Good enough for Gwyneth

Back in Barcelona, and so to Inopia.

Visiting only because Gwyneth Paltrow suggest it, and by that I mean - it's on her Goop website. Inopia wasn't in the guide books it wasn't something you'd chance upon during an evening stroll hunting for dinner. We were shameless over what had brought us ; set out clutching a print-out of Gwyneth's 'where to eat in Barcelona newsletter', clinging to the fact that she says she would 'fly all the way to Barcelona just to eat here'. 

So, one scary taxi ride later, we were quickly rejected from the man behind the rope who informed us our booking was indeed not a booking and that we had to join a very long queue if we ever intended eating here any time soon. We hung our heads and shuffled around a bit next to some road works outside; contemplating our next move.

People appeared, kissed the man manning the rope, ushered inside to kiss more people and disappear amidst a sea of the privileged few to be fed somewhere. Now, this makes it sound like an intimidating and elitist private members club but it really wasn't. It was very ordinary, very every day. A bit of a hot bustling cafe, writing on the walls, plastic tables with high stools to sit on (if you were lucky enough!).

We figured we had to stay the course. The rope man suggested where we should go for a drink beforehand, which passed the time well, and he won our hearts back after he came over the road to get us once our table (or rather stools and a bit of counter') were ready. It may have been a secret club but he seemed happy to welcome any old newcomers.

All of this hullabaloo quickly paled into insignificance though - once the food came.

A quick read through the menu and the dishes/prices all appear as simple, small and unassuming as their surroundings. This isn't so. The olives and piemento du padron (pictured) were the best I ever had. The egg plant drizzled with a balsamic glaze (pictured) were what made us say: 'I agree, I would fly all the way to Barcelona just to eat these', and the patatas bravas were outstandingly good. Bearing in mind I'd had a disgusting amount of patas bravas over the last few days. These were exceptional. They had thinly sliced the potatoes and fried them into a kind of thick crisp and coated them in a sauce that was sufficiently paprika laden. My fish eating companion said the prawns were the best they had ever had and again repeated the whole 'flying to Barcelona...' just to eat here line.

So, if you're looking for a reason to fly to Barcelona here it is.