Gustos Barcelona: Arrocería On The Go
Just after touring Barcelona's Palau de la Musica Catalana, I needed some sustenance. My friend Tiff recommended checking out Gustos Barcelona for some dope tapas. She has good taste so I went for lunch without hesitation.
Gustos Barcelona has a few branches throughout Barcelona. They specialize in Paella, an authentic Valencian rice dish with a variety of ingredients that can include rice, beans, meats (chicken, rabbit), vegetables, and seafood. Most paella dishes are seasoned with saffron, rosemary, and olive oil. It's usually presented on a large paella pan. At Gustos Barcelona, all paellas are made to order so they might take some time.
I shared a few appetizers before the paella arrived. The appetizers arrived promptly. My favorites were probably the Mushrooms with Garlic/Parsley [3.95 Euros] or the Special Cured Ham from Segovia [13.9 Euros].
I waited a long time for the main dish but it turns out that the waiter forgot about it. I eventually got it an hour and a half later. I ordered the Traditional Fideuà, which is like paella but the rice is replaced with vermicelli noodles. He apologized and gave me vouchers for free coffee if I returned, which doesn't really make me feel better about waiting but fortunately the food was good.
In terms of pricing, the restaurant provides great value. The dishes are generous and filling. And, the prices help keep my wallet full too. I was watching the paellas fly out of the kitchen so I guess I got unlucky. For a tapas bar with several branches, I'd say that Gustos Barcelona is still personable and worth the visit!
Cuisine: Spanish, Mediterranean
Average Price per Person: $25 USD
Address: Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 373 - 385, 08015 Barcelona, Spain
Recommended:
Paella
Traditional Fideuà
Special Cured Ham
Mushrooms
From the second floor, I could see the paellas being made! Except for mine... But, at least it came eventually.
The Chorizo in Cider Sauce was alright. They were tough but the flavor was alright. They seemed a bit more acidic but that's all it was. [4.9 Euros]
The Mushrooms with Garlic and Parsley better. It had a prominent garlic flavor, which was well-appreciated. Also, the mushrooms were super juicy. I probably could have ordered another plate. [3.95 Euros]
The Special Cured Ham from Segovia was great! It was a huge portion as you can see above. The meat was thinly sliced and had a good balance between lean meat and fat. The fat tasted velvety but it was a bit too oily for me. This platter came with Toasted Bread and Tomato. [13.9 Euros]
The spicy potatoes were okay. I probably would have enjoyed it more if the potatoes were fried. They came with Mayonnaise and Salsa Brava. The salsa brava looks like sriracha but it's actually a spicy paprika sauce. [4.9 Euros]
For my main course, I got the Traditional Fideuà. It had Prawns, Squid Rings, Mussels, Artichokes, Red Peppers, and Peas with Garlic Mayonnaise. The pan was 15 inches in diameter so it was a sizable serving. The Fideuà noodles were really good. They did a good job of sucking up all the flavors of the seafood. [13.9 Euros]