Barcelona 2014 - Cafe Ocana at Placa Reial

We love Placa Reial so much there we went back there several times for lunch and dinner. Cafe Ocana is a cafe located at one corner of the square. It is a really beautiful venue which pays homage to José Pérez Ocaña - an activist, painter and defender of freedom during Spain's Transition and in the 1970s. The interior space has been meticulously restored, retaining most of the existing structures and ceiling. A full mural on the end wall provide the stylish modern touch.

The menu - printed on recycled newsprint, is the most beautiful I've seen.

The cafe serves modern Spanish cuisine including Tapas, salads and sandwiches and a small selection of mains. The focus is on fresh produce simply prepared to let the ingredients shine. As we had completely no idea about the food at this venue - we asked the waitress for recommendations and she gladly helped to select all the items.

Our dinner started with some Tapas selections - the ubiquitous Pan Con Tomate came first. The bread was really good - and the fresh flavours of tomato and really good olive oil was great. 

The sandwich with  eggplants and peppers and yogurt so was another very flavourful dish.

Tortilla Ocana Style - the tortilla was beautifully made, and potatoes were very tender and given some kick with a sprinkle of paprika on top.

Salad of tomatoes and cheese. Another simple-looking dish that is packed with flavours.

Serrano Ham with Fried Egg.  So good. 

For mains we had the Entrecote with Potato Puree and Roasted Peppers. The beef was perfectly cooked.

The other mains was Fish of the Day -  it was a pan seared cod served on smashed potatoes and a tomato salsa. Great cooking. 

French Toasts with Caramel Ice Cream. It was a surprisingly good dessert and a great finish for the meal.

The food at Ocana is simple but expertly executed. Besides Ocana Cafe, there is also Bar Club Ocana - a bar and lounge in the vaulted basement space, and Apotheke Ocana - a cocktail bar with an amazing carved wooden shelf behind the counter. This is a special venue you wouldn't want to miss in Barcelona.