Restaurant Review: Picasso-Stick with the Tapas and Beer

When I was in Barcelona, one of my favorite places ever was the Picasso museum. It was extraordinary to see the lifelong progression of one of the greatest artists of the 20th century. Did you know Pablo Picasso signed his early works Pablo Ruiz (Ruiz was a paternal surname and Picasso was a maternal surname)? What was most striking for me though was the gradual transition from landscapes and realistic painting to the bold, striking and quite abstract work he is typically known for today.  also has some Spanish flair and great works. Though billed as a Spanish-Italian fusion eatery, the Spanish offerings were by far the best.

In keeping with the Spanish theme, we arrived for a later dinner (Spaniards are known to have dinner as late at 10 p.m.) and chose to sit at the high tables right by the bar. We were presented with menus, a wine list and a beer list. The wine and beer lists are both impressive and extensive. The list has wines from all over the world with prices ranging from $35 to $150 a bottle. Also noteworthy are the numerous red and white wines offered by the glass. However, for our group the stunning beer list caught our attention. There are local brews, craft brews and fancy pants brews on this beer list. We chose the Magic Hat Circus Boy, Duvel and a glass of Sangria. The Circus Boy had ginger and citrus notes while the Belgian Duvel delivered both a wallop of flavor and alcohol as always. If you've never experienced a Duvel, it's almost worth it just for the fun glass. 

The food  menu is extensive and divided into tapas, appetizers, gourmet sandwiches, entrees and pasta. We ordered the buñuelos de bacalao (salt cod fritters), croquetas de jamón serrano (ham croquettes), trigueros con Romesco (asparagus with Romesco sauce) and cream of broccoli and beet soup to start. The combination of green and deep purple vegetables created a light brown soup which wasn't the most appetizing to look at. It tasted much better but if I had been blindfolded I would have sworn it was just cream of broccoli soup.

The two fried items arrived in medium sized bowls but the landscape was dominated by the abundant amount of potato chips. The salt cod fritters were savory and tasty, especially when dipped in the honey sauce, but not piping hot. The ham croquettes featured a ground ham and vegetable mixture inside which was a first for me. These too were crisp and delicious and I also loved the peppery dipping sauce. The potato chips tasted homemade and were also great with the various sauces.

The asparagus with Romesco were fantastic. The green spears tasted fresh and the almond heavy Romesco was more of a broken vinaigrette than a sauce but good nevertheless. Romesco sauce is a sauce from Catalonia, Spain made from almonds/hazelnuts/pinenuts, garlic, olive oil and red peppers. Sometimes people will add vinegar, onions and tomatoes. There is no official recipe and every cook tailors it to their own tastes. Other renditions I have tried have been rich, creamy and dominated by tomato and red bell pepper.

For our entrees we had the lamb sandwich, the Atlantic salmon burger and the linguini vegeteriani (vegetarian linguini). The sandwiches come with either, hand cut french fries or salad, we both chose the spuds. My friend found the lamb sandwich good but the lamb itself a bit on the chewy side. I wasn't such a big fan, I thought the lamb tasted extra gamey. The salmon burger was very soft and mushy. I wasn't sure what was happening but the patty obviously had more than just salmon in the mixture, it nearly fell apart as I bit into it and was difficult to eat. The french fries were great and we enjoyed dipping them in all the different sauces.

The pasta looked vibrant but it was drenched in the pesto sauce. Nothing tasted bad, the cherry tomatoes and other vegetables were delicious and the sauce was well seasoned and texturally pleasing. The problem was that there was way too much sauce. I advised my friend to make a new batch of pasta when she got home and mix it with her linguini leftovers to make two fantastic plates of pasta.

We couldn't resist dessert and ordered both the chocolate mousse and the mixed berry crepe. The chocolate mousse arrived in a sleek and elegant champagne flute and was spot on. There was a rich bittersweet chocolate flavor and a light airiness to the mousse that was textbook perfect. The crepe was excellent. You could see the thousands of little air bubbles in the crepe which are indicative of a great batter. It arrived steaming hot and with plenty of fresh mixed berry compote (strawberry and blueberry flavors were the strongest). Both were stellar desserts but I would have to say the crepe edged out the mousse by a nose. 

The decor is interesting because there are many works of art on display and for sale. We were seated next to a mixed media piece comprised of paint, cardboard and paper on sale for $850. The tables and chairs are all dark wood and the walls are multi-colored with yellow ochre and blue paint. There is outdoor seating for warmer weather although on a hot day the air conditioned interior has my vote.

The service is extremely friendly and accommodating. Our server answered all of our questions quickly and confidently. She said yes to whatever we asked for and was patient with us. It was a very pleasant experience indeed, I'll definitely head back for some fantastic beer and tapas the next time I am in the area.