Friday, February 1, 2013

Bienvenido A Barcino

Me encanta el idioma espanol, y me encanta la comida espanola.

And that explains why I frequently visit Barcino, officially my favorite wine and tapas bar. I'm not really a wine connoisseur, so I will focus more on their fantastic food (and certain drinks). Interestingly, I always order a glass of wine to accompany my food, based on the recommendation of their very accommodating waiters and waitresses.


According to their official Facebook page, Barcino was established in 2004 to "answer the need for an authentic Spanish wine and tapas bar". To date, they have six branches all over Metro Manila. I always visit their branch in the Power Plant Mall, Rockwell Center (and occasionally, The Fort and Greenbelt 2 branches) for proximity reasons. Since I prefer resto bars with light and cozy ambiance, Barcino is a perfect place to unwind and chill-out, either alone or with friends. The food and drinks are relatively pricier, though, because they are imported from Spain. Nevertheless, I get what I pay for.


It takes several minutes for the ordered food to arrive, so they serve a complimentary "bread basket" with tomato salsa. Something light to jumpstart the appetite. I have to add more salt though, because I have a preference for the saltier.


Paella is a hallmark of authentic Spanish cuisine, and so it is a must-order in Barcino. The variant that is close to the Filipino taste is paella de marisco (seafood paella, top photo). Well-cooked mussels and prawns, and risotto-like rice... this is a perfect entree. To add, this dish is served in just 10 minutes! Php 595


My favorite duo. Chorizo picantes frito and Estrella Galicia Light. The former is salty-and-spicy Spanish sausage, perfect for my taste buds. It's oil can also serve as a tasty dip for the bread. The latter is one of my much-loved beers -- smooth and kinda fruity. And I don't get that morning-after, hang-over effect. Chorizo: Php 185, Estrella Galicia Light: Php 200.


One of Barcino's signature drinks, the Sangria. It's an addictive wine-and-brandy fruit punch. Light, refreshing, anti-umay. I'ts a big glass, by the way. Php 280


A strong shot of caffeine after a muy delicioso dinner. Cafe bombon -- espresso served with condensed milk. It's actually a good after-dinner treat, especially with alcohol. Php 120


A delightful Spanish dinner-date with my favorite food partner after watching the musical drama film Les Miserables. Mom is not much into the "not so conventional food" unlike her traditional favorites, ie, Filipino and Chinese dishes. Thus, I knew I was right in bringing her to Barcino when she gave me that comment after her first spoonful of paella: "Naimas!"

2 comments:

  1. Great review! The descriptions are really excellent. :) Keep up the good work! :

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks for the appreciation, Anonymous. :-)

    ReplyDelete