Pan Con Aceite De'Olivo

Lee and Sherri in Palma De Mallorca
A Cliff between Deia and Soller
Above: Lee and Sherri in Gaudi's Parc Guell, Barcelona
Below: Vegetables at La Boqueria market, Barcelona

Sherri and Lee at Hotel La Residencia, Deia

One of many cappucinos

The Pool at La Residencia, Deia
Patata Bravas at El Xelini Barrigon, Deia
Hotel La Residencia Front Lawn
Paella at Las Palmeras, Deia

We just got back from Barcelona and Deia, a village 30 minutes outside of Palma De Mallorca. After a year of reading Travel and Leisure, Food and Wine and Frommer's in preparation for our big trip, it finally came and went.

Why does everything taste better in Spain? The tomatoes tasted nothing like the ones in New York- they were sweet and juicy. The olive oils (or "aceite d'olivo") with fresh bread at the beginning of each meal got me so full, I was ready for dessert after my appetizer. The sangria was a perfect end to every lazy day. I always knew I liked tapas, but this was the real stuff. How am I going to live without daily patatas bravas?

We found many gems in Spain, so here is a guide of where to find them:

Deia- a village 30 minutes outside of Palma De Mallorca in the hills

Eat at El Xelini Barrigon: Xelini is the village tapas restaurant housed in one of many stone buildings. The locals and tourists flock here alike. After reading about Xelini in Elle, we went there on our second day for lunch. Through out our 6 days in Deia, we ate at Xelini 4 times. The patata bravas, chorizitos, tomato and onion salad, mushrooms and chocolate mousse were unreal. We also tried tumbet, a Mallorcan vegetable dish with a layer of potatoes, eggplant and tomato sauce. If you are in Mallorca and decide to drive up to Deia, this is a must stop. We ate at a few really expensive places in town and this well-priced tapas place tops them all.

Barcelona

1. Divina Pasta, 115 Bailen in Eixample- While walking on our Gaudi tour between Casa Mila and La Sagrada Familia, we came across Divina Pasta, there was a large crowd of locals laughing loudly. There was no English menu and not a tourist in sight. We sat down and ate homemade pasta. I had the best pasta dish I have ever eaten (I haven't been to Italy though)- "Papardelle con tomato natural, hierbas aromaticas y aceite suave de ajo". The place is well-priced and phenomenal. It's owned by Argentine Italians and a Uruguayan.

2. Taller de Tapas is a modern tapas place on Ramblas Catalunya. They have outside seating on the cobblestone walkway and serve great tapas. I had the creme catalan, their version of a creme brulee, and it was delicious! If you're staying on Las Ramblas, this place is really close without the Time Square tourists.

3. Cuines Santa Caterina is a modern restaurant in the Mercat Santa Caterina, which is famous for its coloured, tiled, rippled roof in the middle of El Born/La Rivera. The produce comes right from the market stalls 2 feet away. It is very close to the cathedral in the Barri Gotic and to The Picasso Museum in El Born. Lee had an incredible omelette.

4. La Boqueria- Our first morning in Barcelona, we walked over to La Boqueria and had a great capuccino at Bar Pinoxto. We roamed around all of the stalls of gorgeous produce, meat, chicken and lots of jamon! Fun place to sample a bit of everything.

I came to the realization after eating in numerous fancy restaurants like El Olivo and El Raco D'es Teix in Deia, Restaurant Gaig in Barcelona and Comerc 24, a restaurant that is famous for its molecular gastronomy (read: FOAM PARTY), that the local well-priced places are the best. Although all of these restaurants were good, I didn't think they were great.

When we got home from Spain, I made my new quick dinner:

Roasted jumbo shrimp with garlic and olive oil

Buy Jumbo Shrimp in the frozen section of Trader Joe's. Run water on the shrimp for 5 minutes to defrost them. Throw them in the oven with some minced garlic and olive oil for about 10 minutes at 350. When they come out of the oven, squirt lemon juice on top of the shrimp. If you want to make life really easy, roast asparagus with the same garlic and olive oil for 15 minutes on the same baking sheet. A healthy, one pan meal.