Restaurant recommendations in the Barcares area

homemaker · Post by **homemaker** » Tue 13 Apr 2010 21:23

We will be visiting Barcares in May and would be grateful for restaurant recommendations from local residents. We'd particularly like some authentic Catalan, traditional French or Spanish food, but what we experienced last time was disappointing. I am sure there must be some local gems?

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 10:35

Have you had a look in the Restaurants by location lists in this section?

john · Post by **john** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 11:22

Having spent a lot of time recently with clients in the Barcares/Leucate area,I have to say that it is a triumph of quantity over quality.

One thing is sure;you will not be spoilt for choice,but nearly all of it is the dull,predictable, Escalivade/Cocktail de Gambas/Parillade/Dorade a la Plancha/Creme Catalane routine,that too many places round here assume we are all desperate for.

In the end,the choice is often governed by the situation of the restaurant. There are some quite pretty places down by the port ,over looking the beach,and by the étang. But for a really ifferent experience,try the one aboard the Lydia steamer. The sea views are superb.

thumbelina · Post by **thumbelina** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 11:49

Have you had a look in the Restaurants by location lists in this section?

I couldn't find any, Jon. I did look myself. At least you'll be able to rectify that for us homemaker! lol (welcome to the forum by the way!)

john wrote: One thing is sure;you will not be spoilt for choice,but nearly all of it is the dull,predictable, Escalivade/Cocktail de Gambas/Parillade/Dorade a la Plancha/Creme Catalane routine,that too many places round here assume we are all desperate for.

Maybe not, but they are some of the specialities of the region and that's often what tourists like. A bit like eating fondue and raclette in the Savoie, duck in the Gers and seafood in Brittany, really.

I think, to be honest, homemaker, you may be better off going slightly away from the tourist track to find the better restos.

john · Post by **john** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 12:00

thumbelina wrote:
john wrote:]
One thing is sure;you will not be spoilt for choice,but nearly all of it is the dull,predictable, Escalivade/Cocktail de Gambas/Parillade/Dorade a la Plancha/Creme Catalane routine,that too many places round here assume we are all desperate for.

Maybe not, but they are some of the specialities of the region and that's often what tourists like. A bit like eating fondue and raclette in the Savoie, duck in the Gers and seafood in Brittany, really.

I think, to be honest, homemaker, you may be better off going slightly away from the tourist track to find the better restos.

I think you miss my point,Thumbers. There's nothing wrong with a good escalivade or Creme Catalane, but in too many of the restos in the area they are not good. As for grilled meat/fish and Cocktail de Gambas,well I'd not say that they are"specialities " of this,or any other region. A Lazy,ubiquitous way of filling space on a menu,all over,in fact.

Certainly agree that HM would be better going off the beaten track and away from tourist haunts,but that's quite difficult to do in Barcares,wouldn't you say?!

admiral · Post by **admiral** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 12:40

Have eaten in a all in the village area and to be honest couldnt recmd. any. Food was pretty avarage in all . Found the service in the "singing shrimp" unbelievably bad.

One place that is good is in the Moroccan restaurant in the Marina

thumbelina · Post by **thumbelina** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 12:54

Well, perhaps your point wasn't terribly clear, John! You said

but nearly all of it is the dull,predictable

which doesn't suggest that ANY escalivada or Creme Catalane is welcome on a menu in your view.

I would agree that Cocktail de Gambas is not from here, but cooking 'a la plancha' is very much so!

As for getting off of the beaten track, it depends if HM has a car I suppose, doesn't it?

I know you are prepared to travel a distance to get to decent restaurants, as are we. If HM is the same and has a car, there must be dozens of places within a half hour or so's drive of Barcares. that are worth visiting.

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 13:13

It's not an area that I know very well at all. I've been to a beach restaurant on Torreilles Plage that was OK. The setting was great at least.

thumbelina · Post by **thumbelina** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 13:17

Me neither, Jon. It's a bit out of my neck of the woods, too!

Perhaps Pol and Peter from the Languedoc Forum can help a bit more when they're next on.

homemaker · Post by **homemaker** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 14:19

Thanks for the feedback. You have confirmed our own previous experience. Barcares is really just a holiday base. We will have a car and hope to visit Perpignan, Ceret, Amelie les Bains and the Cotes Vermeilles etc so I'll use the recommendations elsewhere on the site, but it would have been ideal to find somewhere to walk to in the evening. If we do find anywhere worth recommending I promise to post it on the site.

thumbelina · Post by **thumbelina** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 14:22

That would be good, HM!

If you're travelling to those other places you will have ample opportunity to discover the delights of the local cuisine!

John is quite right in a pm he has just sent me. It is a crying shame that the restaurants on the coast often do not serve good traditional Catalan cuisine. It is a shop window for all that is good in the region and it is not exploited to it's full potential.

Looking forward to reading your recommendations

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 17:31

... or serve any good Roussillon wine!

thumbelina · Post by **thumbelina** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 17:34

That's the problem!

But that is also one of the problems of here in general. The marketing of all things Catalan is pretty close to non existant - and when you look at the wealth of good things they have here it's absolutely bloody crazy!!!! (and makes me so angry, too, because with a tiny amount of marketing they could decrease unemployment etc etc etc - but now you're starting me off on my hobby horse of the ineffectiveness of the CG and the CCI! - and this thread isn't the place for it!! )

rbg · Post by **rbg** » Wed 14 Apr 2010 20:48

L'Amparo is quite good, a fish resto on the sea front , near the Lydia boat .. residence La Sardane. It's quite a local favourite so booking will be required usually.

Also, The Casablanca does an excellent lunch : for 9euros you get two courses ( starters and main or main and dessert), quart of wine and a coffee. It's one of the only restos open all year round in Barcares and does a high turnover every day. The food is always fresh but not fancy. Really fresh fish regularly features on this €9 menu.
The resto itself feels a bit like a trucker joint, but I'd recommend it for an excellent lunch and there are sea views.
It's just off the main square in the village.

There's also the oyster farm, between Barcares and Leucate which is well worth a visit.

Thumbelina, couldn't agree more with you on the CCI etc. What I would do with their budget!!!!!

Bon apps!

Santiago · Post by **Santiago** » Thu 15 Apr 2010 00:10

Just remembered. The Hungry Cowboy in Leucate. Contender for best burger in the LR ?

john · Post by **john** » Thu 15 Apr 2010 09:09

rbg wrote:There's also the oyster farm, between Barcares and Leucate which is well worth a visit.

!

Would certainly agree with that rbg,though it's more of a quick slurp of oyster and Picpoul sort of place than somewhere for a full-blown meal.

Never come across Santiago's "Roy Rogers" place! What makes their burgers so outstanding,Jon?

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