Barcelona: Els 4 Gats

March 17, 2022

Walking back to our room after lunch Rachael took us a few blocks out of the way to show me a nearby coffee and pastry place that opens at 6, a spot she thought I might like to check out for breakfast. She misremembered just where it was though and took us down a side lane one block too soon.

Which was lucky, because otherwise we would likely never have stumbled across the 4 Cats, a restaurant I was immediately attracted to because of the painting of two cyclists on a tandem. We checked out the menu, liked the looks of that as well, so we made a reservation for this evening.

The menu and appearance both appealed to us so we made a reservation.

since we don’t read enough guide books, neither of us had heard of the 4 Cats before, so we were surprised to see that we’d stumbled into one of the best known restaurants in the city. Established in the late 1800’s by a group of modernist artists, it was famous on the cultural circuit at the turn of the century here, and it was the site for Picasso’s first art showing.

The restaurant closed after only a few years but was restored and reopened about eighty years later, maintaining the original atmosphere. It’s a fascinating place and feels like you’re dining in a Belle Époque museum. It’s a delight just sitting there staring at the walls and elegant sight-lines. And the food was a delight too. It’s only the second day of the tour, but I’m confident this will be one of our most memorable meals.

If you’ve seen the Woody Allen film Vicky, Christina Barcelona you might recognize this restaurant. A few of its scenes were set here.

Ramon Casas and Pere Romeu on a Tandem, painted by Ramon Casas to grace the interior of the restaurant. The one here now is a replica, with the original now in the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

Hers: baked turbot, with roasted potatoes and vegetables.

His: braised lamb with pears and potato confit.

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Graham FinchI see you're slumming it... ;)

I'm jealous.
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2 years ago

Rich FrasierWhat time was dinner? Asking for a friend…
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Rich FrasierWe reserved for 7:30, and several other tables had already been seated for a change. The place was starting to fill up by about 9 when we left. It’s a low season and midweek, so there’s that to consider too.
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2 years ago

Scott AndersonTo Graham FinchNot the sort of place it would occur to us to go to, if we’d just read about it. I’d have thought it would be too touristy or spendy but it was neither. Pure delight. I’m sure being here in low season helped the experience.
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2 years ago

Rich FrasierTo Scott AndersonWow, that's unbelievably early! Anywhere you can eat in Barcelona before 9PM that's not a tapas bar or Indian restaurant is a find. I'll relay this to my friend. :)
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2 years ago