Restaurant BelleBuòn
Where? Restaurant BelleBuòn (Horta-Guinardó, Barcelona, Spain) Map
When? Thursday January 18, 2024
Who? Me
Food Style? Italian
There’s a large Italian expat community in Barcelona, so I’ve heard. Apparently because the Catalan language is so similar to Italian - both being occidental languages and both having the same set of vowels - it’s relatively easy for either community to learn the other’s language. As such, there’s some very good Italian restaurants in the city and though I’ve been here before, I’m keen to try more of their extensive pasta menu. I tried to get a table here last week but they were fully booked and it was too cold to dine outside, but today, it’s 8pm and 16C outdoors, and absolutely pleasant to chill under a marquee on the street outside the restaurant.
Antipasti
Bruschetta Napolitana: toasted bread with tomatoes marinated with garlic, extra virgin olive oil and fresh basil
Holy moly this is a lot of bruschetta. Obviously this is supposed to be shared amongst four people but here I am, by myself, eating a family-sized appetiser. They’re beautifully toasted, and full of delicious olive oil - the real stuff. That basil is very prominent. It’s too difficult to pick up with one hand. I think it could use a pinch more salt, but otherwise this is a fresh, classic way to start an Italian meal. I should use up my basil plant at home by making this. A lot of olive oil has dripped onto the plate, and it’s the perfect dressing for the arugula garnishing the bottom.
Pasta
Scialatielli ai frutti di mare: home made pasta with king prawns, clams, mussels, prawns, cherry tomatoes and garlic
Wow. That intoxicating seafood smell. The heads on the prawns. That perfectly al dente home made pasta. There’s a lot of flavour crammed into this dish and a lot of hidden seafood too. Mussels and clams strewn through the pasta and tomato sauce. The heads on the prawns are by far my favourite thing in the plate, and I’ve almost forgotten they come with a body. They haven’t been fully cleaned though, so they’re a bit gritty. But the flavour is absolutely spot on, and every bite has an item of seafood in it. There’s a lot of wine in the sauce, it’s so rich and flavoursome.
I’m stuffed but my dessert stomach has a tiramisu-shaped void in it. I want to take a little break first so even though I know what I want to order, I ask to see the menu. Actually these all sound really good, but I know the Nutella-based ones are going to put me over the edge. There’s a “chocolate cake with hot creamy pistachio and hazelnut heart” which sounds divine, but I’ll stick with the plan.
Dessert
Tiramisu: Savoiardi (lady fingers) biscuits with coffee, eggs, mascarpone cream and chocolate
Oh yes. Absolutely perfect. So light and fluffy, yet filled with that delicious cream and chocolatey coffee flavour. I love it. What a delicious way to end the night.
As I ask for the cheque, the waiter informs me there’s one last surprise for the meal: a shot of limoncello. This is the best.
Posted by Jeremy at 10:54am on Thursday March 7, 2024 :: 0 comments :: 