Cal Pep, Barcelona

Now, I went to Europe for my honeymoon and to spend time with my husband, not just to eat. No really, I did.

Who am I kidding?

Before I left Oz, I compiled a list with restaurants, cheeses and other things I HAD to eat while in Europe. I didn’t quite get to everything, as eating rich food every day can get a bit too much for this vegetable loving girl. But one thing I knew after reading a few blogs and magazine articles was that I really wanted to go to Cal Pep’s. And I am glad that I did.

There were quite a few tourists so the word really has got out there, but there were a few locals too, which was reassuring. It was a small bar, full when we got there at 715pm (too late to get there on opening as planned, as ‘someone’ had an afternoon nap), which meant we had to wait. Now, I am not one to wait for food, particularly when hungry, but I really wanted to eat there. So we waited. Patience is good for the soul.

Finally we got a table, ordered some wine and got to business

This is how my ordering to Mr Cal Pep went.

Me ‘Hablo un poco espanol’

Cal Pep ‘No hablo inglese. Tapas Mixtas Cal pep’

Me ‘Si, gracie’

Ordering out of the way, we waited as each dish surprised us. Some dishes were prepared in front if us, and others were brought in from the small kitchen to the right. Watching the cutting, slicing, frying and finishing touches was the entertainment for the meal, as was talking to the very friendly Cal pep.


I just love the Spanish style of bread, toasted bread rubbed with a cut tomato, oil, garlic and sometimes parsley or basil. So good!


Clam and Ham. Fabulous. We had been overdoing somewhat on the shellfish but these just blew us away


An egg and potato tortilla with a very garlicy aioli smeared on top


Chickpeas and mussels


Tender calamari


The best whitebait I have ever had


And to finish, a crema catalana. I have a new obsession. I have sourced a recipe and can’t wait to make it and see if I can replicate this version.

This was Tapas dining at its best. Fresh ingredients, a real buzz to the place, no smoking (which in Barcelona is not a given). When we go back in 2020 to see the completed la Sagrada Familia, I hope there are still places like this around!

And I just worked out that it cost as much as our meal last week at Bar Lourhina and we didn’t have any seafood there. Though that might have been the wine mark ups.

I miss Spain

Honeymoon Europe 2008 -the best and the worst

I have been back for a few weeks now, and have been finding it incredibly difficult to settle back to ‘real life’. Even more difficult has been coming to grips with the reality that I am not going to be having nice bread again, ever, until I get back to France. And cheese. And olives. Oh God, I think I need to have a little cry.

For now here is a photo presentation of the best – and the worse- eating experiences from my trip. Posts on Cal Pep in Barcelona and L'Os à Moelle in paris to follow, but for now, please enjoy the food porn…

My Italian addiction, the macchiato

There were 2 contenders for the best pasta in Italy. Number 1 is the Pesto al Genovese, eaten in Manorola, a town in the Cinqe Terre. Fresh pesto with potato and zucchini. Simple. Beautiful.

Number 2 Pasta aglio Olio. Garlic, oil, parsley. That’s it. Simplicity at its best!


This was an awesome yoghurt and fruit salad in the Cinqe terre. For travellers, getting regular fruit and veg can sometimes be a problem. I had this 3 times while we there ;)

The best wine bar in the world. Cinqe Terre. Light lunch of Campari, anchovies from the local waters, and brushcetta. A perfect light meal before a leisurely stroll.

Crema Catalan, Cal Pep, Barcelona. I think I am in love.

The best whitebait I have ever had. Cal pep.

A typical lunch for us while in France. Roquefort, bread, olives.

Fantastic wheel of camembert that our hostess in Nice bought us. I don’t know exactly what it was but it was the BEST version I have ever had.

Our host in London, Chris, setting up the ‘barbeque’ in Hamstead Heath. It was 25C for a few days in a row, a heatwave was announced, all the Londoners were happy for a change and people everywhere descended upon the Heath to cook some sausages in disposable bbq packs bought from the supermarket. Somehow I think a little fire in grass in a park during summer would for never be allowed in Oz. Followed by a kick around. Lovely.

The worst. Number 1. Fonzies in Italy. Like Twisties, but bad

Number 2. Every French Onion soup we had in Paris. Seriously? My version is way better than this.