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Editor’s note: In the latest installment of our recurring feature, First Stop, we asked Michael Costa, head chef at the award-winning restaurant Zaytinya, in Washington, D.C., where he heads first for food when he arrives in Barcelona.

Chef Michael Costa of Zaytinya, photo by Greg PowersEl Passadís del Pep is home to the best, most authentic Catalan seafood in the city. There is no menu but they curate the experience in such a warm, kind way that you may find that you prefer not to have to deal with a menu. The cooking is classic, minimal and serves only to enhance the natural beauty of the ingredients. No Egotarian Cuisine here, just excellent product treated with respect.

The gambas (red Mediterranean shrimp) are a must if they are available. They are the sweetest, most succulent shrimp I have ever tasted. I still think about the first time I had them back in 2006. That taste memory is indelibly etched in my culinary subconscious. They are the standard by which I judge every shrimp that I eat.

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Published on May 17, 2014

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