Cal Pep – Barcelona

tiffany — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 22:46:15 +0000

Day 1: Our first dinner in Barcelona was at Cal Pep, which came highly recommended by the LUXE City Guide and close friends. We waited about 40 minutes for a seat at the bar, which is open to the “kitchen” of the restaurant. I must warn you that this is an easy place to splurge and spend more than you might have planned. The atmosphere of Cal Pep is lively, and Pep is at the bar, making a point to speak with every party that sits down. He recommended a very nice bottle of wine (Cérvoles (2005)) and the Tapas Menu — a full service from start to finish. In order: Bread, sauteed clams w/ garlic, fried calamari, chicken and cod croquetas, tuna tartare, fried green peppers, truita trempera, botifarra w/ beans, and crema catalan. The highlight of the meal was definitely the tuna tartare. If you on a budget, this is definitely the one to get. The seafood here is top-notch; take advantage of it!

Cal Pep
Plaza Olles 8
+ 93 310 79 61
Metro: Barceloneta

Cod with Mussel Aioli

tiffany — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:50:27 +0000

Eric Ripert’s Seared Cod with Spicy Mussel Aioli is a pricey dish with the cost of mussels…. My sauce also thickened a bit too much, but it still tasted wonderful. I don’t, however, agree that this is a fast meal like the recipe says. Roasting your own red pepper and removing mussels from their shells can be time consuming.

A few tips to remember: Don’t eat mussels that stay closed! Don’t return the sauce to heat like I did, unless you want a thick sauce. Also, do yourself a favor and roast your own red pepper — you’ll be glad you did. It’s not hard to do, and the flavor is very important to the balance of the dish.

thyme is money » splurge

Cal Pep – Barcelona

Cod with Mussel Aioli