PetuniaLee™: Catalunya

Friday, May 22, 2015

Catalunya

Catalunya does Spanish food. They have tapas, though not the homely and hearty sort. They have ummm... "innovative tapas" of the fine dining sort... with foam bubbles. Smelly Boy did not approve. He pointed at the white chocolate ice-cream on a stick and said, "Look! That is a mini Magnum! We have those in the fridge and they don't cost so much!"

They have a nice view too.

They have a festive spirit, with dance and song ... fish set on fire, plates used to chunk-cut a suckling pig into small portions. If you are lucky there is a professional flamenco dancer that will set your heart beat racing and make grown men go weak in the knees. She is not always there but if she is, that's a treat.

Now, about the food.

I loved the hors d'oeuvres. From smoked salmon in mustard sauce to crunchy asparagus spikes right through to sardines swimming in olive oil, and beef carpaccio, I thoroughly enjoyed every hors d'oeuvres dish. The mains were disappointing. The fish dish can be dry. The beef short ribs were dropped from the menu. The paella did not quite appeal. The suckling pig had a porky smell that was slightly off-putting. The suckling pig and paella at Pasarbella tasted quite a bit better.

However, Smelly Boy also disapproves of Pasarbella. He says it is a high class hawker centre and very overpriced and "Mom! They give you paper boxes and plastic spoons for the amount you are spending!" The last time we went to Pasarbella, I told my son, "If you have nothing nice to say about this lunch, don't say anything." Obediently, he said NOTHING AT ALL right through the meal.

I don't care. I like Pasarbella's suckling pig and paella. And that is that! Smelly Boy disapproves of everything I do these days anyway, so there is no pleasing him. I sometimes wonder if I am the parent or he is. He is entirely too sensible to be any fun. I am getting on in years and might die any day so if I feel like frittering my savings away on paella served in paper boxes, I shall!

If you want to go, do Sunday brunch. The music, dance, fanfare and fireworks are all at Sunday brunch. I think it is a good experience once in a lifetime (for Mother's Day), but I will probably not go back again. It is very expensive ($100/person) and the mains did not quite appeal.