Restaurant Experience: Botafumeiro

     One of the best meals I have had during my time abroad in Barcelona, and probably one of the best meals of my life, was the dinner I had at Botafumeiro, a fish restaurant located at Gran de Gracia 81. I went with my grandparents during their visit to Barcelona on a recommendation from their hotel's concierge. Everyone says that Barcelona has amazing fish, which of course is a benefit of being located right by the sea. Botafumeiro definitely upheld this reputation with its amazing seafood dishes.

     The restaurant has great ambiance. It is decorated with nautical decor. It is very old-fashioned looking and very nice and upscale. As soon as we sat down, waiters in white coats rushed over to bring us water, olives, bread, and potato chips. I ordered Sangria, which was delicious. 
      The menu options included Catalan specialties, such as ham croquettes, and seafood dishes like lobster, crab, and calamari. My grandparents and I split a Russian salad, a dish that I have seen often on menus in Barcelona. The salad included vegetables, tuna, and potatoes, all mixed together with Russian dressing. For dinner, they both ordered the grilled turbot and I ordered sea bass with mushrooms, potatoes, and spring onions. The waiter brought all of the fish out when it was ready and showed it to us before de-boning it at the table. I was so impressed with his skill in preparing the fish! My dish was cooked perfectly and tasted so fresh. 
     For dessert, we ordered a chocolate volcano, which was chocolate cake topped with chocolate ice cream. The waiter set the cake on the table and then poured steaming hot melted chocolate on top. He also brought us a complimentary dish of chocolate truffles, cookies, and sponge cake.   
     In addition to amazing food, Botafumeiro has great service. I have found at a lot of restaurants in Barcelona that the waiters choose not to come over to the table very often, so as not to disturb diners. Usually waiters will not come to the table unless they are summoned. In the United States, waiters often check on the table frequently to make sure that diners do not need anything, to check that the food is okay, and to refill water and wine glasses. The service at Botafumeiro reminded me of the service at home in America. While some Catalan people might not like this style of service, I am used to it from home and I appreciated it. My grandparents and I loved our dining experience at Botafumeiro so much that we went back again later the same week!