Review: Quillo, Barcelona, Spain

Every so often, a restaurant opens up that jolts the entire neighborhood. It doesn’t quite fit in, but it certainly stands out and makes neighbors question the culinary future of the streets. In the quaint barrio of El Born in Barcelona, a new take on tapas nudged its way into the busy crossroads of two mostly pedestrian streets.

A post shared by QUILLO BAR (@quillobar) on May 16, 2017 at 7:22am PDT

Quillo is a tapas restaurant that effortlessly combines Catalonia’s hospitable dining experience with new-age versions of some of the region’s most classic tapas. The small front patio hosts four dining tables, while the interior mimics a made-over version of a standard tapas bar. On the right side of the wall, a shiny bar is outfitted with industrial piping, and taps pour Catalonia’s beer of pride and joy: Estrella Damm.

Each table is topped with a small rosemary plant, a refreshing aroma that accompanies the dining experience. A litany of vinos tinto (red), blanco (white) and rosado (rosé) are on hand, as are cava, sangria and sangria de cava.

A post shared by QUILLO BAR (@quillobar) on Feb 22, 2017 at 5:01am PST

Plates of tapas feature tweaked versions of all the favorites: mojama de atun (seared tuna with a smoky flavor), shrimp croquettes, Iberian cured ham and Andalusian calamari. The presentation is nothing short of pristine, but once the flavors on the plate are tasted, you wouldn’t have cared if they brought dishes out in steel pails.

After dinner, treat yourself to the leche frita (fried milk) dessert, essentially fried dough topped with sugar and cinnamon powder.

Quillo

2 Rec Comtal

Barcelona, Spain 08003

34 931 38 31 30