Restaurant Experience: 7 Portes

     One of the nicest restaurants I have been to in Barcelona is 7 Portes, located by the sea at Passeig Isabell II 14, right across from the Barceloneta metro stop. The restaurant is very fancy and features walls decorated with fine art and waiters in white jackets. The waiters were very attentive as soon as my party arrived. We were immediately served bread and ordered a delicious house red wine. I did not even have to look at a menu as I was at 7 Portes for one very specific reason: I had heard multiple people rave about the paella. I had never tried paella before and felt that a nice restaurant in Barcelona right by the sea would be the perfect place to try it.
     Three of my friends and I split two paella dishes, a vegetable paella and a seafood paella. We ordered the seafood paella "fisherman's style," meaning that the chef removed all of the bones and shells from the seafood, which made it easier for my friends and I to dig right into our meal without having to worry about removing anything. The rice dishes came out steaming hot, served in the traditional large black pans from which we served ourselves. The vegetable dish consisted of rice and vegetables and was decent, but the seafood paella, which included rice, fish, prawns, and mussels was delectable. I love seafood, so the dish was right up my alley and definitely lived up to its reputation. I thoroughly enjoyed the taste and the dish was very filling. I also enjoyed the experience of trying a traditional Spanish food.
     Other members of my party ordered the sole, which the waiter displayed raw under a bed of salt. He then took the large piece of fish to the kitchen to be cooked and then de-boned it at the table. This proved just how fresh the fish was.
     Other dishes on the 7 Portes menu include traditional cannelloni, meat paella, and many more seafood options. I would recommend the restaurant to anyone visiting or living in Barcelona who enjoys seafood.