The first dish we ordered was pulpo a la gallega (boiled octopus). Somebody, SHUT THE FRONT DOOR! I can never go to another tapas restaurant in New York and order this dish again.  It was cooked to perfection here. The octopus was so tender and sweet; it simply melted in your mouth. There was just enough paprika sprinkled on top to give it a little kick, and the sea salt added such a nice savory crunch. I’m telling you, perfection in every single bite!

The second dish we ordered was gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp). Man oh man. I don’t think I can ever eat shrimp anywhere else or prepared any other way after this experience. If you really love shrimp and all the goodness that comes with it (shrimp head and all), this is the place for you! I have never eaten shrimp this sweet and fresh in my life. It is SO good it’ll make you wanna slap shrimp cocktail the next time you see it! 😉 Some people get squeamish when they see shrimp with its head still intact; however, there is nothing scary or gross about it. This is where all the flavor lies! Seafood broth and paella wouldn’t be so darn good if it weren’t for these shrimp heads!

As night fell upon us, we decided to go somewhere fancier and more formal for dinner. It was, after all, part of our second anniversary vacation :). Although most Spaniards eat dinner fairly late given their siesta, we made a 9pm reservation (still considered early) since we were extremely tired from our red-eye flight. We decided on a Catalan restaurant in Eixample. Osmosis is a modern restaurant offering its diners a “refreshed” traditional Catalan gastronomy at a very reasonable price. At 45 Euros for the tasting menu, diners are treated to seven courses. The Chef changes the menu weekly to ensure the freshest ingredients are served. Osmosis has several dining spaces, each with its own character and ambiance. We were seated in one of the two dining rooms upstairs, surrounded by wine bottles and books. Some of the Chef’s handwritten recipes and notes were also on the bookshelves. Needless to say, the service was impeccable. The staff was extremely nice and helpful, offering to explain how dishes were prepared in great detail. They were even nice about my broken Spanish, but I think they let that slide given Michael’s fluent Spanish and his local accent (lisping and all). Don’t worry, they do speak English!

So what did we think of Osmosis? Let’s just say that we were more impressed with the tasting menu at Osmosis than French Laundry, given the price difference. The dishes at Osmosis were much more creative and flavorful. We went to French Laundry last year for our first anniversary and were not that impressed. Plating and execution were flawless, as to be expected, but creativity and flavor were mediocre.  Although I enjoyed all the dishes at Osmosis, my absolute favorite was the arroz negro (black squid ink rice). As soon as the waiter placed the dish in front of me, I could smell all the wonderful aromas from the squid, shrimp, and fish. It was so good that I was tempted to ask for another portion of rice instead of the remaining three courses!

Overall, we had an amazing time in Barcelona and can’t wait to visit again. I hope you give El Rey de la Gamba and Osmosis a try the next time you’re in Barcelona!