Quick Bites: En Aparté
Here in Catalunya, France is actually closer than you think. However, even though the border is easily within a couple of hour’s drive of Barcelona, French residents here have made it their duty to bring their country’s greatest treasure, la cuisine, with them. French dining might bring to mind white-clothed tables in Michelin-starred temples of gastronomy, yet those who have experienced the endearing charm of southern French villages, cafes and bistros know that some of the most memorable dishes are the most sublimely simple of them all.
At En Aparté, in the quaint and quiet Plaça de Sant Pere just steps into the Born from the Arc de Triomf, delicacies from north of the border are in abundance. Crusty baguettes with a hunk of sharp comté cheese and a smear of dijon mustard, perfectly-scrambled eggs (soft and creamy, in the French style) with delicate asparagus tips and crispy bacon, and rich pork rillettes with tart cornichons (pickled cucumbers), are just a few of the delicious things I crave whenever I take a seat at one of En Aparté’s vintage tables.
Filled with natural light by day and animated voices by night, this busy cafe now feels like my second home. A morning coffee with fresh and chewy canelés or custardy pain aux raisins; a bottle of French wine with friends; a well-cooked midday menú del día for lunch; an after-work apéritif; or a late night cocktail—they all have their precious place in my day. It would be impossible to count the hours I have spent here, typing away at my laptop whilst absent-mindedly working the foot pedal of one of the antique sewing machines that now serve as tables. The decor of En Aparté is eclectic and full of recycled and repurposed bits of antiquity, from old lamps and wash basins to ancient coffee grinders and tarnished mirrors. The energy level here ebbs and flows throughout the day, reaching a crescendo at lunch time and just after working hours. With a large offering of warming teas, an impressive all-French wine list, tasty sandwiches of French cheeses and charcuterie available all day, a large selection of satisfying French ‘tapas’, salads and desserts, a prix fixe lunch menu during the week and an excellent brunch on the weekend, En Aparté fits perfectly into the daily rhythm of life in the neighborhood.
En Aparté. Lluís el Piadós 2.