Another food review from STL

While I raved about Modesto in the last post, I have to admit that there was a restaurant we tried that had less than exciting results.

BARcelona had a couple of fantastic things going for it. The idea is great: a small tapas and wine cafe nestled in a quiet neighborhood just off a business district. And the weather was perfect for sitting outside. Unfortunately, the seating was limited, but BARcelona had thought of that. They put in large French doors that they kept open during nice weather, so most of the dining room was given a soothing, gentle breeze during the meal.

The drink I ordered was the restaurant's namesake (a BARcelona), and included a great blend of Stoli Vanil Vodka, Midori Melon Liqueur, Chambord, and pineapple juice. Because of the mixture, it's a beautiful green and red combo, like an inverted stoplight effect. After much deliberation, my boyfriend and I decided it was probably closest in flavors to a Now-n-Later. I enjoyed it heartily, even if it was a tad sweet--it made the good afternoon that much sweeter!

Unfortunately, the menu options were not quite as tasty as we had hoped. We ordered three items: pan con alioli (garlic bread with olive oil), Bacalao (fried codfish and potato cakes with lemon garlic alioli), and Solomillo con Cabrales (grilled beef with blue cheese, spinach, and served in a Rioja reduction). All of these quickly appealed to our palates, especially our love of garlic-flavored foods.

The bread, surprisingly, showed up last. And to be fair, we could've made this at home, using basic garlic powder, cheese, and some olive oil on the side. It wasn't anything unusual or special. It tasted only slightly different than the house bread, which was served at the table, sans butter. (Sorry, a MAJOR pet peeve for me!)

The Bacalao sounded unusual to me--a combination I wouldn't normally put together. I had tried to be daring on this trip, but much to my dismay, this proved my adventurousness to have been better left elsewhere. There was nothing specifically appealing about this dish. Its appearance reminded me of salmon cakes my mom used to make on Fridays during Lent. The potatoes were not hearty, but overly mashed, even creamy. Given that it was paired with codfish, even hash brown potatoes would have been a good alternative. The only firm texture came from the overly browned crust. And unfortunately, there was no seasoning. Salt from the codfish was very apparent, but no herbs or interesting flavors to tickle the tongue.

Finally, Solomillo con Cabrales--what should have been the piece de resistance--turned out to be as disappointing as it could have been. The meat was well prepared, certainly; it's difficult to get a chef who can hit "medium" right on the nose--not overdone, and not too pink. The cheese was a nice touch, and the spinach, while wilted, was not anything like I remembered from being a kid. The disapppointment in this dish was the sauch, which was more like a light glaze than a reduction. Overly sweetened, it competed with the saltiness of the cheese and the natural flavor of the meat, rather than offering a nice compliment. Personally, in some ways, this sauce would have made a nice salad dressing, rather than with this dish.

After a little discussion, my boyfriend and I agreed that BARcelona hit what happens with too many restaurants that expand too quickly (this is one of two locations). Its menu became simplified, so that you can have a similar experience in another location, in terms of food. But it has sacrificed a great deal of flavorful personality in the process. I'd be willing to give it a shot again, but only if I was certain that the food was more daring--or at least more like what we thought we'd be getting by the menu's description.