chickpeas with baby squid and Hansi Flick’s table

BarcelonaBar Milagros has a name from another era, but it’s a modern restaurant (with a menu and website in Catalan) that draws inspiration from France in its service and decor. On the table, you’ll find top-quality products, which you can even choose yourself from the display case showcasing the fish and seafood. The day I ate there, the case held cockles, razor clams, langoustines, mussels, and monkfish.

I ask about the bar’s name. “We chose the name because we liked the idea of ​​traditional bars, and also the double meaning of the name, which is that we perform miracles here every day,” explains co-owner Llorenç Balagué, on a winter midday when all the tables in the dining room on Laforja Street and the private room on Amigó Street are full. The waiters and waitresses are dressed in white jackets; The tablecloth is immaculate, and the pristine red sofa transports us to a French bistro. “I’m giving a nod to France with the decor because I like civilization,” Balagué continues.

Behind the bar, a large mirror amplifies the space. It’s a restaurant that draws attention, where every detail is carefully considered, including the sheer curtains on the windows. “We wanted to show that we can offer fine dining and good service without you having to spend 100 euros,” explains Balagué.

Chickpeas with baby squid from the vouchers

And we found out. I ordered chickpeas with baby squid, one of the dishes that’s highly recommended on the menu. The chickpeas and the delicate flavor of the baby squid create a combination you won’t forget, and if there weren’t so many other dishes, I might have ordered a second helping. In short, a truly comforting dish.

Continue with other options on the menu. You’ll find the “fiesta mayor” cannelloni, made with pork (jowl) and chicken. It’s a long cannelloni, which the waiters finish at the table with truffle when it’s in season. For those who like fish, there’s the monkfish in sauce. maître de hôtelMade with parsley, garlic, and butter. “I found this recipe in my grandmother’s cookbook, and I suggested it to our chef, Javier Álvarez,” says Balagué. “Those of us who are a bit older recognize it immediately, and if not, I find that people ask me about it, wanting to know what the sauce is like, so I explain it to them.”

Those who prefer to order dishes to share can choose the prawn croquettes (very good), the offerings from the display case, or those from the bar, such as anchovies, prawns with lemon mayonnaise, or pig’s trotter carpaccio with mushroom oil and pine nuts. Ham lovers should know that the ham will be hand-carved right in front of you.

After the chickpeas, I continued my meal with an open-faced cod omelet, because omelets are also one of Milagros’s great offerings. In fact, the cook’s left hand is a safeguard for such delicate dishes as this one.

For all these reasons, in just two years the bar has become a landmark. It’s also a favorite among celebrities, like Barça coach Hansi Flick, whom you’re very likely to find eating there on weekends (when Barça plays at home). “We invested in Carrer Amigó two years ago because we saw its potential,” says Balagué. And indeed, the street is experiencing a renaissance. It has gone from being a nightclub street to one of Barcelona’s most gastronomic hotspots. Alongside Milagros, you’ll find many other quality options, both new and established. Omar and Hijos de Javier are among the newer ones; Can Punyetes is a long-standing favorite. There are also excellent shops, like Los Italianos, specializing in Italian pasta, and Oz Natural Bakery, whose bread is so good that just walking past it lifts your spirits. And if it weren’t for the fact that science has proven that feeling, I would think it was an exaggeration.But no: science tells us that the smell of good bread makes us feel better.

Finally, Milagros is open every day of the week, including Saturdays and Sundays (but on Sundays, it’s open until 6 pm). Be sure to check out the Catalan wines on the list. You’ll find selections from winemakers Sara Pérez (DOQ Priorat) and Josep Grau (DO Montsant). And others, which you can also enjoy by the glass.