Los Arcos

My gastronomic tour of Spain up to this point was a great one. Many grand restaurants, a shitload of Michelin stars, a great number of tapas/​pintxos, an unbelievable amount of delicious food. Now there is nothing special about Bar Los Arcos to the naked eye. It is special because this is the neighborhood joint that my friend frequents, where he grew up, where I got many a story of his upbringing. It is special because he describes it as the purest expression of Spanish cooking for the everyday person. You will not ever find a Michelin inspector here. It belongs to the residents. It is where we see the neighborhood old guy that dresses up in his military uniform and says high to everyone he sees. The schoolkids hang out here. It is a community place and we sit outside amongst the locals. If I didn’t know better, we’d probably get beaten up if not chaperoned by my friend.
Comidas caseras, tapas, platos combinados, bocadillos, cenas, postres, paella valenciana, caldereta de pescado, caracoles… are amongst the variety of things you can get here in this tiny hole in the wall. I enjoy my jamon and various spread of tapas that come in waves. It is truly a pleasure to sit thousands of miles from my own home, in the middle of my friend’s hometown, as if I lived here myself. Even if it were for only a few fleeting moments.