Barcelona

March 25, 2011

Barcelona
263 East Whitter Street
Columbus, OH 43206
614/443-3699
http://www.barcelonacolumbus.com/

I had a $15 "fudha" (http://www.fudha.com/)  that was about to expire, so Lori and I went to Barcelona for lunch.  Always a pleasant place to visit, we were greeted by friendly staff and quickly seated (next to former Ohio Attorney General Rich Cordray!).

I actually remembered to bring my camera, but forgot to take a photo of our appetizer which was the Barcelona "Fritas" consisting of french fries, fried pickles, and onion rings.  Perhaps not healthy, but very tasty indeed!

Lori opted for the Espinacas which is a baby spinach salad with fuji apple, gorgonzola, candied pecans, and sherry vinaigrette.

It looked delicious and I was assured that it was!

I chose the Bikini de Langosta which was a glorious take on a grilled cheese sandwich.  The large pieces of grilled sourdough bread were filled with lobster meat, brie, and basil and was accompanied by a charred tomato sour cream.  Since we had the fritas for an appetizer, I chose the soup du jour rather than fries.  The chilled soup included ajillo (garlic), walnut, and a few sliced grapes.  I should have asked more about the soup because it was very smooth, rich, and delicious.

The onion ring you see on the plate was a leftover from the fritas and does not normally accompany the sandwich!

Now, it's rare for me to have dessert at lunch, particularly when I have to return to the office for a 2:00 conference call...which I barely made, by the way!  However, we decided to split the creme brulee.

I have to tell you...it is even more rare for me to order creme brulee.  Why?  I am forever disappointed when the creme brulee never matches the best I have ever had - that prepared by Chef Hartmut Handke, formerly of Handke's Cuisine and now retired.  His creme brulee still is the best I have ever tasted, but I have to admit that Barcelona's version is very good.

There was a fine crust that had been blow-torched into carmelized topping on the rich vanilla custard base.  In the picture above, you can see Lori, with spoon at the ready, patiently (?) waiting for me to take the photo.  Served with a chocolate biscotti, it was a marvelous ending to a Friday lunch. 

Located in German Village, Barcelona is one of the finest restaurants in Columbus.  The service is friendly, the food is fantastic, and the ambiance is very pleasant.  Just don't park in the grocery store parking lot across the street!

Stop by Barcelona's website and Facebook page to learn more and then try it for yourself!