King of all markets: La Boqueria

From January to April of 2009, I spent my way eating through Europe. Though I was based in Barcelona to study and perfect my Spanish, I was at the crux of rich, flavorful Mediterranean fare and a hub for quick, relatively cheap plane rides to the rest of Europe’s delicious offerings.

In Barcelona, I savored homemade Catalonian cuisine and spent my days gallivanting around the city in search of Mom-and-Pop cafés, fancy dinner-date locales, after-hour eateries, picnic-worthy marketplaces and open-air markets. While nearly every place I ate in conjured up thoughts of a long-lost American counterpart, I could not imagine anything even remotely comparable to Barcelona’s most famous food market, La Boqueria off of La Rambla (arguably the most famous street in all of Barcelona).

In the United States, we have traveling and stationery markets, bazaars and the occasional festival. NYC has its weekly farmer’s market in Union Square; LA has its farmer's market. But all too often, American open-air food fairs are cluttered with crafts and flowers. While these artsy goods are beautiful to say the least, they outshine or take away from the food itself.

At La Boqueria, this is not the case. The food is an art form. It’s inspirational. From the cold fruit juice and rich candy to the picture-perfect fruit displays and meat still on the bone, La Boqueria is, by far, the most awe-inspiring market I have ever been to. The colors, the smells, the touches, the sounds and the tastes entice all five senses. The vendors, who set up and tear down every single day, take pride in the presentation of their stands – for if they didn’t, the competition from the other vendors would surely steal their business. Though many local Catalonians make daily trips to the market to purchase the freshest ingredients for their meals, even those who hate to cook or don’t have access to a kitchen will enjoy walking around.  

The market is divided into sections. The fruit and vegetable vendors are all close together, just as the meat sellers, the fish and seafood personnel and the cheese specialists are. Some give samples in order to snag their customers. Some chant to attract tourists. But everyone yells orders across the way. The liveliness is contagious.

In addition to the sellers’ stands, there are also a few walk-up restaurants that prepare paella, Spanish tortilla, bread with tomato and fried seafood using only the fresh ingredients from the vendors at the market. On any given day, locals take a seat at the bar, eat lunch and return to work. Of course, the places with the longest lines are considered the favorites, and typically they have the best food. The prices tend to be a bit steep (about 17 Euros a person), but the ingredients and fish are fresh and filling.    

There are only a few downsides to La Boqueria. It opens early (by Barcelona standards, anyway) at 8 a.m., and it closes by 3 p.m. Most of the vendors only take cash, and they prefer for you to speak in Spanish or Catalan (don’t let them fool you though, nearly everyone can speak English). Lastly, the fish and meat sections of the market can be a bit unappetizing if you lack a strong stomach, but at least you can be sure it’s all fresh.  

After spending time perusing the market, you can cruise La Rambla (the famous street), which hosts a variety of floral vendors, street performers and artists on its center walkway. I can certainly attest to the fact that there’s nothing as good as walking along La Rambla on a sunny day while enjoying some fruit from La Boqueria. It’s an experience you don’t want to miss.    

KP’s Crumbs: If you are ever in Barcelona, La Boqueria is a must. But be sure to get there before 3 p.m. or else the gate will be closed and you’ll miss all of the action and great food. Sip on an icy mango juice for 2 Euros and pick up a container of assorted fresh fruit to taste how sweet all fruit should taste.

My end of the date rate the plate: Worthy of multiple forkings and lots of spooning. You may even find yourself craving more.  

Alta Cocina lives up to its namesake

Miami-style dining means skinny white jeans, flowy blouses and large hoop earrings are nightly staples, and eating dinner is more of an event rather than an existence ritual. South Florida, known for its beautiful people and beaches, is also home to world-renowned chefs and modish restaurants. Whether it’s delicious food, exquisite presentation or a trendy atmosphere, most Miami restaurants promise a unique dining experience, hyped by word-of-mouth buzz and buttressed by a hefty price tag. More often than not, however, most places succeed in only one of these characteristics – be it charming atmosphere, stellar food or great service – but rarely will I find a place that can thrive in every aspect.

Alta Cocina – meaning haute cooking in Spanish, or high-class cooking in layman’s terms – was a pleasant surprise. On Sunset Strip, the rather subdued entrance would make the restaurant easy to pass, but it would be a shame to skip a meal here. The owners, a husband-and-wife pair originally from Trinidad and Guatemala, serve “global fusion” cuisine with a Latin flair. The crisp, white tables under the low-key lighting contrast eloquently with the black pillars supporting the restaurant and the abstract, ruddy artwork on the walls. The silverware is heavy; the wine glasses vary in size based on which fine wine you select; and the tweed-like menu is adorned with simple, yet bold metalwork.  The modernesque bottle display, featuring horizontal wine bottles behind the bar, serves as the restaurant’s focal point upon entrance. On a Saturday night, the low murmur of voices does not soil the intimate atmosphere, making Alta Cocina equally ideal for an evening with friends or family or a special someone.

The wait staff is well-versed in the extensive wine list and is eager to help make pairing suggestions based on meal selection. Because every option on the menu sounded tantalizing, Andrew and I asked our waiter, Noah, for some help. (Who else better to ask than someone who knows all the food from personal experience?)    

To begin, we selected the pulled short-ribs served atop seared, melt-in-your-mouth scallops sitting on a dollop of leek confit. Andrew and I split the petit portion, knowing that we each had our own meals coming. Though a bit small, the taste was big, yet not overly creamy and wet our palates for the rest of the meal. I’d return to Alta Cocina for this dish only, but I’d be sure to order the full portion next time and eat it all myself.   

For my main course, I chose the Thai sea bass served with flash fried bok choy in a zippy coconut broth with long-grain white rice on the side, but only under the premise that Andrew would give me a bite of his. He ordered the grilled rack of lamb with wild mushroom risotto and lamb jus for his entrée.

Unlike the appetizer, the meals were filling portions (Andrew even had to take some of his meal home!). My sea bass had a crispy top layer, yet was flaky on the inside and easy to eat. My only complaint was that is was practically drowning in the almost overly empowering spicy, soupy broth. Though the rice helped to cut the zing, I did not want to lose the tasty fish in a mouthful of plain white rice. The bok choy, however, was a light vegetable that complimented the fish without stealing its thunder.

Andrew’s lamb was tender and nearly slid off the bone. Likewise, his risotto was delicious and lived up to our waiter’s proclamation that this entrée is heavy and full, yet delicate. I would certainly order his instead of mine.  

Though for dessert our waiter who had been dead-on with all of his suggestions told us to try the white chocolate raspberry bread pudding, Andrew and I selected the only true chocolate choice on the menu (he knows my chocolate sweet tooth!) – the bittersweet chocolate cake with el ray chocolate sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. Served warm in an upside-down soufflé mound, the moist, uber chocolatey, molten-chocolate-cake-like dessert with cold ice cream was just the sweet I needed to complete my relaxed, hour-and-a-half dining experience.

Alta Cocina, as its name suggests, proved to be high-class in every sense – from the décor and ambience to the food, the waiters and even the other guests.