Fat Cat

i had the privilege of just happening upon one of the top locally-known neighborhood spots in El Raval during our trip. we were staying <2min walk from here and decided to get a table on pure instinct whilst looking for somewhere to eat on the first night. we were not disappointed. we were seated pretty much immediately at an outside table, and proceeded to browse the menu. it seems to be the classic spanish + catalan fare, but with a real focus on constructing interpretations that are fresh and sustainable - using locally-sourced ingredientsw/ minimal food miles and such care and attention that makes the food clearly standout from the endless tourist traps slots focused on purely profit. fat cat had a great atmosphere with great service also. i seemed to only hear spanish / Catalan conversations from other guests there which to me, is almost always a good sign. our waiter albert was a pleasure, easy going guy and keen to the recommend the real choice wine and food choices and explain the ethos of the restaurant. i think they have a great thing going and certainly one small business enriching the community. that’s something i can always get behind. and yes suffice to say - the food was sublime all round. standout items for us: - house tortilla (spanish omelette - several filling options available i ordered the chorizo iberico & manchego) slow-cooked smoked BBQ ribs (OMG!!) - tomato salad w/ tuna belly I have travelled a fair bit around europe, US and Canada and honestly these ribs here are some of the best i’ve ever had anywhere. holy moly that was a special plate of food. the tortilla was cooked to utter perfection and retained a creamy almost runny texture which was great albert also recommended us a great choice of wine also! the k-naia was delish. Cannot really fault this place, other than maybe it is in a potentially seedy part of town, so you should always keep wits about you arriving / leaving. if i ever return to the area this will be one of the first places on my list

Was in Barcelona all last week for work, and in the evenings I was with clients going between super fancy restaurants— so much Jamon Iberico, fancy steaks, octopus, squid, wine, beer, etc, etc. By the end of it, my stomach was done—way too much rich food. So tonight, I canceled all my dinner plans and just wanted a quiet, fresh meal by myself without all the smalltalk. I was walking Las Ramblas, passing a bunch of shawarma and kebab spots that weren’t exactly ideal for my jamon-filled stomach. Kept walking, and somehow wandered down a side street and found The Fat Cat. Not super busy, but the smell of fresh food and the sound of good music drew me in. I asked for a recommendation, and Karim suggested the Spanish Tortilla with truffles. I also got the Burrata salad. Good lord—exactly what I needed. Fresh, delicious, and a total reset after a week of heavy eating. To anyone in Barcelona, do yourself a favour and find this place. Huge shoutout to Karim and Inéz for the awesome food and even better vibes. You won’t regret it.