Suzan Cioffi
Google
We enjoyed a delicious dinner at Salamanca this week. It was chilly outside, so we hesitated to sit in the outdoor tent. But once inside, we realized it was perfectly heated and evenly warm throughout. This gala tent venue would be suitable for large wedding receptions or other outdoor gala events. The only downside is that the tent walls are opaque, so you can not enjoy a view of the beautiful Barceloneta beach just a few steps away.
Once we were seated, the waiter, Gul, greeted us warmly and delivered a dish of tomato toast to our table as he asked for our drink orders. If you are fussy about a small charge (2E) and don´t want the toast, you can tell them to remove it. We enjoyed it along with our delicious cocktails: a light and perfectly balanced mojito with plenty of muddled fresh mint, lime, and white rum and a Hendricks Gin and Tonic.
While we were still deciding among the many choices on their extended menu, another small appetizer plate arrived. Again, you can decline the offering if you want, but we were quite famished, both of us having skipped lunch, so we enjoyed the thinly sliced Iberian sausage and olives.
We ordered the Seafood Soup from Grandma´s Recipe, Red Prawns with Garlic, Grilled Fresh Prawns from Vinaros, Grilled Sole a la Meuniere, Galician-style Octopus, and a plate of fresh grilled vegetables. What a feast!
The Sopa de Marisco Receta de la Abuela was the best fish soup I have had in Barcelona. The broth was rich and full of a variety of seafood. The seasoning perfectly harmonized with the fish, subtly enhancing its flavors. The serving of soup was so large that I enjoyed only half of it and took half home to enjoy for lunch the next day.
My dining companion was thrilled with her octopus. It was fresh, tender, and crunchy, and its coating was crunchy.
Next, we dived into the Gambas Rojos de Playa al Ajillo. Again, the freshness of the seafood was apparent. They were bathed in a mouth-watering garlic, herbs, and butter reduction—a perfect delight!
We then shared the Sole Meuniere, Langoustines, and vegetables. The sole was fresh and flavorfully matched with its Meuniere sauce, which used the light flavors of butter, parsley, and lemon juice to enhance its mild and delicate flavor. The Langoustines were perfectly cooked and were mild and sweet with nice large chunks of seafood to pry from the soft shells. The veggie plate abounded with savory mushrooms, a potato, cherry tomatoes, and a bit of red pepper.
After this feast, fully half of which we took home to enjoy the next day, we had no room for dessert, even though their dessert menu looked large, varied, and tempting. Our serviable waiter brought a couple of mango shots, which were the perfect digestif. Gul´s service throughout the meal was attentive and genial without being overly present. I never like to have wait service that hovers. Gul always appeared at just the right moment to bring the next dish or clear away the remains. We were very happy with his service and factored that into our tip. Considering everything we ordered, and including our tip, the total was about 150 euros, which, although alot, was appropriate for the amazing spread, the quality of the food served, and the excellent service. We will go back again, especially when we have visitors we want to impress.