Restaurant Cal Boter — Restaurant in Barcelona

I have been staying at @sirhotels Sir Victor for the last few days on “bleisure” on Passeig de Gràcia. I said I wanted to eat in a true Catalan neighbourhood restaurant. Somewhere no tourists go. The concierge team sent me a few streets over to Cal Boter a beautiful 40-cover bistro in a back alley.

When I got there, I had to queue on the street for about 20-minutes. But it was worth it, because I got to talk to locals and get recommendations on what are the best Catalan dishes. It was also worth it because…. well, read on!

It did not disappoint. Though I speak no Catalan, they didn’t hold it against me… because I don’t speak Spanish either 😂

I ordered some great local dishes, that were made with love and served with pride.

Cargols Llauna… snails to you and I. Followed by ‘Peus ō gaultes de porc’ which translates roughly as pork cheeks and chips. All washed down with a handsome helping of Vi Negre de Casa, the house red wine. This was served in a traditional “porron” which allows you to pour wine into the glass from one end. Or alternatively, from a little spout directly into your mouth. I gave it a go…. the wine went all over me.

5 out of 5 for relaxed non-touristy vibes. 5 out of 5 for friendly and loving hospitality. 5 out of 5 for local food and produce, cooked and served with pride.

Go check Restaurant Cal Boter out when you...

If you crave amazing flavours and an attentive service with a human touch, but want to avoid unnecessary pomp, this place is for you. Cal Boter is very subtle for the soulful food they prepare for you and the attention that you get with it. In addition, their lovely low-key, historic vibe has a very calming effect. During my first visit, I had to wait for an impolitely long time for my lunch companions, thus, I had the honor of getting to watch the waiters and the kitchen doing their magic. They were a well oiled machine, doing rounds in perfect timing to assist you, but also let you enjoy your time there. When we had questions, we always received a very hands-on effort for explanation or even presentation. It was a very laid back, very connected experience, and we had two excellent meals. We loved the grilled asparagus, escalivada with anchovies, grilled vegetables - oh my god the baked potato with mushroom sauce -, the fish, the grilled pork, the crema catalá, and the coffee also was very very nice. Beware: the tapas portions are hearthier than the menu of the day, and the á la carte menu had maybe somewhat more complex options. Hats off for the amazing team, I will 100% be back if I happen to visit...

We had a fantastic meal at Cal Boter enjoying the authentic cuisine of Catalunya. Some of the dishes may appear simple, but really the beauty of it is the focus on quality ingredients and amplifying the inherent flavours. The servers were very friendly and patient. There's no English menu here but Google translate will get you by.

We each got the menu of the day for €14.50 which comes with a starter, main and dessert. Everything came hot and fresh. Great homecooking feel and the desserts were the highlight. Notably, the canelons gratinats were so creamy and rich, the botifarra amb mongetes were seasoned well and cooked to perfection, and the flan with the almond crust was stunning.

🍲 Starters: canelons gratinats (cannelloni gratin), pèsols ofegats amb pernil (peas and ham), sopa de ceba (onion soup)

🍽️ Mains: peu de porc a la catalana (pig trotter), botifarra amb mongetes (sausage and beans), bistec amb patates (steak and potatoes)

🍮 Desserts: Flan with almond crust (the best ever), Mel i mató (honey with cheese), Macedonia...