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Photo by Tara Stevens
Bodega 1800
Elena at Bodega 18002 of 2
Photo by Tara Stevens
Bodega 1800
Botifarra de PerolBodega 1800 (Carme 31, 93 317 3079, Tue-Sat noon-4pm, 7pm-11pm) opened during Semana Santa just around the corner from the Boqueria, and it immediately caught my eye for a look I more commonly associate with the tapas bars of Málaga: a sort of pared-down bodega with barrels (inside, and out in the pasillo) for standing around snacking and chatting over a glass of wine or three. Just the sort of place that we don’t have enough of I thought, especially with lovely, smiley Elena at the fore.
Each tapa costs €3.50 and consists of four montaditos (small, open-topped sandwiches) from an attractive menu split into verduras, pescados, carnes y quesos. There’s no dessert. Wines of the day go for €2.50 a glass, or you can get a bottle at shop prices but pay a €10 corkage fee on top. And if you just want a glass of wine, a 'tapita' comes free. When I popped in it was a chunk of morcilla with confit onions, but it might just as easily be a dollop of txangurro—Donostia style dressed crab.
Of course the tapita is so teeny tiny and cute that you have no choice but to order some more. Most things are made in house, but they have a pleasing twist like a salad of conserved calçots chopped into romesco sauce and topped with boiled prawns, or silky pickled aubergines with a tomato confit, and those that aren’t—mainly the meaty things and conservas—come from the Boqueria like botifarra de Perol, hot sobrassada Menorquín drizzled with honey, steak tartar (a house secret, all I know for sure is it doesn’t involve an egg yolk), and mussels escabeche.
My only complaint is that the chairs are slightly higher than the barrels, so after the proverbial glass or three, your chances of sliding off are better than average. Happy sliding. TS