It rained this morning, but we got lucky – it started to clear up in time for a lunchtime rendez vous with Jonas, Sylvia and Sabina at Can Vilaró.
Can Vilaró is on a corner facing Sant Antoni Market, designed by Antoni Rovira i Trias and built between 1872-82. The market is in the process of being renovated – this has been a slow process that started in 2009, finding Roman remains beneath it has hampered progress, but it now looks like it might be completed within a year or so. In the meantime the market is housed in a prefabricated structure on Ronda de Sant Antoni.
Can Vilaró is a very traditional, family run Catalan restaurant which serves a lot of old school offal dishes (quite similar to Gelida).
It has a long thin interior, quite common in older places – daylight comes in from the glass front door. Jonas is a regular and had reserved a table towards the front. The restaurant was packed – it’s obvious that locals love to come here.
We were faced with a problem right from the onset,
we were presented with two menus (both in Catalan, above) – plats del dia (today’s specials) and plats recomanats (recommended dishes). However, on close inspection there was some overlap and variation on a theme. For instance, there were several botifarra (Catalan sausage) and cap i pota (calves head and foot) dishes. It’s a good job there were five of us feeling very hungry!
Sylvia’s starter came first, sardines de la costa amb torrades – sardines from the coast with toasted bread. In spite of being simple I thought they looked very stylish.
Jonas had estofat de vedella (veal stew with potatoes) and Sabina had a plate of verdura amb potatoes (vegetables with potatoes), not photographed.
Oli and I both had cervells a la romana (deep fried calves brain). Note the slice of fried aubergine, which was yellow from the batter.
These were without doubt the best brains I’ve ever eaten
and went exceptionally well with allioli.
Our main courses arrived as follows. Jonas’ came first, botifarra blanca i negra amb guarnició – black (blood) and white botifarra sausages with garnish (samfaina – a Catalan ratatouille).
I had cap i pota – a traditional Catalan stew of calves head and feet with red pepper and chickpeas. Quite delicious and sticky from all the gelatine.
Sabina ordered fetge amb ceba – calves liver and onions.
Sylvia had bacalla a la llauna – floured salt cod sautéed in olive oil, before baking in the oven on a tin tray (llauna), with garlic, white wine and pimentón. Here, it comes with mongetes (small white beans).
Oli chose galtes de porc – pig cheek with vegetables,
which he made short work of.
For pudding Sylvia and Sabina had cremadet – something I’d never seen before. It’s a bit like a soft creamy crème brûlée.
Oli and Jonas had mel i mato – a fresh cheese with honey.
I had my favourite – crema catalana.
Throughout our meal we drank the house white – Pere Pujadas.
While drinking our carajillos and trifasicos, Sabina got out paper and pencils for everyone and had us drawing ideas for sculptures. She really put us through our paces – good job we’d been drinking!
When we finally asked for la cuenta (bill) the price was astonishingly cheap – €113.05 for five of us, including 5 bottles of wine, 4 beers and 4 coffees with brandy! Oli pointed out that the pa i vi (bread and wine) is itemised together (see above).
Once we’d paid, our jovial host (who is the happiest looking restaurateur I’ve ever come across), offered us chupitos on the house. Sabina had heirbas, while the rest of us drank a coffee liquor. We really had a wonderful time at Can Vilaró – the food was delicious and the service was great. I can’t wait to go back!
Can Vilaró is at: C/ Comte Borrell, 61, 08015, Barcelona.
Returning in April 2017, we ate more or less the same things again – it was all fantastic as expected. This time I made sure I got a picture of our affable host Sisco, above with Jonas.
Happy Easter, Mad, and thank you so much for making me SO jealous again [I think!!]. Am getting this long list of Catalan restaurants I so would love to visit . . . and hoping it will happen! Now: one matter about which we would have no problems at all in getting along: and that is picking from a menu! Admittedly ‘brains’ in Australia usually means sheep’s and that owing to certain health concerns may not have been popular awhile. But: occasionally!!! Have not has the calves head and feet and would SO love to try!! And after decades of ‘doing’ business lunches multiple times a week, we are also in full approval of the beverages consumed . . . 🙂 !!!
Thanks Eha! Happy Easter and I hope you get to visit these restaurants one day 🙂
Quite an amazing menu!
Hi Nadia- yes definitely and very delicious 🙂
Okay, this one was a daring one. I’d like to go with you so you can order brains, calves and cheeks and I can play it safe with sardines and experiment with your plate rather than having to go it alone. Great desserts and drinks as always. Really good photos on this one. I eek like I’m there! Good earting, MD. Thanks for sharing.
You are very much invited – I’m sure you’d fit in with my friends and enjoy tasting the more unusual items 🙂
Oh, how I wish I was there! I can sometimes be squeamish, but fried brains are delicious. We totally grossed out a dining companion once eating fried lamb brains in Paris. 🙂
Love brains, I know some people don’t like the idea but can’t see how different it is from eating any other part of the anatomy! I think I would have been pretty creative after all that wine, beer and chupetes. ..love your style!
Thanks Tanya – they really do the very best nose to tail I’ve had in Spain 🙂
You’re fearless, MD, in your menu selections and how I’d love to accompany you one day. When out with a friend of mine, quite literally nothing is off the menu and we’ve had some incredible dinners as a result.
Ha ha – thanks John. I’m quite partial to brains and cap i pota is a terrific stew. Perhaps we’ll be able to catch up one day to compare similar Italian and Spanish foods…
Pingback: Casa Petit | Mad Dog TV Dinners
Pingback: La Calçotada | Mad Dog TV Dinners
Pingback: Bacalao a la Llauna | Mad Dog TV Dinners