You’d never know it was supposed to be a day of rest and reflection walking along the old port on a Sunday. Mayhem breaks out at the corner where the three neighbourhoods of Barceloneta, Barrio Gotico and El Born meet, the walkway narrows, and restaurants hustle for business.
But if it all seems too stressful, look down on it from the roof of this old museum. The unpretentious food hails from the Portinyol of Arenys de Mar on the Costa Brava and is great, as is the view of the bustle from an oasis of calm.
While it used to be nearly impossible to locate a decent eatery open in high summer, this year most restaurants have cut short their holiday breaks. And this recent opening hardly closes at all.
At a first glance, it looks like yet another formula-driven place - a formula that includes an interior by Lazaro Rosa-Violán, sushi and, sure enough, cocktails - but, as the name allures to, the fish is what really does set it apart.
The restaurant at Grec is now back and this year opens not only on nights of performances, but lets you enjoy the flame-grilled delights every night until August 2.
Carles Abellán and Jordi Hereu, the mayor, re-opened the legendary place in front of an invited audience, of which many appeared to be regulars from the early stages of the bar that opened for the first time back in 1933.
The place has been restored to its original glory by Moritz and now opens with super chef Carles Abellán overseeing the kitchen with classic Catalan bistro dishes. The original art deco feel has been revived, maintaining many of the original design elements.
