Restaurant Can Pineda, Barcelona, 11/10/16

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Entrance

Can Pineda is a small restaurant of 2 rooms with wine barrels overhead and photos decorating the walls.  The building started as a place to purchase wine and the barrels used to store the wines have long been empty but now serve as a decorative touch.  It has been a restaurant for over 100 years with the current owners in place for 45 years, a sister and brother team.  You enter into the smaller room that is mostly taken up with a bar/counter and pass through a short corridor filled with cases of iced down meats and seafood and cartons of fresh mushrooms and vegetables. It bodes well for the quality of the food to come.  There is a fairly large menu along with several specials of the day.

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side door

 

The very friendly and helpful waitress was able to lead us a selection of their best dishes incorporating the freshest of the ingredients, to create a ‘tasting’ menu for us. White truffles  were available that day but they would be priced at double the cost of any dish with black truffles.

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bar in the entry room
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bar in entry room
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Passage between 2 rooms
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fresh options
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fresh mushrooms
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interior
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Interior
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Frankie checked out the table flower
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wine cellar
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menu cover
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Menu 1
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Menu 2
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Menu 3
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Menu back
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Welcome bit of sausage

 

We started with tomato bread which was really crisp and light and airy while being well seasoned with olive oil and tomatoes. We had this with the mixed sauté of mushrooms, including ceps or porcini.  The bread was nice but the mushrooms were simply amazing.

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Tomato bread
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Fresh wild mushrooms
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Neat tiles
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Wine
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Frankie liked the blue bottle of water

 

We followed with the clams, artichokes and beans that was served with a side of peppers. The peppers added a nice zip to this fresh and simple dish. The clams had opened and added a touch of brine to the flavor.  It was very tasty and perfect to mix with a slice of the doughy, crusty bread.

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artichokes, clams and beans
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closer
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Peppers
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Frankie approved of the bread
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Barrels overhead

 

The baby squid  was a special that day and it was dotted with fried garlic slices, bits of pepper to give it a hint of spice and mushrooms.  The cook is not afraid of adding salt and it did give this dish an outstanding flavor. The squid was so delicate and tasty, not tough or chewy, just amazing. This was a lick the plate dish – so good.

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Baby squid with mushrooms and garlic
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closer
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Frankie looked it over
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She got there too late

 

Next we had a favorite of Mela, our server, poached egg with foie and truffles. The foie gras was seared perfectly and added a richness to the dish. Another winner, although I never did figure out what the chunky puree under the egg was. It tasted great, so who cares.

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poached egg and truffles
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foie gras
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poached egg and truffles
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as plated
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Waitress and sommelier Mela and Frankie

 

We finished with the Kid of Aragon, and talk about a winner.  Aragon is where they raise the best goats and this one had been roasted for 4 hours over the potatoes that accompanied it. It was velvety tender with a wonderful crispy skin. The meat melted in your both – every bit of it. The potatoes reeked of meat drippings. This was without a doubt, the best goat I’ve ever eaten. Make room, it is rich but such a treat.

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Kid and potatoes

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Frankie thought it smelled amazing

 

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dessert menu cover
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dessert menu drawing
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dessert menu
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dessert menu 2
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Frankie knows a dirty table is a sign of a fun meal

 

Mela recommended a different dessert but the description of the rolled cookies stuffed with sweetened cream appealed too much not to order it. It was topped with white and dark chocolate sauces as well as cream anglaise. A very nice finish.

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Canutillos rellenos de mousse de turron con crema inglesa y chocolate blanco y negro
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closer
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Frankie found a flower
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fun art
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Frankie found a basket just her size
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Lots of photos on the walls
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Owners Rosario and Paco Cuenca visit with guests
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Frankie explored the bathroom
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Liquor cart
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Barrels overhead
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About the restaurant
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Frankie posed with the chef statue

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