The most chic paella this side of Barcelona (and with really cool art, too)
Design, Great FindsWritten By Amy
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Chic from Barcelona is now serving paella! I adore Spanish food, but for some reason, this wonderful little restaurant tucked in a shopping center at Forest and Preston always slips my mind. In fact, if it weren’t for the email I just got from them with the announcement of their new menu additions, it would’ve completely slipped from my radar. (Note to restaurateurs: send out regular emails to customers or you’re easily forgotten, especially in a restaurant-saturated city like Dallas!)
Barcelona Chic is best known for their secret rotisserie chicken recipe, served with wedges of apples. They have wonderful roasted asparagus and tapas, and they serve their gazpacho in tiny cups rather than bowls, which is a great idea for giving you a mouthful of fresh tomato goodness between courses. Check out this Dallas Observer review for more on the food.
I can’t wait to try their paella, which they described in the email as "crispy (al dente) on top, and almost burned at the bottom." They mean that heavenly crispy caramelized crust of rice that sticks to the bottom of the pan, known as "socarrat" in Valencia, considered the most delicious part of the paella, but "almost burned" is not the most appetizing way to describe it. See this paella recipe for how to make a good socarrat. (Tip: don’t stir the rice, and make sure you use real saffron, and true Spanish short-grained rice like Bomba.)
As soon as I mop the saliva off this keyboard, I’ll get to the other thing I love about Chic of Barcelona: the art. The cute watercolor birds were done by a graphic designer from Spain named Juan Mas. The Gaudi-esque mural idea was conceived by owner Rafa Vilaclara, and was designed by local mosaic artist Julie Richey, who got the idea from her daughter’s art class. The kids painted Picasso-style faces and Julie put them all together into a charming 52 -foot mural, adorned with each kid’s name.
Forget boring franchises next time you’re looking for a fresh, healthy, unique place for lunch or dinner. Take your appetite and your camera to Chic from Barcelona.
August 4th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Another potentially great reason why I love living where I do. Preston and Forest is just a few minutes away.
Can you believe that last week I celebrated 2 years here? Watch for an invitation to a party in the next month or so to celebrate the last of the painting / decorating. (Thank goodness for a good friend of mine who’s helping with that. If it weren’t for her, I think I would be perpetually doomed to live in a condo that LOOKS like a bachelor lives there.) There won’t be any cool Picasso-style mosaic faces, but it’ll look a ton better than the last time you saw it!
August 5th, 2008 at 7:31 am
Excellent– can’t wait to see your freshly painted place! Let’s meet for lunch at Chic de Barcelona sometime soon to catch up. I was there last week and it was all very, very good.