Mercat Gastrobar, Bangsar
A Little Piece of Barcelona on Our Doorstep
Words past times Kirsten Durward
Photos past times (Monica Tindall)
Mercat is i of our favourite niggling finds, perched on the pavement contrary Bangsar Village II. From the outset nosotros were inwards raptures over the creatively styled nutrient but forthwith that vino in addition to other drinks are offered, Mercat offers a truthful human face of non but Spanish, but especially Barcelonian hospitality at its best. If you’ve ever hankered to catch the colourful Catalonian capital, salve yourself a flying in addition to potter along for a few hours at Mercat to soak upwardly the sensation of a Barcelona flush correct hither inwards Kuala Lumpur.
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| Mercat Barcelona Gastrobar, Bangsar |
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| Wines past times the Glass |
Our appetites are rapidly stimulated past times a trio of traditional gustation ticklers accompanied past times some typically Barcelonian aperitifs. Fleshy employment solid marinated Castilian Olives (RM16++) tingle on the natural language but plenty before bursting their distinct flavours within the mouth. Ensalada Rusa (RM16++) is a lot less rustic than I am used to for this dish; a smoothen blend of tuna amongst potatoes in addition to carrots topped amongst teeny chopped egg in addition to slithers of ripe pepper is perfect for loading upwardly on a piece of dense breadstuff in addition to sinking your teeth into. Mmmmm. Mejillones (RM23++) are served inwards a vino sauce amongst a scattering of leeks adding a distinct flavour. In truthful Mediterranean style, gyre upwardly your sleeves, eschew cutlery in addition to sip your mussel straight out of the shell. Then purpose the musical rhythm out to slurp upwardly some winey soup in addition to catch a chunk of breadstuff to mop upwardly the rest. Messy but sexy, I promise!  |
| Marinated Olives |
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| Mejillones |
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| Russian Salad |
As nosotros chomp in addition to slurp, nosotros acquire that Sangria is scorned past times natives in addition to alone served to tourists. Traditionally Sangria was concocted to cover spoiled wine. The improver of brandy in addition to fruit hides whatsoever sour or bitter taste. Fascinating… Thus the sophisticated drinker inwards Barcelona volition asking a Tinto de Verano, which co-owner, Jorge, assures us agency that you lot tin wake upwardly the adjacent twenty-four hr catamenia amongst a smile, no headache in addition to fully remembering what happened the dark before. Mercat’s direct keep on the Tinto de Verano (carafe RM99++ drinking glass RM33++) is a lite dry out sparkling concoction of crimson vino enhanced amongst vermouth bubbling inwards a generous balloon glass. The lite gustation is refreshing on a warm afternoon, but the imbibe lingers nicely amongst a full, husky human face on the dorsum of the throat. Vermouth is apparently a pop imbibe inwards Barcelona in addition to it features prominently on Mercat’s aperitif menu. Red Vermouth preparado (RM35++) is reminiscent of a rattling lite Negroni. With the improver of aromatic bitters in addition to tonic water, i expects bitterness but finds smoothness amongst but a acquit on of frizzante freshness. On the fruitier side is White Vermouth preparado (RM39++), where the warm aromatics of Sloe Gin in addition to the zest of orangish bitters produces a mist that lingers for a pleasant while.  |
| Red Vermouth Apéritif |
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| White Vermouth Apéritif |
Tapas at Mercat is a truthful smorgasbord for vegetarians in addition to carnivores alike. Escalivada (RM19++) had me fooled; I’ve never seen flaming roasted vegetables served similar this. H5N1 fabulously filling choice for a vegetarian tapas seeker: a mix of vegetables roasted inwards the pare in addition to then scooped out, mixed amongst plenty of olive oil, presented on rustic bread. The smoky gustation in addition to dense texture volition create total every corner of a hungry mouth. Retaining a beautiful smoky taste, in addition to then smeared on bread, Berenjena (RM17++) is a to a greater extent than refined dish. Again an unexpected presentation amongst a lite herby mousse of goats cheese in addition to roasted aubergine, scooped into quenelles has to survive tasted to survive believed. Heavenly.  |
| Esclavida |
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| Berenjena |
Both the Aubergine dishes amongst their smoky tones are first-class choices to pair amongst the Malacapa Rioja Tempranillo (RM168++ /RM31++) that Monica is nursing. We’ve all enjoyed its playfulness, amongst lite tannins on the forepart of the natural language but a proficient zingy gritty burr on the dorsum of the throat. If you lot are create for something really rustic you lot powerfulness also desire to crusade the budget witting employment solid red, Bayan Negra Vino Tinto Tempranillo (RM110++ /RM21++). I especially similar it every bit it invokes the dusky tastes reminiscent of Castilian dirt roads on a hot summertime day. It’s a to a greater extent than brusk wine, but rattling typical of Kingdom of Spain in addition to worth a crusade amongst the stronger flavoured dishes. All this tippling is bringing out residual memories of go inwards rural Kingdom of Spain all but about the table.  |
| Malacapa Rioja Tempranillo |
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| Spanish Red Wine |
Cold cuts are e'er a crowd pleaser in addition to Tartar de Jamon Iberico (RM59++) does non disappoint. The dense richness of the Castilian ham blended through amongst rigid olive oil, slithers easily through the lips in addition to crunches good on a slender Melba fashion toast.
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| Tartar de Jamon Iberico |
Chorizo al Vino (RM23++) is but the cutest looking dish, amongst infant scoops of murphy in addition to tiny dots of sour cream. We love the herby crimson vino sauce amongst but a tingle of spice oozing from the surprisingly fragile rounds of chorizo. The contrast betwixt playfully fragile presentation in addition to robust flavours epitomises Mercat’s detail imaginative interpretation of traditional tapas. H5N1 warm crimson volition e'er boot the bucket good amongst porky flavours, in addition to the Raig de Rain Garnacha Carainea (RM136++ /RM27++) amongst its combination of merlot in addition to shiraz grapes, slips downwards well. Closer to a French fashion vino than the others nosotros direct keep tried, it tastes high inwards the mouth, quite lite amongst undertones of cherry sweetness that nosotros are assured is pop amongst local drinkers.
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| Chorizo |
None of Mercat’s tapas bill of fare could survive described every bit ‘ordinary,’ they arrive at clit out the stops amongst a brace of regional specialities. Albondigas con Salsa de Sepia (RM41++) is the meatiest in addition to near rustic dish that nosotros try. The meatballs are compact but interruption opened upwardly easily to soak upwardly the dark in addition to mysterious cuttlefish sauce - really savoury in addition to i for the meat eaters inwards our midst.
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| Albondigas con Salsa de Sepia |
Salmorejo is gazpacho fashion soup that hails from Cordoba; inwards fact it resembles to a greater extent than of a cream inwards consistency, every bit breadstuff is blended through the mutual coldness tomato, amongst boiled egg, tuna in addition to ham sprinkled on top. It’s thick, it’s oral fissure filling, in addition to both Monica in addition to Caning are mmmmming every bit they spoon away. The soup teams good amongst a drinking glass of Mercat’s employment solid white Anuosto Valencia (RM151++ /RM31++) which is especially suited to Malaysian gustation buds. The odd Castilian grape of fradeco is balanced out amongst sauvignon blanc in addition to the sweetness of muscatel to construct a fruity in addition to lite blend that is quite high on the palate.
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| Salmorejo |
Although I direct keep thoroughly enjoyed everything I direct keep tasted, ii of the dishes stand upwardly out for me - imaginative in addition to master copy inwards presentation, gustation in addition to texture combinations. I absolutely guarantee that you lot volition non honour nutrient similar this on whatsoever other pavement inwards KL. Calamaritos (RM34++) are exquisitely soft rolls of infant squid inwards a divine murphy foam speckled amongst lite petroleum vinaigrette. Everything teases over the tongue, the freshness of pea, the crispiness of frizzante lettuce, the zing of onion in addition to the soft, soft flesh of the calamari. Scrum.
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| Calamaritos |
But it is the Asparagus salad that is the pinnacle of our tasting flush for me. At outset glance a infant garden of greens, but in addition to then scoop below to honour an impossibly lite in addition to creamy asparagus foam; a crumbly dark olive ‘soil’ pulls the ii halves of this dish together amongst a hint of sourness mixing inwards amongst the indulgent base of operations in addition to fresh lite salad garden. Monica in addition to I are both inwards love amongst this dish for its prettiness, gustation in addition to texture but near of all for its opulent creaminess without the fatty factor. Bliss! The deep golden vino inwards my electrical flow drinking glass is the Artazuri White (RM188++ /RM42++) from Navarra, a honeyed mix of garnacha blanca amongst chardonnay. The golden color belies the slightly dry out nature of the wine, amongst aromatic vanilla overtones giving a total long sensation that lingers inwards the dorsum of the throat. It’s a bang-up partner to the Asparagus salad.
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| Asparagus |
We are rather total but a dessert tasting is insisted on in addition to a traditional Flan de Catalan is ushered in. It passes our outset test: proficient crackkk on the difficult saccharide amongst the dorsum of the spoon - yessss, forthwith construct it for a gustation before Caning sees what nosotros are upwardly to. It’s a proficient crisp lite saccharide top that presently melds downwards inwards the flush air to boot the bucket a caramel thread running through the rattling light, nutmeg enhanced custard.
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| Flan de Catalan |
Mercat has delivered i time once to a greater extent than amongst elegant tapas dishes that display imagination, surprising contrasts inwards tastes in addition to textures. The overall sensation is ‘muy alegre’, light, happy, in addition to somewhat sexy food, that is proverb ‘here I am, consume me!’ The plates are pocket-size but packed total of nutrient experiences that volition create total every corner of your oral fissure in addition to belly too.
‘Now!’ says Jorge, ‘It is fourth dimension for the difficult drinks!’ in addition to out comes the Gin! If you lot are at all intrigued past times that aromatic liquor, read the delights of our total ‘Gin Tonic’ tasting process inwards an before post. After thus many delights you lot would think it was fourth dimension to survive heading home, but every bit the pelting tempest has settled in, it seems Castilian hospitality knows no bounds. As nosotros wax lyrical, in addition to the dark seems never ending, nosotros sample a few spirits from Mercat’s speciality drinks list. Like everything else, the focus is on quality, flavor in addition to uniqueness. As amongst the Gins, the prices quoted are for double shots.
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| Hibiscus Siderit Gin in addition to Tonic |
A beautiful teardrop bottle houses an English linguistic communication Vodka - Druide (RM 51++). The sip I direct keep reveals a rigid mellow gustation amongst a slight linger of aniseed inwards the finish. It’s also recommended to crusade this every bit a long mix amongst tonic in addition to lemon peel. ‘If you lot similar vanilla milkshakes you lot are jump to similar this rum,’ quips Monica. ‘This Rum’ is the Don Papa Filipino Rum (RM49++), i which we’ve enjoyed before on our cocktail hopping beach travels. It’s a clear, slightly sweetness imbibe amongst a good, but non overwhelming alcoholic hit.
We chuckle over Jorge’s description of the Nomad Whisky (RM51++); ‘born inwards Scotland in addition to finished inwards Spain.’ Natural Scottish acerbity inwards the spirit is mediated past times Mediterranean warmth, ensuing a imbibe that offers slightly spicy honeyed tones. Perhaps I volition acquire lucky in addition to complete inwards that delightful province too! But for forthwith I’m content knowing I direct keep access to an authentic experience, inwards this niggling sanctum correct hither inwards KL.
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| Nomad Whiskey |
Reasons to visit: authentic Barcelona tapas experience, don’t immature adult woman the Asparagus in addition to Calamaritos, knowledgeable service, delicious in addition to imaginative food, first-class selection of beverages.
Mercat Barcelona GastroBar 51 Jalan Telawi 3 Bangsar Baru, 59100 Kuala Lumpur Malaysia +6 032 201 5288 http://mercat.my 
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