Flor de Maig (2021)

flor de maig

I was shopping in the Boqueria for for oxtail this morning and as I walked up through el Raval to Sant Antoni, I had a good look at all the Menú del Día blackboards outside the restaurants (looking for lunchtime inspiration). Flor de Maig (you may remember me coming here before) caught my attention today and not just for the new exterior paint job. Last time I was here, the restaurant looked quite Spanish with Catalans working front of house. Now it has a more Eastern decor and proudly states that it serves Hindu cuisine …and on it’s website, it says it’s pioneering a blend of Pakistani, Indian, Mediterranean and Boqueria food.

menú

A couple of dishes really took my fancy, so I returned home with my rabo de torro and vegetables from the farm stalls just outside the market. After a walk around the block nearer home, the Mayflower (Flor de Maig) started to reel me in.

vermut de la casa

I sat outside and drank a vermut de la casa while I made my choice. As I watched the world go by, a taxi stopped to pick up some guiris coming from an apartment building opposite. Two people got into the cab, while four people stood and discussed shopping (on the pavement). This went on for five minutes and the taxi driver got quite impatient, blowing his horn several times. Amazingly another cab driver, stuck behind, kept his cool. Eventually two more passengers got into the taxi and the others walked off. The driver behind, looked at me and both of us raised eyebrows at the same time – bloody tourists!

menú del día

As with many other Barcelona restaurants, the Flor de Maig has a set lunchtime menú serving 3 courses, with a drink for €11.90 inclusive. There’s an additional charge of €1 for sitting outside, but it’s worth it! If you look closely, you’ll notice that alongside the traditional Spanish dishes, there are chicken curry, spicy courgettes and pakora salad options on the menu.

mesas

With current issues, the exterior terrace areas for restaurants have been extended and currently the Flor de Maig has an additional 4 outdoor tables going round the corner. You may notice that restaurants have invested in much larger outdoor umbrella/sunshades this year, to facilitate al fresco dining in all weathers.

salmorejo cordobés

I ordered Salmorejo Cordobés con picadillo de huevo duro y jamón serrano – a delicious cold tomato soup from Córdoba, with chopped air dried ham and boiled egg on top. This was excellent!

vino rosado

I ordered my customary vi rosat (rosé) – here you get a glass of wine or beer with lunch.

buñuelos

..and for my main course (the dish that had tempted me to start with) I had Buñuelos de Bacalao Caseros con Guarnición – homemade deep fried and fluffy salt cod balls with garnish (fried potatoes and a wedge of lemon). These were perfectly crispy and fluffy, which is the Catalan style for bunyols de bacallà –  Spanish Buñuelos are denser with more bacalao. Both types are very good!

allioli

Oddly, the Buñuelos didn’t automatically come with allioli, but my hosts were happy to oblige me.

mousse de limón

For pudding, I ordered a mousse de limón – home made lemon mousse, perfect as a light dessert.

carajillo

…and of course, I ordered a carajillo de coñac, to give me strength and courage to climb four flights of stairs and cook an oxtail!

la cuenta

If you compare prices from today and 4 years ago, there has been a modest increase of 30 céntimos! Next time I’ll go back and try the Hindu options.

Flor de Maig is at: C/Pintor Fortuny 29, 08001, Barcelona.