All posts filed under: Barcelona

Top 5 Barcelona Eats + Recipe

Following on from my Barcelona Travel Diary post, check out my Top 5 Eats in Barcelona, plus a recipe for one of my favourite Spanish dishes – paella! BACOA My sister and I love burgers – we are attempting to try every burger place in Auckland, and every time we try a new one, I always ask her “so, how do you like your burger?”, and her reply is always the same – “BACOA is still the best!”. Paired with patatas bravas and a beer in hand, these are some of the best burgers you will ever have. Click here for my review and photo diary of BACOA. Our top choice at BACOA is their Vegetariana burger – the patty is made of chickpeas, sweet corn, baby spinach and red pepper and topped with a spicy tomato chutney and creamed goat’s cheese. Ooh la la! We also loved the Japonesa burger (beef glazed with traditional teriyaki sauce) and the Pollo burger (fresh chicken breast marinated for 12 hours, then chargrilled). Recommended dish: The vegetarian burger… with …

Barcelona Travel Diary

Barcelona is my favourite city to date. It is located on the northeast coast of Spain and is the cosmopolitan and vibrant capital of the Spanish Catalonia region.  I have been twice now and both visits have been fabulous. I love the language, the rich culture, the beautiful scenery and stunning views from attractions all over the city, the relaxed lifestyle (and those siestas come afternoon) and of course, the cuisine! Check out my list below for my favourite things to see and do in Barcelona. In a separate post, I will share my favourite eats in Barcelona, along with a recipe – stay tuned! La Sagrada Família From the age of 13, La Sagrada Familia has been at the top of my travel bucket list. If you are visiting Barcelona, then this is definite MUST do. La Sagrada Familia is the famous basilica designed by the Catalan Spanish architect, Antonio Gaudi, and it is still in construction today, for some 135 years. The estimated completion year is 2026-2028 – wow! Visiting this basilica was a dream. I was …

2016 Foodie Highlights

2016 was a great foodie year! I tried new dishes (at Tiger Burger and Judge Bao), I tried a new food truck (Temaki Truck), there were many foodie events (Auckland Food Show, Taste of Auckland, Seafood Festival, Food Space, streetARTdego and Auckland Night Noodle Markets to name a few), my favourite dessert bar (Miann) opened a second branch and I travelled to many wonderful places (Sydney, Fiji, all around Spain, London, Dublin and Edinburgh). Check out my list below for my 16 favourite foodie highlights of the year. Click the links after each to find out more. Enjoy! From left to right (main image above): Miann This year, Miann opened their second store (YAY) and in my favourite area – Britomart! Just like their Fort Street store, they are selling their beautifully presented gateaux, gelato sticks, macarons and handcrafted bonbons. The point of difference is the larger, brighter and airier space. My favourites so far include their Bombe Alaska dessert, the 55% Itakuja gateaux with dark chocolate, passionfruit, coconut and lime (pictured above) and the peanut butter …

BACOA, Barcelona

BAAAAAAAAAAACOA. Wow. Where do I start… …Imagine a bright sunny day, sitting outside under a few umbrellas, right across from Barceloneta beach. You are with a couple of friends, drinking a few cold beers, and eating your way through Bacoa’s menu – patatas bravas and French fries with spicy sauces and of course, the best burgers you will ever eat. Heavenly… On a recent trip to Barcelona, my sister and I were searching for a particular burger joint. We came across Bacoa by chance and decided to scratch our original idea, because Bacoa really stood out. You order what you want by ticking small boxes on a menu card. You pay at the counter, take your buzzer and your ‘make your own’ cardboard burger holder and then head out to their lovely outdoor area (you can also eat inside, but with Barcelona’s hot and sunny weather, I would recommending sitting outside – great for people watching and also you are right near the beach). The great thing about Bacoa is that you can customise your own burger. You can pick …

Brunch & Cake, Barcelona

A little excerpt on my love for Brunch & Cake in Barcelona… Brunch & Cake, I love you.  Even though I am now on the other side of the world, I still think about your iced coffees with cream on top, your sweet and tropical fruit and I cannot forget, those amazing ricotta pancakes with strawberries, coconut and maple syrup that you served to me on that hot and sticky morning.  Yes, there may have been plastic in my iced coffee the first time I met you, but you apologised and quickly made me another one.  You and all your friends were so friendly and helpful, which is why I had to come back a second time! Every day I miss your wonderful food and drink and I dream about the next time I’ll be in Barcelona, because the first stop will be you, Brunch & Cake, because I love you… Brunch & Cake Carrer Enric Granados, 19, L’Eixample Open Monday to Thursday – 8.30am to 9.30pm and Friday to Sunday – 8.30am to 10pm Perfect for breakfast …