Monday began with cortados (I actually had two), and a tortilla at a place in town called Duran. Not sure if it is named after the band.
After that, it was time for a workout, and Ted and I headed to his gym at the bottom of the hill. Nothing too crazy, just some weights, and then it was time to go. We had lunch reservations in town at 2:30 pm, and needed to make sure we left enough time to catch the bus from Alella. Well, there was a little bit of time, and apparently my workout wasn't quite done. Ted challenged me to run up the stairs from the bottom of the hill, which proved a bit steeper than the ones I am used to on Lyon Street in SF.
A quick shower at home and we were off to Barcelona to visit Ted's favorite tapas restaurant, a Basque-inspired place, with a Basque name as well; Taktika Berri. I have no idea what it means, but the food was great. We started with a trio of tapas; from clockwise is a roasted red pepper spread, tortilla with bacalao (salt cod) and why yes, that is our old friend foie gras making another appearance.
After some tapas at the bar, we were seated at a proper table, and enjoyed some of the best jamón iberico I have tried. The gentleman who sliced the ham from the pata did so with great pride, and was happy to give me a lengthy explanation on how the pigs were raised on open pastures in the Extremadura province, fed only acorns and whatever else they found in nature, and had to reach a weight of no less than 160 kilograms (that's a big pig!) solely on this diet before they were slaughtered, aka, they weren't fattened up on fillers to speed up the process. However, while we chatted, Ted got a head start on the jamón, as you will notice a section missing from plate before I was able to snap this pic. The jamón really was melt in your mouth superb.
To continue what would be a strictly non-kosher lunch, we enjoyed gambas al ajillo, or shrimp with garlic, served in a ceramic dish, and threw in a refreshing salad for good measure.
We also enjoyed some fish, which was outstanding, and Ted said that the Catalan tart (I forget the name) was a must for dessert. I was defeated and did not put up a fight. I did also have another espresso, which very likely kept me up most of the night.
We put a fork in that meal (literally), and headed out for a brief stroll in Barcelona. Ted took me by a bespoke shoe store that his friend had (be)spoken to him about, and it proved to be a real example of fine craftsmanship. Custom shoes at prices in the hundreds and well into thousands of euros, these shoes were works of art. I thought that Ted was going to get fitted for a pair on the spot, and though he did not, something tells me he will be back another day.
A bus ride back to Alella, and a scooter ride up the hill (no stairs for me this time), and we were done for the day, or at least the next few hours. Even Ted needed a nap after this great meal at his favorite spot.
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