All photos: Cherie City
After a long delayed flight, a coach trip from Girona and trudging around trying to find the hotel, there was only one place I wanted to be in Barcelona… Bar Kasparo.
An institution of Upper Raval, Bar Kasparo is tucked away under the arches in a leafy, relaxing square, just a short walk away from the bustle of La Rambla and the MACBA. Throughout the day, people flock to its buzzy outdoor terrace for an early Catalan breakfast, a cold beer and tapas at lunchtime, or dinner and drinks in the evening.
I’ve been to Bar Kasparo a few times for drinks and one time had some delicious pasta there in the evening. This time we hadn’t eaten since having some scrambled eggs on buttered toast at the airport, so we ordered a late lunch of four tapas dishes and drinks.
We went for Patatas Bravas wedges, a fried ricotta cheese ball with tomato salsa, a beef filo pastry empanada and a slice of tortilla. Everything arrived pretty quickly – the portion sizes were generous and everything was well presented with paprika and chives garnish.
The wedges came with a spicy tomato sauce and sour cream and were soft and not too greasy. The beef filo pastry was mince cooked in a light curry sauce and wrapped in bubbly crispy pastry.
The ricotta cheese ball had very light breadcrumbs and although the cheese can be a bit bland, it went well with the warm tomato salsa. The tortilla arrived less than five minutes after the other dishes, so it’s not photographed here, but it was thick, slow cooked and full of soft potato.
Our bill came to around 21 Euros including service. It’s not the cheapest place for lunch, as just across the street you can get a quick foccacia or panini at Buenas Migas for less, but at Bar Kasparo you know that you can get good food and friendly service in a relaxed atmosphere.
Bar Kasparo, Plaza Vincenç Martorell, 4, Barcelona
Barcelona, Bars, Hotels, Hotels - Budget, Hotels - Design, Restaurants
Notes From Barcelona: Market Restaurant
June 3, 2010 by cheriecityEating in the hotel usually seems like a pretty boring option, seeing as the city is full of amazing tastes and flavours, but in this case, I couldn’t wait to try out the Market Restaurant. In fact, it felt very decadent just slinking downstairs in ridiculous heels that couldn’t withstand the rough terrain of Raval, and then rolling back upstairs without worrying about catching the last metro back.
Like the rest of the hotel, the restaurant is beautifully designed, all white-washed wood, black lanterns and mirrored cabinets. Despite stretching over three separate dining areas, it has a buzzy, intimate atmosphere and the clientele appear to be Catalan locals, which is always a good sign.
The menu is extensive and Catalan bistro-style, with a good selection of meat, fish and rice dishes and salads. As usual, Steven and I went for mostly the same dishes (well, it avoids food envy) and started with onion soup and cheese bread croutons. The soup was well-seasoned and chunky and appeared to be never ending.
We ordered a bottle of the recommended Rioja red wine, which came with hotel’s logo on the bottle and was incredibly reasonable at just 7.50 Euros! It was medium-bodied and very easy to drink, possibly one of the best house wines I’ve ever had.
Next up was a generously-sized pork escalope with fried potatoes. The escalopes were thin and but not dry, with fine breadcrumbs and seasoned with rosemary and black pepper. The chips appeared to have been cooked in nut oil and were not at all greasy. The meal was satisfying and had some interesting flavours, although it needed something to lift it slightly, so we asked for some mayo.
With hardly any room left, but a dedication to foodie reporting, Steven ordered his longtime favourite, Tiramisu, and I went for the white chocolate cake – a creamy mousse on a biscuit base with raspberry coulis and topped with crushed pistachios.
The white chocolate cake was pretty much perfection and I managed to polish off the whole thing. The Tiramisu went down well too and the mark of a good chef often lies in this dessert – get it wrong, and it’s a disaster.
Our bill came to a respectable 47 Euros for three course, bread, wine and water and we were able to charge it to the room. Many of the restaurants in the Fork & Pillow group offer set menus with all of the above for around 19 Euros each, but it seems that it wasn’t available when we were there.
After the meal, we needed a super long walk around the neighbourhood to get over the three course feast but on the second night, we had a nightcap at the hotel’s Bar Rosso.
Once again, gorgeous design with seductive red walls, mirrored doors, crystal lamps, Surrealist artwork and oriental touches. There are plenty of plush sofas and nooks for lounging and the outdoor terrace is perfect for making the most of the warm, balmy evenings.
We ordered a Whiskey Sour (7 Euros) and a Martini (4 Euros), which came with a big bowl of cashew nuts to munch on. The drinks were well mixed, the bar staff were polite and attentive and we weren’t rushed, even when the bar was closing.
The bar stays open until 2am and there is a wonderful night porter in the reception until this time, who helped us with the air con and found me a big bottle 0f water from the restaurant when there was none left at the front desk.
Market Restaurant is a must, whether you’re staying at the hotel or not, as it offers excellent quality food in a chic, comfortable and airy environment at an affordable price. It doesn’t have the tourist/business atmosphere of a regular hotel restaurant and is mostly filled with ‘in the know’ locals, so it’s best to reserve a table when you check in, or call in advance.
Market Restaurant, Comte Borrell 68, 08015 Barcelona. Tel. (+34) 93 289 01 30
Barcelona, Hotels, Hotels - Budget, Hotels - Design
A Great Stay at Market Hotel Barcelona
May 25, 2010 by cheriecityBarcelona is one of the most forward-thinking cities for affordable, chic design hotels, although some can be a bit clinical and soulless. So, when I saw the pictures of Market Hotel, I fell in love with its oriental, lacquered wood decor and boutique, zen ambiance.
Location
The Market Hotel is located in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood, close to Upper Raval, and is about 20 minutes walk from La Rambla – just close enough to the action while avoiding the tourist zone prices.
When we arrived, after a long delayed flight and two coach journeys at the crack of dawn, the hotel lived up to the pictures and was actually larger and even more grand than expected. The check-in at reception took a while, as there was a new member of staff, but it wasn’t a problem, as we took time to pick up some complimentary bottles of water and huge green apples from beside the desk.
The Room
Our double bedroom was on the fifth floor extension of the hotel in an old apartment building with original Catalan tiles and a rickety 1920s lift (although guests actually use the modern glass one opposite). The first impression of room 505 was that it was a bit on the small side compared to the website photos but the design of the room was just what we’d hoped for.
The room was filled with black bamboo tables, metal lamps, a black Asian-style lacquered wardrobe bed, a flat screen LG TV and featured gorgeous creaky stripped floorboards. The bed was medium soft and super comfy, with a very thick mattress and a number of sheets and blankets, but as it was Barcelona in the summer, they weren’t really needed.
On the wall was a large framed print that looked like it could have been by Catalan artist Antonio Tàpies and it really suited the bold, monochrome serenity of the room. The room was also filled with some Japanese calligraphy prints and there were even two in the bathroom.
The Bathroom
The bathroom was quite small but had some interesting design features – I loved the French ceramic taps – and the shower was like something from a Thai spa resort – all black slate tiles with a powerful rainfall shower head.
A few small niggling factors are that the wardrobe isn’t long enough to hang a dress without folding or bagging at the bottom, storage is limited and that the bed looks on to the door (not a huge problem, but bad feng shui for a hotel room).
On one side of the bed, the floorboards creek pretty dramatically and due to all the wooden floorboards and age of the building and there is a bit of noise from the corridor, as people come and go.
However, we didn’t hear any noise from outside, even though the Sant Antoni market stall traders were setting up early in the morning. The air con works like a dream, so there’s no need to even open the windows, unless you want to let in some fresh air while you’re out and about.
We didn’t take breakfast at the hotel (9 Euros), only for the reason that we were so full from the three course meals of the previous nights that we wanted something lighter.
Around the corner, close to the Sant Antoni market is a wonderful bakery called La Mie Câline, where we had a cafe con leche and a huge slab of crisy madeleine cake filled with raspberry compote for just 2 Euros each. It’s not a posh artisan bakery like the ones you might find in leafy Gràcia, but it’s great for tasty patisserie on the go.
Impressions
The Market Hotel is perfect if you’re looking for a hotel with character rather than high-tech facilities and slick design. There are some lovely, personal touches such as complimentary water and apples and the stunning restaurant and bar with an outdoor terrace make the hotel more of an experience than just a base for exploring the city.
Staff were very pleasant and helpful, especially the night porter, who came to our room to help us sort out the air con and found me a large bottle of water when there weren’t any available at reception. Just don’t expect room service and a mini-bar – everything you could want can be found at reception or the restaurant and bar.
We booked a double room for two nights (210 Euros) and prices start from 65 Euros per night.