insideKENT Magazine Issue 86 - May 2019 | Page 136

TRAVEL
48 hours in BARCELONA
CONT.
EAT
Restaurant Paco Meralgo
SEE
La Sagrada Familia
When in Spain there must be Tapas,
and when in Barcelona that must
be at Paco Meralgo.
With a quirky history and name -
a playful take on ‘pa comer algo’ (to
eat something) - derived from the
royal order to serve wine with ‘tapa’,
comes this vibrant authentic tapas
restaurant at the heart of the
upcoming Eixample district. With
its high tables and stools, this social
late night eatery is popular with
locals and visitors alike, who seek
out space on the central marble bar
alongside taste bud tantilising displays of seafood to watch chefs at work creating
simply stunning, feast-for-all-the-senses tapas dishes.
From the ‘Bomba Paco Meralgo’ (big spicy meatball) to the cod fritters, the giant
fresh red prawns fried in garlic to the chicken and ham croquettes and the stewed
oxtail with mash to the spicy patatas bravas, every dish is a demonstration of authentic
and tasty cuisine.
Be sure to also try their renown ‘montaditos’ toasted breads, washed down with a
host of local beers and wines.
Booking is highly recommended.
http://restaurantpacomeralgo.com/en/the-restaurant
[e-mail]
AltaTabernaPacoMeralgo
pacomeralgobcn
DRINK
Dry Martini by Javier de Las Muelas
Since opening its sleek, sophisticated,
speakeasy-esq doors over 40 years
ago, Dry Martini has ensured its
reputation as a cocktail bar of
legend. The old school bar with its
white-coated bartenders gives an air
of science to the art of cocktail
making. The decor is English
Gentleman’s club, leather, wood,
brass and dim lighting. Whilst the
sleek bar houses an original
preserved till, one of only three left
in the world, a ‘Martini Counter’
on the wall detailing the number of
‘proper’ martinis to have been
crafted and an eclectic cocktail menu
which adds a sense of curiosity and
fun to this award winning bar that has featured on the World’s 50 Best Bar list for
the last 7 years, as well as holding the accolades of 6th Best Bar of All Time and 3rd
Best Gin Bar in the World.
Pay homage to its Martinería roots with a classic Dry Martini or mix it up with a
Margarita or Whiskey Sour. The most prominent Roman Catholic Church on the planet and most
visited spot in the city, is as stunning as it is bizarre. Work still continues
on the imposing gothic structure, unfinished due to Antoni Gaudi’s
untimely death, as modern day architects and engineers painstakingly
work to Gaudi’s original plans to complete the unique building which
is now recognised as an UNESCO World Heritage site.
www.drymartiniorg.com Ensure you beat the queues and book tickets online to secure entry
drymartinijdlm
138
Whilst Barcelona is heaving with world-renowned sightseeing
opportunities from the Nou Camp Stadium to Gaudi’s house, Las
Ramblas to the Cathedral; top of the list of things to see just has to be
La Sagrada Familia.
drymartinijdlm
drymartinijdlm
https://sagradafamilia.org