Santa Cruz’s new Barceloneta taps into flavors of tapas
We’ve been waiting five years for Barceloneta, the highly anticipated project from Elan and Brett Emerson of San Francisco’s now-shuttered Contigo, to open in Santa Cruz. Now the doors are finally open — and there’s not an empty seat in the house. Here’s what we found on our first visit.
THE VIBE »
Cheerful, candy-colored striped upholstery catches the eye, especially in contrast to the wide, unadorned white walls. Gold barware, globe lights, mirrors and flickering tea lights create a vibrant, glowing atmosphere. Playful touches, like the baby octopus salt shakers and fishshaped water carafes, add whimsy.
THE FOOD »
There are certainly classic Spanish items on the menu, including a silky gazpacho ($5/$9), patatas bravas ($9), pan con tomate ($3), pulpo ($17) and tortilla de patatas ($10). But those familiar dishes are upped in technique, seasonally driven and made with high-quality ingredients. There are also some playful, unexpected offerings, like the Ibiza Hippie salad ($14) prepared tableside with freekeh, roasted yam, kale, preserved lemon and chickpeas in a carrot-ginger vinaigrette. And, of course, there is paella, three different kinds that showcase local, seasonal ingredients from the wild mushrooms in the vegetable paella ($32 for two people/$60 for four) to the Romano and shelling beans in the chicken-based paella Valenciana ($34/$64). Dessert offers three mix-andmatch options, including churros ($5), chocolate caliente ($2/$5) and soft serve vanilla ice cream ($4) with fun add-ons like olive oil and salt ($2) or PX sherry and almonds ($6). Kids will like the fancy rainbow sprinkles ($1), classy, opalescent spheres that are far from the fake dyed bits in the grocery store aisle.
DON’T MISS »
The awesome kids menu is attractive in both price point ($9) and offerings, such as pasta with one big Spanish meatball or chicken and rice, all accompanied with fruit (which arrives on a cute skewer), fried potatoes (excellent) and a drink (pomegranate soda!). For the adults: Don’t miss the tapas dishes, like the samfaina ($14), a Catalan ratatouille with an olive oilfried egg on top, all sizzling in a mini paella pan. Grab a vermut plate ($9) with housemade potato chips, peppers, olives and anchovies to nibble alongside a glass of vermut, a Spanish vermouth.
THE DRINKS »
In addition to wine and local and Spanish beer, Barceloneta offers a dozen cocktails ($11-$13), including two kinds of sangria, a Spanish style gin-tonic and some playful cocktail riffs. The Mallorca ($13) is made with rum, falernum and passion fruit, and the Canary Islands ($13) with mezcal, Chartreuse and pineapple. Prefer nonalcoholic? The horchata Valenciana ($5) with tigernut milk, lemon and cinnamon is tempting.
GOOD TO KNOW »
This place is busy! Make reservations. If you want paella, order it first thing, as it takes about 30 minutes to prepare. And if you tend to have a big American thirst, these classic cocktail sizes and wine pours might feel petite.
PERFECT FOR … »
A fun date night out, a drink and snack before a movie, or a big group outing — so you can try a lot of items.
DETAILS »
Open 5 to 9:30 p.m. daily, except Tuesday, at 1541B Pacific Ave., Santa Cruz; www.eatbarceloneta. com.