CS Get-Together- Barcelona, Spain 26-28 September, 2008 ( This Event is Past) (709)

Thanks!!!

Yes finally...I thought we were gonna have to send the... out lookin for ya.....

Came across this:

Meson David (the restaurant for friday!)

"October is a good time for squid-unless you are a squid. In which case it's bad, very bad. Because that's the time you're at your tastiest and most tender. But, if you're a diner at Mesón David, then the little squids' loss is your gain. In fact, any time of year is good for ordering chipirones (baby squid) at Mesón David. The kitchen prepares them grilled to slightly-charred perfection as if every month was October.

At first sight, this rough-and-ready Galician restaurant, stuck in the back streets of the lower Raval, doesn't look like it's hiding culinary delights. However, the noise and the bustle is a good indication of Mesón David's well-deserved popularity. You can't make reservations, so if you turn up at peak times you may have to wait for room at one of the shared trestle tables. However, a jug of the restaurant's weapons-grade sangria should make the time fly by nicely. When you're finally seated, your waiter will chuck some stained laminated sheets at you-this is the menu, available in various languages. And no, those aren't printing errors, the prices really are that low-from a few euros for grilled trout to 11 for an impressive parillada de pescado (platter of mixed grilled fish and seafood). The parillada is one of the specialities of the house, along with lechazo (meltingly soft roast knuckle of suckling pig), pulpo al gallego (octopus) and a rich meat and seafood paella (Sundays and holidays only), all of which are highly recommended, along with the chipirones. Their other specialities-various Galician mixed meat dishes-are best avoided unless you're a fan of the more obscure parts of pig.

Although fish-eaters are well-catered for, this is certainly not a place for vegetarians. In fact, vegetables seem to be rather a mystery to the good people of Mesón David. The only ones to pass your lips here will be potatoes (chips), battered aubergine, or the ingredients of a bog-standard salad (lettuce, tomato, onion). Our waiter had just returned from a trip to England and related in astonished tones: "They serve meat and many vegetables all on the same plate!"

These words were from Ramon, the grey-haired chuckling waiter who looks like he enjoys a few lechazos for his lunch. He also bears a strange resemblance to deceased British comedian Les Dawson. Indeed, he has his own line in jocular patter, and likes to show off his linguistic abilities by randomly picking a language in which to shout at you-asking for your drinks order in Italian, perhaps, then delivering your food in German. If you're a newbie here you may think you're getting bad service, but once you're a regular you'll recognise the staff's rushed and careless air for what it really is-a contribution to the restaurant's general ambience of knockabout bonhomie.

The advantage of Mesón David's ramshackle service is that you're likely to get a decent gap between main course and dessert. And you really shouldn't pass up the opportunity of dessert, even if you can only manage fresh pineapple with cointreau. For those with more accommodating digestive systems, Mesón David's crema catalana and torta de santiago (almond cake) are perfect, unmissable examples of these iconic postres.

Don't be surprised if your bill isn't a one-hundred per cent accurate representation of your order, especially if you're in a large group. One bill we were given seemed to suggest we'd consumed only 100 cups of coffee. But you're not being ripped off-the amount is usually right, and they'll happily correct any mistakes. And, leave a tip -they'll chuck it into a big wooden clog hanging on the wall behind the bar and ring a bell, whereupon the whole crowd cheers. "

By Kirsten Foster

Sounds great fun! I'll give the squid a miss though.

Me too...

I N C O G N I T O
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noroc **hic

Noroc, si sanatate