Story is a tapas bar with fresh Mediterranean flavors, nice wines, surprising cocktails and crafted beer, live jazz music every Wednesday night, a nice collection of books to browse through, and walls filled with contemporary artworks. It is located pretty close to the Picasso Museum, in the picturesque area of el Born.
the Menu
The list goes from tapas – including the much loved pulpo a la gallega – to fish tartars, cheese boards and desserts. The dishes are very diverse and nicely decorated with edible flowers or various other tasty and chromatic accents.
Ceviche
One of the best ways to try the sweet special taste of the fresh local fish is to have a ceviche. And this dish might be one of the most spectacular that Story Bar offers, at least in my opinion.
Ceviche is seafood prepared in a centuries old method of cooking – by contact with the acidic juice of citrus juice instead of heat. The origin of the plate is disputed between Peru and Ecuador, still every Latin American country has given seviche/ceviche its own touch of individuality by adding its own particular garnishes.
The chemical process that occurs when the acid of the citrus comes in contact with the fish is similar with what happens when the fish is cooked, and the flesh becomes opaque and firm.
A ceviche is typically made from fresh raw fish cured in citrus juices, such as lemon or lime, and spiced with ají (a spicy sauce of tomatoes, cilantro, ají pepper, onions, and water) or chili peppers. Additional seasonings, such as chopped onions, salt, and cilantro, may also be added, as well as side dishes that complement its flavors, such as sweet potato, lettuce, corn, avocado or plantain. It seems that the dish was originally marinated with chicha, juice that comes from maize. Once the Spaniards arrived with lime, onion and Seville oranges from the Mediterranean, then that was used to marinade the fish. The dish was probably further refined in the early 20th century, when an influx of Japanese immigrants to Peru resulted in the opening of sushi restaurants manned by chefs skilled in the handling and preparation of raw fish. To the present, the standard recipe for ceviche reflects its early origins: raw or partially cooked seafood, chili and citrus. Beyond those chief ingredients, the sky is the limit: ceviche has evolved to include everything from onion and tomato, to popcorn and tequila.
Crafted Beers
The cocktails are, above all, the strong point of the Story Bar, but if you’re not in the mood, you can also try some original beers, here. The list includes, among others, Edge Brewing and La Salve Bilbao, crafted beers from Barcelona (imported from the States) and from Bilbao – La Salve Auténtica won one of the gold medals of Barcelona Beer Challenge 2017, a contest between 800 beers from 25 countries.
the Atmosphere, the Artworks, the Books to Browse Through
Story Bar now hosts a series of paintings of Dario Sigismondo, artist with the studio just a few streets away from the bar. Past exhibitions included the artworks of Bencini Barcelona and The Catman.
Rutes de Barcelona 