Trendy tapas in a
buzzing, cosy space
Approx. €20-30 p.h including drinks
Nearest Metro: Diagonal
Bar But
Carrer de Bonavista, 8
+ 34 933 60 71 28
Go for: the pan con tomate | great value wines & artisan beers | cool, cosy atmosphere
Good for: casual drinks & bites | smaller groups | date nights
Need to Know: Day | Night | Bar | Drinks | Takes Reservations | Veggie/Vegan Friendly | Can accommodate larger groups
I know I’m going to like a place when they give me a real napkin.
Not just any old napkin, but a thick, white, expensive feeling one. Mmmmm.
And cosy little Bar Mut is definitely not the white-tablecloth kind of joint you’d usually associate said napkins with. Which makes me like it all the more. It’s all skandi chic, white exposed brick walls, minimalist art and brushed brass light fittings. Cool couples sit amid low hanging lights along a chipboard bar, giving a ‘trendy yet temporary’ vibe, as if the place has just been knocked up just so that we can come for dinner.
We’re in the sunken area at the back, cosying up over a menu divided into ‘Garden | Seafood | Sharers | Meat’ and, slightly incongruously, ‘Bao Buns’. It’s like they’ve been added as an afterthought, as if having them on the menu instantly designates the place cool and current.
This, plus the inclusion of dishes such as ceviche and hummus, make me wary, as I’m not quite sure how China, Peru and Egypt will all fit successfully into such a tiny space? We shall see.
We order conservatively, pan con tomate (€2.50), tomato with tuna salad (€7), ‘bullet pork,’ slow cooked with artichokes (€10) and an experimental Iberian pork rib bao (€9) and sip our wine in expectation (white Verdejo for Nira, red Montserrat for me - both delicious & excellent value).
The dishes arrive in descending order of greatness, kicked off by what I’m currently crowning the best pan con tomate I’ve tasted! Crispy, light and crunchy but still a little bit soggy - it’s hard to get right and is a joy when it is.
The salad is a proper tomato party, while the pork is super soft and silky, despite not being the prettiest dish.
As predicted, the bao isn’t the best - a bit dry with an overly sweet sauce.
But I forgive them for this because a) 3 out of 4 is pretty good and b) our waiter is pretty handsome.
Conclusion - Bar But is the kind of place you’ll only really find in Gracia.
Super cool and super casual but serving posh food to a crowd of well heeled hipsters. Great for a drink and I’m sure would be a super spot for a daytime coffee too.
