or sweet. One with goat cheese, salad (or was it spinach) and honey was absolutely great! Plus their package for take-away is really handy. Do try when doing your shopping at boqueria - or as a quick snack between some shopping.

Bar: La Bodegueta

La Bodegueta (tapas)
Rambla Catalunya 100
tel: 932 154 894




La Bodegueta is a really nice tapas bar - pop in, have some beer or wine and tapas or two. Perfect stop while shopping around Passeig de Gracia - Rambla Catalunya area!

Restaurant: Il Montello

Il Montello (Italian)
Via Laietana 42
tel: 933 103 526
www.milisa.com

Il Montello belongs to the same group as "Al Passatores" and offers Italian food. Pizzas are very good, but there is something in Bella Napoli (in both of them) that still will remain the #1 place for pizzas for BCNjoy.