/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/70046685/GMC_6303.0.jpg "Xiringuito Escribà by eater.com")
At Xiringuito Escribà, savor mouthwatering paellas by the sea while watching chefs whip up magic in the open kitchen—reservations recommended!
"In Spain, going to the beach is as much about eating as it is about sunbathing. As such, most beaches have chiringuitos, semi-open-air beachside bar-restaurants specializing in seafood dishes. Barcelona is no exception to this, and with several sandy beaches within the city limits, the city is home to several xiringuitos, as they’re known in Catalan. Head north from the portside La Barceloneta neighborhood, and you’ll encounter a string of sandy urban beaches. Platja del Bogatell, one such strip, is backed by Xiringuito Escribà, arguably the city’s most famous beachside restaurant. It opened in 1992, and has a strong reputation for its rice-based dishes. Although paella and other Spanish rice dishes are largely associated with Valencia, further south, Catalonia has its own variants, some of which are served at Escribà. Arroz negro is rice dyed black with cuttlefish ink and studded with chunks of cuttlefish, while Catalan-style paella is served with a mix of seafood and meat known as mar i muntanya. And there’s also fideuà, a paella-like dish made from thin noodles, served with a tiny mortar of aioli. In all these cases, the centerpiece carbs are prepared and served in paella pans, reduced until just short of crispy, with rich, concentrated, salty flavors. Although Escribà is semi-open-air—with the flies to prove this—the dining room retains a rich aroma of reducing seafood broth, and the station where workers prepare as many as eight paella pans is fun to watch. If rice isn’t your thing, you could try the Iberian Ham Airbag, a massive puffed bread topped with slices of cured ham, and the sangría here is said to be better than most. Know Before You Go Although more than 30 years old, Xiringuito Escribà remains popular; book in advance." - Austin Bush
"The paella is nice, but what’s great about this “chiringuito” is that it’s right on the beach so it comes with spectacular views. On a sunny day (and with some great company), it's a quintessentially Barcelona experience. Seats fill up quickly so call ahead."
"For over a century, the Escribà name has been synonymous with fine pastries. In 1992, a member of this distinguished epicurean family opened a xiringuito, or seasonal beachside bar, near the Olympic Village to offer something wholly different: authentic paella and fideuà." - Jeff Koehler
Along the sea northeast of the center, a number of fish restaurants specialize in paella, a Valencia specialty. I like Xiringuito Escribà on a Sunday when the place is absolutely slammed with groups of friends and family. Order a paella or fideuà cooked with seafood.
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