My Barcelona Bites: To Market, To Market We Go and Pinotxo Bar

La Boqueria might be in the heart of tourist central in Barcelona but I can easily see myself visiting it every weekend.

A stop by the farmers for some fresh eggs of all colors and sizes. stacked up among hay straws.

Wondering into the heart of the market for all kinds of seafood.  Bundles of razor clams laid next to beautiful fan shaped shells with a few handfuls of barnacles in between.  Langoustines and piles of shrimp made a vibrant sea of colors.

For some ready to eat options, a meat cone of Iberico ham or a skewer of chorizo made for the perfect snack as we wondered the market.  The fresh cups of fruit juices of all types of flavors were a refreshing drink to accompany the ham or chorizo.

Of course, I did not forget to pay the famous Pinotxo Bar a visit.  The little restaurant occupied a corner stall and was already full of patrons even though it was still early during the day.  A little patience and a sharp eye was all we needed for a seat at the coveted bar.

A cup of cafe con leche for me in the morning was a must, even though we are in Spain.  There is no real menu for Pinotxo Bar, only what is available in the market that day.  We handed our meal to our server who thought a little before handing us two platters to start.

A filet of pan-fried salted cod was a perfect shade of golden.  Slivers of garlic were no longer pungent but instead of mild sweet.

Baby squid and beans in squid ink might have seem to be  just as weird of a choice for a midday meal as the salted cod but nothing was stopping me.  The baby squids were tender as can be and the beans were creamy and full of flavor.  With the help of a piece of baguette, I polished off more than my fair share of the dish.

The best part of eating in close vicinity of others is being able to spot what others are enjoying.  After seeing three orders of a little ham and cheese sandwich go by, we had to get some for ourselves.  With only three ingredients, all had to be perfect to make this memorable.  And yes, these were pretty darn close to perfection.

Finally, a bite of sweet puff pastry with candied squash as filling to end our meal.  We fought the urge to linger and instead gave our seats up to hopefuls who had been waiting patiently behind us for their time at the bar.  Time for a few more laps in the market to make sure we covered all the nooks and crannies before heading out to the next attraction site.  I would have loved a few more meals at Pinotxo Bar but unfortunately I had to make do with the memories of this simple yet flavorful meal for now.

Pinotxo Bar | Rambla de Sant Josep, 91  08002 Barcelona, Spain | http://pinotxobar.com/