The Food Network

[Alex]

Still find it hilarious a place does Chinese AND Indian.

Do they use jasmine rice like Chinese or basmati like Indian?

Sir_Didier_Drogba, one thing I've noticed watching British cooking shows, which I think is a result of the higher influx of Indian food in the UK and east Asian food in Australia, is that when someone makes "plain white rice" in the UK it generally seems to be basmati. Over here we use so much more jasmine.

There is certainly plenty of generic "long grain" rice used, but our long grain is slightly more aromatic and sweet, like jasmine and less of that basmati savouriness.

 

[chygry]

I like the way you type. I mean I'm better but that's that Alex. The facts won't change and you're my main man!

 

[Mandieta6]

Asian places are big here, and often they will have food from everywhere (not Indian though, Indian food is very rare here). They have the usual faux-Chinese dishes, occasionally some "real" chinese stuff, a wok bar, sushi (it's not good sushi but I still like it because they often have a fresh-looking piece of salmon on rice and that's a good baseline), they also have argentinean meat corner, paella, pizza, burgers, kebabs (all of which look disgusting as they're prepared well in advance since these places are nearly always buffets, and a crepe corner. For a cheap bite out it's good but it doesn't qualify as a good representation of any cuisine.

Spaniards don't even know Sri Lankan dishes exist, and I have never seen an exclusively Thai, Vietnamese, Korean or any other Asian place that wasn't Chinese or Japanese here.

 

[chygry]

Haha.. But one thing I don't understand is how people can enjoy sushi now that you mentioned it. Even the sight of it makes me wanna throw up.

But I'm quite certain, actually I know that for a fact that the food in Spain is a lot better than in Estonia for example.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

Can we go back to Alex's senseless hating on my poor guy food?

Also, I'm with Az, all I require from my sushi is a fresh-looking piece of salmon or tuna on some sticky rice.

 

[Alex]

Asian places are big here, and often they will have food from everywhere (not Indian though, Indian food is very rare here). They have the usual faux-Chinese dishes, occasionally some "real" chinese stuff, a wok bar, sushi (it's not good sushi but I still like it because they often have a fresh-looking piece of salmon on rice and that's a good baseline), they also have argentinean meat corner, paella, pizza, burgers, kebabs (all of which look disgusting as they're prepared well in advance since these places are nearly always buffets, and a crepe corner. For a cheap bite out it's good but it doesn't qualify as a good representation of any cuisine.

Spaniards don't even know Sri Lankan dishes exist, and I have never seen an exclusively Thai, Vietnamese, Korean or any other Asian place that wasn't Chinese or Japanese here.

What about Thai?

 

[Alex]

Can we go back to Alex's senseless hating on my poor guy food?

Also, I'm with Az, all I require from my sushi is a fresh-looking piece of salmon or tuna on some sticky rice.

Hahaha. When I was poor I used to buy flour, yeast, cheese and tomato paste and make margarita pizza all the time. If I had extra money that well if occasionally go a potato and rosemary pizza, or but some cured meat. That said, I must say I've also eaten LOADS of grilled cheese sandwiches over the years, with cheap crappy cheese when I was poor too. Or baked bean jaffles.

 

[chygry]

Mandieta6 and his mood swings! Like they say, the grass is always greener on the other side. Are you still up for that offer for switching countries? I'd do it in a heartbeat!

Oh and I'd like to ask something from you guys, what's your favourite food?

 

[Alex]

Haha.. But one thing I don't understand is how people can enjoy sushi now that you mentioned it. Even the sight of it makes me wanna throw up.

But I'm quite certain, actually I know that for a fact that the food in Spain is a lot better than in Estonia for example.

Sushi is a pretty broad term? Surely you could eat an inside out chicken teriyaki roll or similar...

If you mean sashimi then that's a different story, I can certainly understand how someone wouldn't like the idea of that. But I love it good fresh sashimi, especially if it's tuna, salmon, trout or king fish. Soooo good. Wouldn't buy it at a sushi stand though, it needs to be freshly cut or it starts tasting really fishy.

 

[chygry]

I have no clue what sashimi even is. I'm too lazy right now to even google it. My favourite is probably a proper BBQ with some quality salad plus french fries, and some beer to go along with it. :P

 

[Theodorakis]

Spaniards don't even know Sri Lankan dishes exist, and I have never seen an exclusively Thai, Vietnamese, Korean or any other Asian place that wasn't Chinese or Japanese here.

that wok restaurant near the arc de triompf was a fabulous place to eat. fresh, wide variety of choices and they also had good sushi, not the best I had but good. it was also cheap, too..

ciudad condal was good, but too mainstream. and the argentinian restaurant at passeig de la crieg. nothing other than these had made me happy in barcelona. I know there should be places that only locals know with fantastic food, but I wasn't lucky enough to find them.

 

[chygry]

You're not making much sense!

 

[Mandieta6]

I love good sushi, and when I go to a fancy restaurant it often is a proper sushi place, but I'm not a purist when it comes food. You can't always demand top quality with every meal, and getting fresh-looking salmon on acceptable rice in an all you can eat buffet for 9 euros is good value. I'm actually looking forward to May 1st because my girlfriend and I have reservations for over a month now to a new Sushi place that refuses to serve large tables because of the whole 'consume the dish as soon as it's finished' philosophy and I want to see if they're more than just talk. I ate at their old restaurant and it was very, very good.

As for Thai food, there is a "Thai" restaurant I like that serve Wok dishes to go but it's basically just the same concept like Wok to Walk with some Thai dishes, it's not authentic and there's no market for it. No one can tell the difference. I always order Pad Thai there, and it's delicious, but I dunno if it's proper Pad Thai. It's just 4.50 on Wednesdays though.

With good sushi, at least as good as I've had so far, I really like butter fish and eel. They have very nice texture and a lot of flavor. I'm considering buying some live eel and try to cook it but I'm told it's one of those things that is not worth doing at home.

If you come to Spain and want to try good food then give me a shout because we've been all around the 3 main cities for years now so I can recommend some good places (or, more likely, ask someone for a recommendation). Barcelona's best restaurants are normally hidden in the old parts where you'll only find them if you happen to stumble across them (there was a cool one that served every dish with a variant of chocolate, and they all worked, but it closed), by the pier and thus tremendously overpriced, or in the surrounding villages. Finding good Tapas is partly luck because there are a million places that serve the exact same dish so finding a good one when they all look the same is impssible for a tourist.

 

[chygry]

To be honest I've got to say that I'm not really a huge fan of tapas. They just don't get your stomach full enough and they're far beyond my taste. As a matter of fact I've been to the pier area in Barcelona, I remember some nightclub being there and loads of restaurants. If i remember correctly it was in the port olimpic area, can't be 100% certain. Had some salmon with rice and white wine and i gotta say it was delicious.

 

[Arnau]

Shoko club?

 

[chygry]

I had to google it, but yes that might have been it. Not 100% sure.

 

[Alex]

I love good sushi, and when I go to a fancy restaurant it often is a proper sushi place, but I'm not a purist when it comes food. You can't always demand top quality with every meal, and getting fresh-looking salmon on acceptable rice in an all you can eat buffet for 9 euros is good value. I'm actually looking forward to May 1st because my girlfriend and I have reservations for over a month now to a new Sushi place that refuses to serve large tables because of the whole 'consume the dish as soon as it's finished' philosophy and I want to see if they're more than just talk. I ate at their old restaurant and it was very, very good.

Sounds good. Do they do other Japanese, or just sushi? Jules and my favourite restaurant is a Japanese place here with an open kitchen. So good and so fresh.

I'm not being a snob, I really just don't enjoy unfresh sushi much. Raw fish degrades fairly quickly once cut and exposed to air (especially dry refrigerated air).

As for Thai food, there is a "Thai" restaurant I like that serve Wok dishes to go but it's basically just the same concept like Wok to Walk with some Thai dishes, it's not authentic and there's no market for it. No one can tell the difference. I always order Pad Thai there, and it's delicious, but I dunno if it's proper Pad Thai. It's just 4.50 on Wednesdays though.

Hard to get a non-proper Pad Thai, it's a pretty distinct dish, though I guess if you've got no basis for comparison it's hard to say.

Thais do quite a lot of wok stir fries (usually with fresher flavours than the Chinese - more ginger, chilli, galangal, lemon grass etc). But my favourite Thai dishes are their curries and soups generally.

With good sushi, at least as good as I've had so far, I really like butter fish and eel. They have very nice texture and a lot of flavor. I'm considering buying some live eel and try to cook it but I'm told it's one of those things that is not worth doing at home.

I don't eat much eel, I generally eat sashimi or soft shell crab sushi. Isn't eel generally smoked? If so, that's a fair bit of effort (with plenty to mess up) at home.

If you come to Spain and want to try good food then give me a shout because we've been all around the 3 main cities for years now so I can recommend some good places (or, more likely, ask someone for a recommendation). Barcelona's best restaurants are normally hidden in the old parts where you'll only find them if you happen to stumble across them (there was a cool one that served every dish with a variant of chocolate, and they all worked, but it closed), by the pier and thus tremendously overpriced, or in the surrounding villages. Finding good Tapas is partly luck because there are a million places that serve the exact same dish so finding a good one when they all look the same is impssible for a tourist.

I would definitely hit you up if I was ever in Spain anyway...
I imagine with things like tapas it could be very seasonal at the good places too?

 

[Alex]

To be honest I've got to say that I'm not really a huge fan of tapas. They just don't get your stomach full enough and they're far beyond my taste. As a matter of fact I've been to the pier area in Barcelona, I remember some nightclub being there and loads of restaurants. If i remember correctly it was in the port olimpic area, can't be 100% certain. Had some salmon with rice and white wine and i gotta say it was delicious.

They're tapas. They're not meant to get your stomach full - unless you eat a wide variety...which is the whole idea.

Beyond your taste? They're so varied, how can they all be beyond your taste.

 

[ShiftyPowers]

I really like octopus on sashimi. Not for everyone though, it's rubbery.

 

[Alex]

I really like octopus on sashimi. Not for everyone though, it's rubbery.

Octopus sashimi, not octopus "on" sashimi. If it's "on" it's sushi. Likely nigiri sushi.

I'm not big on raw octopus or scallops. But love them both cooked...I'm not big on cooked tuna or salmon, but love them both raw