Maleducat l Restaurante Eixample Barcelona

"The creation of chef Victor Ródenas and brothers Ignasi and Marc García, this youthful take on a simple Catalan casa de menjars (house of food) combines the best parts of a traditional vermouth bar with the refined, seasonal Catalan cooking of a fine dining veteran. The lively yet casual atmosphere is the perfect place to enjoy the varied dishes: confit artichokes with spring peas, sunchoke puree, and romesco, escabeche oyster shooters with chicken jus, beef tendon stew with fried hake and pickled chile peppers, and mini paella with shrimp tartare and pig trotter carpaccio. This is a gathering place for neighborhood regulars first and foremost." - Sam Zucker

"“Casa de menjars,” which roughly translates to “food house,” refers to an old-school style of Catalan restaurant that served traditional home-cooked food to the working class during breakfast and lunch. While the modern-day versions are more refined and stay open for dinner, the way they serve traditional recipes and use high-quality ingredients hasn’t changed. Maleducat opened just a few years ago and quickly became a local favorite. The short, concise menu is broken down by small bites, bread, and plates made for sharing. We recommend the red tuna tartare with tomato sorbet, raw squid and pork cheek on toast, and beef tendon stew. Try them on their sidewalk patio (if you can get a spot)." - isabelle kliger

"Maleducat means “rude” in Spanish, but the only thing badly behaved here is you after spending a few hours exploring the extensive menu of natural Spanish and Catalan wines. This is the brainchild of three friends: brothers Marc and Ignasi García and chef Victor Ródenas—and while the latter may have cut his teeth in fine dining, here he has left formality behind. Maleducat breaks all the rules with dishes like fresh oysters pickled in roast chicken jus or beef tendon stew, topped with fried hake, Calamansi vinegar, and piparra peppers. The menu is a mix of bite-sized tapas and more substantial dishes, but everything is served tapas-style and meant for sharing." - Isabelle Kliger

"“Casa de menjars,” which roughly translates to “food house,” refers to an old-school style of Catalan restaurant that served traditional home-cooked food to the working class during breakfast and lunch. While the modern-day versions are more refined and stay open for dinner, the way they serve traditional recipes and use high-quality ingredients hasn’t changed. Maleducat opened just a few years ago and quickly became a local favorite. The short, concise menu is broken down by small bites, bread, and plates made for sharing. We recommend the red tuna tartare with tomato sorbet, raw squid and pork cheek on toast, and beef tendon stew. Try them on their sidewalk patio (if you can get a spot). photo credit: Alex Froloff" - Isabelle Kliger

"Hence small, spirited places like Maleducat (which means “rude”), founded by three friends who are as irreverent and innovative as their menu." - Suzy Taher