Mosquito

If, like me, you feel full to bursting from all the Christmas cheer and heavy grub, and there’s also a few pennies left to afford a meal out, then there’s probably no better antidote to the usual Christmas fodder than the Asian dumplings and dim sum of Mosquito.It’s been several weeks since I last ate at Mosquito and I’m not going to blag that I can remember the exact details of what we ate there. All I can say is it was good, very good, oh, and we ordered far more than we needed, but still polished off the lot.

Mosquito is known for its high quality beers both on the barrel and in bottles and although the thought of sinking this strong Belgian beer turns my stomach slightly after the excesses of the last few days, it was a mighty fine brew at the time. It’s very easy to get carried away, as we did, with the wide selection of dumplings and hot and cold dishes. Better to order a few at a time and add to it than suddenly find a table overflowing with mini plates. I wish I was good at following my own advice sometimes.

Whilst I can’t remember ‘what was what’ of everything we ordered the stand out dishes were all the dumplings which were light and zingy and all hand made by the team of very efficient women out back. The fried duck was magnificent but I would leave that until rich food starts to appeal again and the Sichuan pepper beef and pancakes were also memorable.

Despite our gluttony we still came away with change from 20€ for our dinner, being reluctant to pig out post Christmas, the bill would probably come in at even less. Mosquito is a must visit.

Mosquito, C/Carders 46, Born

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Elsa y Fred

A combination of visitors, a bad back and frozen hands in a cold flat (the worse thing about a Barcelona winter) have kept me away from the laptop of late.  If you’re freezing and need the perfect place to get cosy through the next couple of months, you’d be silly to not try out Elsa y Fred.

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Vegan bakery

One of the best mass produced cakes I’ve ever tasted was a stem ginger cake that also happened to be vegan. It opened my mind to the possibilities of non-conventional cake baking. So I was keen to try out some other vegan baking from the appropriately named Vegan Bakery in El Born, covered in my article in September’s miniguide. Much easier on the eyes, the article is also on the miniguide website here.

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Red Ant

Another meal, another blog and yet another occasion where I feel blessed for the invention of photo editing suites and ashamed to be posting yet more sub-standard photos to this blog. So, no more, never again, I’m through, we’re done. Here I make a Moonraker Morsel promise that if they don’t make the grade in future, I don’t include them.
Maybe it’s a ploy to disrupt us bloggers, but lighting in many cafés, bars and restaurants is not exactly conducive to good photography, and Red Ant more so than most. I will not lie, those that follow have had some serious touching up to make them even passable.

Photo courtesy of http://blog-static.hola.com, who is clearly a much better photographer than myself. Many thanks if you see this!

Red Ant is the latest offering from Mosquito, a Vietnamese neighbour in the Born and here they specialise in noodles and accompaniments. In order to be able to sample as much as possible without bursting at the seam, my dining comrade and I often go for a selection of side orders, the tapas influence never too far away.

My knowledge of far Eastern cuisine is up there with my photography skills (or should that be down there?) so steamed bread is something I’ve never had the good fortune to try. Here it was filled with belly pork, a sliver of spring onion, cucumber and an ooze of sweet sticky sauce. Lovely and light, I could’ve eaten three.

Steamed pork bun with pork belly

The only main dish we opted for were the spring onion ginger noodles, again with belly pork. Unlike many, pork is one of my favourite meats, which is lucky as it featured in nearly every dish we chose. The noodles had a depth of flavour unlike plain wheat noodles but the whole dish was so uneventful I’ve almost forgotten eating it. Decent, filling, memory gone once digested.

Spring onion ginger noodles with belly pork

Bok choi, or pak choi as I know it better, has such a rainwater taste and a simultaenous softness and crunch that I love. Drenched in an oyster sauce with sesame, a plate full of that alone would’ve more than made me happy.

Bok choi with vegetarian oyster sauce

Yet, that Bok Choi and the Mapo tofu wrap would be my stand out choices on a second visit. A steaming bowl of pork, tofu and rice in an, let’s be honest, oily, fiery sauce to be made into wraps with crisp lettuce was both fun, messy and delicious. Slurping the oil and juices back up your arm as they dribble from their leafy home may not be sophisticated or dignified but it sure was enjoyable.

Mapo tofu wrap

I can often pass on dessert, but comrade in knives and forks would never hear of it, and neither would I when I read chocolate + ginger on the menu. Second only to chocolate + hazelnut in my world. Tongue tingling ginger, airy yet rich mousse and forceful dark chocolate flavour made this a potent pot of pleasure.

Chocolate ginger mousse

After my dreadful green tea dessert at Udon I had to give it another whirl with Red Ant’s green tea yogurt crumble. Green tea has a lovely floral flavour and the crumble was a good contrast with the yogurt texture but the sourness of the yogurt just didn’t compliment the green tea, or vice versa. So I’m still waiting to be wowed by this eastern ingredient in a dessert. Any suggestions where I might find that?

Green tea yogurt crumble

Red Ant didn’t hit the mark for me with every dish but was excellent value for money and a wonderful, relaxed informal setting (if you can relax without air con) and speedy, friendly service. Vegetarians also have half the menu to themselves. All the above plus 6 glasses of wine presented us with la cuenta of only 35€, leaving me enough for some photography lessons or a teach yourself book.

Red Ant, C/Tiradors 3-5, Born

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Barcelona Beer Festival, 9th, 10th and 11th of March

Beer lovers of Barcelona rejoice as the second weekend of March brings a torrent of artesan ales produced in Catalonia, Spain, Europe and United States to the luminous city in the form of the Barcelona Beer Festival. This beer bonanza will take place in the beautiful former convent Sant Agustí in Born, now a civic centre belonging to the city council and home to many craft markets and fairs. This will be a fantastic setting for us to quench our thirsts under the (hopefully) warm spring rays.

Barcelona Beer Festival, 9th, 10th and 11th of March 2012. Convent Sant Agustí, C/Comerç  36, Born.

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Udon

A belated Happy New Year to all readers of Moonraker Morsels, this greeting and first post of 2012 being later than I would’ve liked due to the ineptness of a certain, not to be named internet provider. However, like 2011 this is all in the past and I look forward to bringing you new eating adventures for the coming year.

Like many after the winter festivities I am looking to pass a lean month or two and was keen to kick off my first meal out back in Barna with some lighter dishes, circumstances meant we also needed somewhere that was a bit speedier than usual. So we took our seats at the gleeming white benches of Udon, a chain of noodle bars which has expanded its franchises from this original little outlet in Born to other regions of Spain.Now it may be the British in me but I’ve also got a loud voice, so squeezing into the benches and being in close proximity to fellow diners’ conversations and they to ours is not my preferred way of catching up with a friend, it means you have to stay away from the really juicy details. The waiter was with us almost immediately and our food not long after that. Despite ordering starters and mains everything came pretty much together. To start we both orderd gyoza dumplings, my friend chose the vegetable yasai gyoza, mine were filled with pork, cabbage and vegetables although the latter two ingredients seemed to be almost absent. However, the contrast of textures between the soft dumplings and crispy fried edges were pleasant.

Gyoza dumplings and edamame

The portion of edamame soya beans was miniscule for the almost 3€ charge and needed a good shake of the one thing that sets off these delicious pods…..salt!

The mains landed as we were still making our way through the dumplings, my friend chose the Ebi Karee spicy curry which although she admitted in Barcelona is unlikely to blow your head off, gave off hardly any heat or breadth of flavour. The poor selection of vegetables, lovelessly diced carrot and onion accompanied by slivers of shitake and three measly king prawns should’ve been heavier on the coconut milk, ginger, lemongrass and a list of ingredients she could’ve expanded on further.

Ebi Karee curry

For me I chose the buckwheat flour Kashiwa soba noodles which the menu described as strips of battered chicken with shitake and leeks in a traditional Japanese broth based on soya, dashi and mirin.

Kashiwa soba

As the bowl had been sitting at my side for 10 mins as I ate the starter, by the time I got stuck in the chicken resembled a sunken, saturated bath sponge, with noodles that having sat in hot, bland broth all that time had lost any remaining bite in them.

Intrigued by the green tea tiramisu on the dessert menu we decided to give it a whirl and see if it may be a genius fusion that would redeem the previous courses.

Green tea tiramisu

Sadly all elements in the description were missing. ‘Sweetened mascarpone with sponge and green icing sugar’ would’ve been a more accurate portrayal.

This dessert epitomised Udon in one word, ‘lacking’. Lacking in a tiramisu booze hit (albeit an oriental one), the key green tea flavour nowhere to be seen and with the other dishes, a lack of freshness, vibrancy, the punch of citrus, the kick of chilli, the enhancement of seasoning, the contrasting textures, no condiments on the benches, all noticeably absent and all the bleaker for it. At 20€ a head with only a coke and a glass of wine between us, there are also infinitely better places to eat for the money. Udon, do one.

Udon, C/Princesa 23 / Montcada 6, Born (other branches around the city).

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Picnic

Grey November skies and what seems to have been almost a fortnight of a constant deluge of rain (I can almost hear the non-sympathy vote coming from those reading this in the UK) mean the opportunities for a picnic are now put on the back burner until the spring. Thankfully, there is an alternative Picnic waiting to shield us from the autumnal gloom. As with so many of the newer openings in the city, Picnic is filled with pastel shades, faux vintage nic-nacs and bold, bright flowers, all of which are cosy and inviting but for me, nothing more than the latest bandwagon that lacks a little originality. However, they have also jumped on the trend for brunch and this is never a bad thing in a city that lacks midday, weekend options.

Decor is one thing, what’s on my plate is another. Lunch is the best value time to eat in Spain, the menu del dia is a welcome hangover from the Franco days. Basically this is a 2 or 3 course meal, usually including wine or soft drink and a coffee for a set price. Here it was 10.50€ for a main course + dessert or 12.50€ for starter, main course and dessert. As someone who prefers to have starter and main but skip the dessert I would’ve welcomed another third option for 10.50€.

A small basket of wonderfully chewy, fennel laced foccacia entertained us whilst we waited for our orders. We got through almost three of these by the end of the meal. I think that says it all and thanks to the very friendly waiter who kept them coming.

Fennel foccacia

Sharp yet sweet pomegranate seeds topped the satisfying brown lentil salad with walnuts and green beans which left me feeling healthily smug and the flakes of sea salt sprinkled through it set it alive.

Lentil salad with walnuts, green beans and pomegranate

The ‘market fish’ of the day was that Iberian favourite hake, a beautiful generous piece of which sat atop some neat squares of hash brown and accompanied by a slightly wilted, ‘too long in the dressing before being served’ salad. The hash browns will be excused of their sogginess as they were tasty nonetheless and a dash of lime in the crème fraîche would’ve given the plate a zing. The hake was wonderful and I adore crispy fish skin.

Hake with hash browns and salad

Given that I hadn’t really wanted dessert I chose the simple yet refreshing fruit salad, known here in Spain as macedonia, though quite how a bowl of mixed fruit should come to be named after a Balkan country is beyond me.

Macedonia fruit salad

My friends went for the other dessert option of mouthwatering mini pancakes which came with a spoonful of maple syrup and fresh berries, the perfect size portion for a lunchtime meal. This isn’t the cheapest menu del dia to be found, but the general quality of the food and coffee, the full bodied glass of wine and the welcoming waiter meant it was money well spent. Now back to the street, where did I leave my umbrella?

Picnic, C/Comerç 1, Born

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Are these the best croissants in Barcelona?

I’m not much of a croissant eater. That’s not to say I don’t adore those golden horns of buttery, flaky pastry, but as someone who both likes a substanstial breakfast and puts on weight a little too easily, I find myself always going for a more filling, relatively less calorific option.

So it was on the advice of my croissant loving friend who reliably informed me she had road tested many of these pastries whilst in Barcelona, that I was pointed in the direction of Hofmann with the promise that these were the best specimens the city has to offer. Hofmann is a key player on the Barcelona culinary scene with a prestigious restaurant, cookery school and patisserie in the city and their croissants not only get the thumbs up from my pal Sarah, but also won the award for the ‘Best hand made butter croissant in Spain 2010′.

Croissants might be there star performer but the Born patisserie also sells a range of cakes, macaroons, jams and other sweet goodies in this pastel, quaker, slightly-too-cutesy-for-my-taste setting.

So, are these croissants worthy of such an esteemed prize? In all honesty, yes. They are beautifully light, buttery yet not greasy and they go without that unnecessary sticky glaze which crowns so many of Barcelona’s croissant offerings. At 1.10€ they are also a snip and don’t come with an award winning price tag. Hofmann Pastelería, C/ Flassaders, 44, Born

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Kiosko

Barcelona appears to be taking on an air of NYC of late where recent café openings seem more like they should be in Greenwich Village rather than in Gaüdi’s city. First it was Federal, then the Meatpacking Bistro (which I’ve yet to sample) and now Kiosko, all bringing with them muted, loft style venues. And in the case of Kiosko, bringing yet more burgers to the city.

They should be giving themselves a big pat on the back because even though they only opened recently on the Friday lunchtime we popped in it was absolutely packed out. Ordering at first is a little confusing as it’s not what you’re expecting. The large wall mounted board lists their burgers and accompaniments in Catalan, Spanish and English and then you complete a slip with your order which you pay for there and then. What initially felt like a clumsy system transpired to be very efficient; no confusion from the waiters about whose order was whose and the ability to just pick yourself up and leave when you’re finished without having to sort out the bill. A big advantage for all concerned on a busy, rushed lunchtime.The hints of the Big Apple are everywhere from the industrial piping in the ceiling, the stark white and block colour walls and the brightly lit interior.

The portion sizes are also very reminiscent of America, these are very generous burgers and if you order fries with it I suggest sharing them or being prepared to be defeated by the combination. These are also very delicious burgers, handmade every day with excellent quality meat from Castilla y León, well cooked and served with fresh salad and good bread. I chose the ‘Asturiana’ which comes with caramelized onion and blue cheese which I had on a light wholemeal roll. I contentedly dabbed the slight grease from the burger and cheese off my chin and popped chip after gloriously fluffy, crispy chip in my mouth. Kiosko also deserve commending for their approach to their products’ production and waste management. Only fresh, Spanish ingredients are used, your burger is served on a real plate lined with paper and when you’ve devoured your order you have to clear your table yourself, making sure to put the paper and food waste in separate bins from those for cans and bottles. If only more places could have this ethos.

Kiosko, Marquès de L’Argentera 1bis, Born

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Pim Pam Burger

Contrary to how it may appear from this blog, I don’t generally make a habit of eating fast food on a regular basis. Yet being in the viscinity of Pim Pam Burger and having heard good things about them I thought I’d stop by for lunch.

The first noticeable thing about this place was the lack of pim pam, which implies ‘swift and speedy’. As I hit the lunchtime rush I queued patiently and then when my turn came waited some more to order. I watched as the server struggled alone to keep an eye on the grill, track the orders and payment and bizarrely, constantly refuse offers of help from staff in the sister shop Pim Pam Plats next door. I’m usually rather forgiving of a bit of a wait but this was bordering on the ridiculous.

As the rush eased I got chance to make my request and photo the cafe. Blackboards list the menu and the outlet’s ethos on using market produce and quality meat. The menu could be a little more descriptive. Considering the stress the server seemed to be putting himself under I didn’t want to challenge him further by asking for an explanation of the difference between a ‘Pim Pam burger’, ‘Special burger’ or ‘Pim Pam completa’ but a bit of extra wording would’ve made that clear. I took a guess and plumped for the 4.75€ ‘Special burger’ with a slice of cheese for an extra 0.50c. I’d have liked some fries but even my usually healthy appetite was a little put off by the huge size of the ‘small’ portions server was flinging into baskets. I stuck with just the burger.

As it came off the grill it was without the cheese melted on top as I’d seen on others. I reminded Snr Stressed about it and he threw it onto the salad as an afterthought and then threw on a bit more salad for good measure. What I ended up with was a juicy, enticing burger, sat on herby mayonnaise and fried onions and then overwhelmed by a mountain of tomatoes, lettuce and onion.

Special Burger

At this point I was in a rush and the whole lot slid around in my hands, this was not my most elegant dining moment. The burger patty was delicious, slightly pink and full of flavour and the salad crisp and fresh, even the raw onions were not pungent or left that off putting after taste and repetition for hours later. However, it was all just a bit too whopping, messy and the lack of a toilet meant I had an hour to get to work without being able to wash my hands.

The Betty Ford’s benchmark has set the standard high and I yearned for their more reasonable portion and for it to be balanced with some fries. Oh, and a bit of pim pam.

Pim Pam Burger, Sabataret 4, Born – No smoking

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