The Harmony in the Market - La Boqueria
As much as I love traveling, I actually hate being a tourist. More often than not, being a tourist forces you to feel the way that you are designed to feel. Like in Barcelona, you are supposed to admire at Picasso's artwork, be wowed by the wild-imagination-turned-reality architecture from Gaudi and shop on La Rambla. Not saying neither of them is enjoyable, but I'd rather take more control of what my experience should be.
This time in Barcelona, it's pretty much by fate. I landed on the same exact day as I did 2 years ago. But this time, I know what I want in Barcelona. For the first meal, I chose to indulge somewhere inside La Boqueria. Some say it's more expensive because of the tourist traffic and after all it's still on every tourist's guide. But how many of us would actually decide to wait around, sit down and spend time to enjoy a full meal?
Walking through the grand main entrance of the market, a wave of familiarity hit me. Then instantly I started looking for more of this vibrance in Barcelona. The market is filled with stores that specializes in seafood, nuts, fruits, spices, cheese or of course cured meats.
Took a lap around the market, one small bar, no more than 15 seats, caught my eyes. Already after 2pm on a weekend, the bar is still full. Customers are happily chatting away. That's exactly where I want to be - The Pinotxo Bar.
Being just by myself and quite obviously do not speak Spanish, I was greeted with not only warmth but also the hospitality to take care of me. I wasn't offered a menu, nor did I want one. I was walked through a list of ingredients they still have, but frankly I didn't really care much about that either. I just said I have no allergies, just cook me whatever you think is best. I'm fairly certain it wasn't a Michelin starred cook on the stove, but if you don't trust the person cooking your food, why bother eating there?
I ended up with a plate of the freshest clams I've ever had and the least amount of seasoning I've ever had - Olive Oil. Then, some tuna marinated and sizzled on the stove along with some onions. Bread crumbs and sauces vicariously dripped on the plate. Nobody is trying to impress you with anything other than a simple yet sensational experience. There's no elaborate names or sophisticated ingredients, but that's exactly the point. I want to eat what a Barcelona local would eat here.
Later I topped off a soul satisfying meal with a customary strong coffee with steamed milk. I wanted to prolong the time I can hang out here. Not only were the ingredients fresh, the cooking authentic, I tasted Barcelona with my ears and nose as well. I loved all the noise between vendors and customers in the market, and the noise of food sizzling or espresso machine steaming milk, because I'm only a foot away from the kitchen. Moreover, I love the vicarious Spanish conversation happening around me and I love the fact that I don't understand it. I'm right in the middle of the action, a not pretentious and not curated environment! I embraced a harmony that was never orchestrated.