Small Portions, Big Taste at BARcelona Tapas

Have you ever been to Spain? Me neither. But after last week, I’ve decided that if the closest I get to the country is a visit to Indy’s BARcelona Tapas, that’ll be alright by me.

My trip to the restaurant was prompted by one of my student organizations. We brought a speaker to campus and wanted to take her to dinner afterwards. After some debate and consideration of several factors (where could we go that was unique, delicious, and just a tad pricier than we wanted to pay for on our individual college student budgets?) we settled on downtown’s BARcelona Tapas.

The concept of a tapas restaurant is dishes that come in small portions. Patrons are meant to order multiple dishes and share around the table, allowing everyone to sample different items. This system definitely works for this restaurant; as I found out, the food is so good you can’t NOT try everything!

The menu was extensive and had plenty of options to satisfy our whole group, including a member of our party who required gluten free selections (they also have vegan, lactose intolerant, and nut allergy-friendly menus). Item names are in Spanish with descriptions in English, so for an added challenge you can try ordering en Español. I chose the Calamari Frito and Queso de Cabra al Horno, which is garlic bread that comes with a spread of baked goat cheese and tomato sauce. The calamari came with a Romesco sauce, which made me slightly nervous as I was afraid it would be spicy. It wasn’t though, just extremely tasty. As for the garlic bread, I think it’s safe to say that it’s one of the best things I’ve ever eaten; it’s been a few days and I’m still thinking about it. Definitely a must-have for all patrons. Other dishes I sampled included meatballs, shrimp, and miniature churros, all of which were delicious. In talking to some non-first timers, they confirmed that they had yet to be disappointed in anything from the BARcelona Tapas menu.

Most dishes were in the $5-8 range, so plan on spending around $15-20 or more per person, depending on drinks and dessert. There are a few dishes that are larger portions and therefore more expensive, about $15-20 each. You can view their menu, including prices here.

The only downfall to the night was our waitress, who wasn’t very attentive to our group. However, from what I’ve heard from others this isn’t the norm, and it definitely won’t stop me from making a return visit (or several) to the restaurant.

You can find more information about BARcelona Tapas, including directions and hours of operation, at their website.