El Camarote de Tomás

"Some high-end seafood spots in the city are places to see and be seen; this intimate, traditional marisqueria is a place to eat. For nearly 30 years, the supreme quality and freshness of the fish has kept any desire to modernize or adulterate classic Catalan cuisine at bay. Tucked away on a street in Poble Sec, El Camarote d’en Tomàs displays the day’s catch on heaps of ice at the bar, an impressive sight that immediately greets visitors. Expect wild-caught fish roasted whole, grilled giant prawns, impossibly tender sauteed baby squid, percebe barnacles, clams, scallops, and plump sea urchin roe scooped from the shell and laid across a butter-smeared cracker with a dash of lemon on top. Whatever you pick, be sure to start with the superb and refreshing esqueixada de bacallà, a popular cold preparation of salt cod bathed in olive oil, tomato, and olives that is near and dear to the hearts of many Catalan people." - Sam Zucker