Discovering El Nacional: A Food Adventure in Barcelona!

Hey everyone! Welcome back to the Mini Foodie blog!

I've been meaning post about this restaurant for the past year since it was one of my favorite places but for some reason I didn't until now. But get ready because this place was the best.

El Nacional in Barcelona!

Barcelona is such a bit foodie city, and I definitely wasn't disappointed, but this restaurant in particular had something for everyone. It’s like this mega restaurant that has a bunch of little restaurants all stuck together in one place. Or maybe it was just the coolest food court ever!

I tried three of the places there because I loved it so much. I tried the seafood specialist, the tapas bar, and the ice cream stand. I know they had more, but I can't really remember what they were. But let me tell you about what I did have.

SEAFOOD FEAST

The seafood restaurant was pretty traditional in that you sat at a table and had a waiter. At the Tapas bar we sat at the bar, so it was a very different experience. But the seafood place was great. It was painted beautifully and it was really pretty, so that was a good start. But then came the food ...

Red Prawns

OMG, these were the best! After peeling off the shell and taking a bite, the prawns had this amazing delicious garlic taste. It wasn't just a little garlic, it was a lot, but it was also delicious. Just the right amount of flavor. If you love prawns and you’re in Barcelona, you HAVE to try this. Score: 10/10

Calamari

I don't always love Calamari because it can be too chewy. These ones were fried and crunchy but they had no oil. They came with this great dipping sauce that was sort of pink in colour. I dont remember the flavor, I just remember that I couldn't get enough. The only thing is, it was a bit dry without the dip so we had to ask for more because we used so much of it. They didn't give enough, but still, I’d recommend it. Score: 9/10

Zucchini and Olive Tapenade

My mother always likes to get a vegetarian dish and this was the one. It was okay. It sounds a bit boring and it definitely had more going on than just zucchini and olive. There were sun dried tomatoes and sliced almonds for cruch. It was really refreshing, but I not sure I would order it again. Score: 6/10

Seafood Paella

My parents say this is what Spain is famous for, and after tasting this I could tell why. This was super good too. The mussels and prawns on top were awesome, and the rice was soft and crunchy at the same time, and veggies were perfect. I don't think it really needed the veggies, but they were there. Only problem, after everything else, I didn't have enough room for this and there was so much of it, too. Is that really a problem? Probably not. I totally recommend it. Score: 9/10

THE TAPAS BAR

I liked this experience more because we were sitting at the bar, and we ordered from someone behind the bar who we could see preparing things. It meant we got a little sneak preview before we needed to order. But still we ordered some classics.

Olives

I LOVE olives, especially green ones, and these were pitted and super yummy. I’ve loved olives since I was little. Score: 10/10

Patatas Bravas

Potatoes can be boring right. Well not these. These potatoes came with two sauces. One was like mayonnaise but better, and the other was a delicious red sauce. Mixing them together was the best! Score: 9/10

Spanish Ham

I could have eaten this all day. It was a bit oily but it was the best ham ever. It's so good, it shouldnt be called ham because its so perfect. It was smoky and full of flavor. And yes, they had it in most restaurants, but it was better here. It’s a must-try! Score: 10/10

Croquetas

We had a few versions of these. We had the Iberico ham and melted cheese, and we also had the mushroom ones. Guess what. The ham was better. I mean both were good, but the ham was better. They were like fried pieces of heaven. When I cut into them, the cheese and ham just melted in my mouth. So good! Score: 9/10

Cannelloni

These were super hot and had beef inside with melted cheese on top. Beef and cheese together are amazing. The cheese melted onto the beef when I cut it. Not really sure how to describe it, but it was just perfect. Score: 9.525/10

Padron Peppers

These weren’t my favorite. They tasted a bit burnt and had too much oil. Every bite was oily. Score: 4/10

Tortilla

I love Mexican food, but this isn't like mexican food. This was super yummy! It had potatoes and onion and egg, and it was cooked, but soft and moist. I was a bit like dough. I don't really know how to describe it because it was simple but so delicious inside. Every bite was perfect! Score: 10/10

Overall Rating:

The food and service were really great! Here’s the rating for kids and parents:

Kids Rating:

Food: 9/10

Service: 8/10

Parent Rating:

Food: 9/10

Service: 7/10

Value: 8/10

Again, thanks for visiting my site, and if you’re ever in Barcelona, make sure to check out El Nacional. You won't regret it.

https://www.elnacionalbcn.com/en/