Arrived close to 6pm, was crowded but I managed to get seated quickly as I was travelling alone. Ordered two things: the La Bombas and the Pulpou
The following is my subjective review based on my personal tastes.
La Bombas: Great, no complaints here. A little dense and heavy for one person but definitely surprisingly flavourful. Well seasoned potato filling with a creamy but light mayo-esque sauce. There was also a good amount of hot sauce on each to balance out the heavy flavours of the potato. A really well done dish. Might not be the freshest, but that is really not an issue here. Would it be better if it was freshly fried? Yes. Is it still ridiculously delicious? Also yes.
Pulpou: As much as I enjoyed the La Bombas, this dish really surprised me. The quality of the octopus was really telling and it tasted fresh and perfectly cooked. Simply seasoned and drenched in a fruity olive oil and a sprinkle of paprika. Simplicity and quality at its best. would definitely recommend.
They do not speak (much) English nor do they take card payments but it is honestly not an issue. I do not know what is “authentic” Catalan food but I would assume this is pretty close. I would...
Read moreReview based on our trip to Spain in 2018 We were in Spain in Early January and I looked for an authentic tapas restaurant and found this. It was filled with locals and my family seems to be the only tourists there. This made me happy as I knew that we were in for a local treat!! We started with a local brew.. then the dishes came. Treat it was, when we ordered the highly recommended Bombas. Wow.. it is very creamy and the sauce had a very nice kick to it.. next was a beautifully steamed, fresh mussels which had a light sauce. My son wanted a dish of Patatas Brava and it was awesome with a very nice spicy kick. I got some fried fish which went well with the beer. I could feel the freshness of the lightly battered fish. Ordered some spicy fried pork and was not disappointed.. this was during the mid of our Spain trip and we all agreed that this was the best tapas food we had so far.. The restaurant was packed when we got there. We had to wait a while for a table for 4. The staff hardly spoke English but they were helpful. I felt there were a few favours done to regular local customers ahead of us and thus a 4 star review. But food wise certainly they deserve a 5...
Read moreAuthentic local gem - Great tapas & Warm service
La Bombeta truly feels like a local tavern in the heart of Barceloneta. The atmosphere is unpretentious and full of character it is exactly what you want from a traditional Catalan tapas bar.
The food was excellent across the board. The ensaladilla rusa was delicious and refreshing, while the fried mushrooms with butter were perfectly crispy outside and juicy inside it is one of the highlights. The patatas bravas had that perfect combo of creamy and spicy, and the crema catalana was absolutely amazing!!!! crackly top, silky custard, pure comfort.
What really made the experience stand out was the friendly service. The staff was kind, attentive, and offered great recommendations, especially since I don’t eat pork. They made me feel welcome and taken care of.
Prices are fair for the quality, and it all felt very authentic, like I was dining where locals do, not in a tourist trap.
Highly recommend if you’re looking for no-frills, flavorful tapas in a place with...
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