Buenas Migas = Good Crumbs

Yesterday I went to my neighborhood beach with a friend. I made my own sandwich to eat there but my friend picked up a pasta salad and a focaccia from one of my favorite seaside eating establishments, Buenas Migas Focacceria.

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According to the folks at Buenas Migas, the pizza-like focaccia is Genoan in origin and derives its name from the Latin word 'focus', meaning hearth or fire place. It differs from everyday bread in that the dough is stretched for several hours and because it is topped with olive oil and salt. Historically in the city of Genoa, focaccia was cooked in communal ovens.

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They say that for centuries focaccia has been enjoyed by Genoan fishermen, along with a glass of white wine, before setting off onto the sea. Its simple Mediterranean recipe has made focaccia a popular dish and nowadays it is eaten all over the world with a wide range of toppings -- and I doubt there is any place that offers more delicious, economical and generous servings than Barcelona's Buenas Migas.

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Yesterday my friend got an approximately 20cm x 15cm rectangle of Focaccia Margharita (tomato, cheese, olives and oregano) along with about 200 grams of Pasta con il tonno (bow tie pasta tossed with tuna, baked vegetables, mozzarella and, of course, olive oil) as a side dish. I haven't tried the Focaccia Margharita myself, but I have had the Pasta con il tonno and found it a superb fusion of flavors -- and quite filling, too.

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How much did this cost her? Only 3.70 for the focaccia and 3.90 for the pasta. She also bought a tiny bottle of water for 1.20. However, since she was getting "take away" she just as easily could have gone a few steps around the corner to the convenience store to get a bottle two or three times as big for half the price.

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As I said, I didn't buy food from there personally yesterday, but I have in the past and have never been disappointed. My personal favorite of the carious focaccias Buneas Migas offers is the Campagnola, a mix of tomato, cheese and spicy sausage. The runner-up for my affections is the Salsiccia e cipolle, a simple combination of butifarra (Catalan sausage) and onion.

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What else do they have on offer? An assortment of focaccias, made with regular or whole flour, with a wide variety of toppings: olives, goat cheese, bacon, gorgonzala, pepperoni, red pepper, onion, eggplant, and/or tomato as well as the special "Focaccia of the season" which varies accordingly. Focaccias are priced from 3.50 to 4.70.

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Aside from the Pasta con il tonno that my friend thoroughly enjoyed, there are Pasta al pesto and Pasta con la mozzarella. All pasta dishes cost 3.90.

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Want to eat light? In the salad department, offerings include green salad, Greek salad, tuna salad, mozzarella salad, salmon salad and a raisin, cheese and nut salad. Salad prices range from 2.90 to 5.95 and come in small or large.

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Want to eat heavy? Try a Torte de Verdura (Vegetable Pie) for 4.20. All the torte's include ricotta and Parmesan cheese along with either spinach; seasonal vegetables; potato and leeks; or salmon and broccoli.

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Then there are the focaccettes and paninis. Focaccettes (a flat bread made with wheat flour mixed with corn meal) cost between 3.95 and 4.90 and come covered with combinations of topping such as brie and leeks; brie, onion and zucchini; zucchini, onion and Serrano ham; mozarrella, onion and zucchini; Serrano ham and Cresenza cheese; and salmon and cream cheese. Panini sandwiches are priced from 2.40 to 2.50 and include selections such as Manchego cheese and Serrano ham on olive bread, mozzarella and ham on walnut bread, mozzarella and tomato on focaccia and mixed vegetables on whole wheat focaccia bread.

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Drinks? Water (in really small bottles for 1.20 or 1.50), soft drinks (1.95), wine by the glass (2.10), wine in bottles (from 6.40 to 8.30), beer (2.10 to 2.20), a variety of bottled fruit drinks (1.95 - 2.20) natural orange juice (2.40) and a variety of coffees, teas and chocolates (from 1.20 to 2.30).

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Of course they've got deserts, too: cakes, pies, crumbles etc. from 2.90 to 3.30.

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Although I almost always take the food I buy there to the beach to eat, sitting inside can be pleasant, too. The location in Barceloneta has a rustic design and is on a corner facing the sea, so the view is nice. As a matter of fact, the walls literally roll up during opening hours, so it is almost like sitting outside. Diners may also sit at one of the tables on the terrace, but at a 10% surcharge for doing so. Why not just get take away and sit directly on the beach?

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Buenas Migas

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Pl. del Mar (also known as C/ de la Drassana), 1
Tel:93 221 63 16
Metro Yellow Line, Barceloneta Station then walk to the sea or take buses 17, 39, or 64 to the sea. Click here for a map.

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Other locations:

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Passeig de Gr�cia, 120
Tel: 93 238 55 49
Metro Green Line or Blue Line, Diagonal station

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Pl. Bonsucc�s, 6
Tel: 93 318 37 08
Metro Green Line or Red line, Pl. Catalunya station

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Baixada de Santa Clara, 2
Tel: 93 319 13 80
Metro Yellow Line, Jaume I station

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Maremagnum
Pl. de l'Odissea
Tel: 93 225 81 15
Metro L3 Drassanes

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Illa Diagonal Shopping Center
Av. Diagonal 557
Tel: 93 444 29 89
Metro Green Line, Maria Cristina station