Paco Meralgo, best tapas in Barcelona!

Paco Meralgo has to be the best tapa place in Barcelona!  Paco Meralgo is a play on words, para comer algo, to eat something.   And that is certainly not a problem when you come here!
We always start with an order of Jamon Iberico and pa amb tomaquet (dense country bread, toasted and rubbed with a vine ripened tomato and a clove of garlic, then drizzled with a good olive oil).  The jamon just melts in your mouth.

Great, simple, contemporary decor.  Try to get there right when they open, 8:00, to get the perfect spot at the bar.

From the first time I was in Spain, I could not get enough of the Padron Peppers, Pimientos Padron (I wrote about these on my post dated August 9, 2011) . They are pretty incredible and you can eat the entire pepper.

Paco Meralgo makes some of the best chicken and jamon croquettes around.  Lite and fluffy, certainly not some of those heavy, pasty things that some places try to pass off as croquettes.  I still need to fine tune my recipe or just give up and go back to Barcelona!

The Bomba, a potato croquette with traces of crispy mincemeat and herbs served with a creamy aiolli sauce and a spicy tomato sauce.

 Just had to dig in. So so tasty!

Fresh seafood is abundant.

The Monradito Pepito, a fried veal sandwich, is another tapa that is worth ordering.
On a lighter note, the Bacalla Esqueixat (cod salad) was excellent!
If it's a hot evening, have your waiter make you a pitcher of Sangria.  Beautifully balanced and really refreshing.


PACO MERALGO
Muntaner 171 (cross street is Corsega)
Located in the north west Eixample neighborhood.
Open seven days a week.