Hermós Bar de Peix is the new fish bar by Alexis Peñalver, owner of our longtime Gràcia neighborhood favorites La Pubilla and its tapas-focused little sibling Extra Bar. It might sound a little self-flattering, but the bar’s name (which means “Beautiful” in Catalán) is, in fact, a powerful local symbol. Hermós is the ironic nickname of the homely, humble fisherman of the book El Quadern Gris by the famous Catalan journalist and food writer Josep Pla. Hailing from L’Empordà on the northern Catalan coast, the character’s only relief for the pains of life are the suquets the peix – fish stews. Hermós the bar is a tribute to the magnificence of the Catalan fishing tradition, celebrated here with fire, casseroles and bottles of wine in a little bar inside La Llibertat Market, right next to its fishmonger.
This market bar used to be an old haunt of ours, the Joan Noi fish grill, owned by the nearby fishmonger of the same name, and driven by Paco González, who decided to retire after the pandemic. After some consideration, Peñalver – whose restaurant is located just outside the market – decided to take over the business and extend the La Pubilla family. “The idea was to limit the concept here to fish and seafood, but with the personality of La Pubilla. It’s based on traditional Catalan cuisine, with simple products but also with other more elaborate dishes: casseroles, suquets, stews, some legumes…It feels very natural and direct” he explains. The majority of the products come from the market itself, with the connection between the market and the fishmonger serving as an inspiration for Hermós.
In this open space customers sit on stools around the counter, with a direct view of the action. We can see the orders fly like harpoons from one side to the other. Inside the kitchen area, the team executes the “personality of La Pubilla” as Peñalver describes it: a mix of tradition, expertise and modern views with creativity. Peñalver himself stands at the ready to cut and mix the cold dishes, Carlos manages the grill and Sara expertly selects the wine with one eye on local authenticity and the other on finding something special for each guest.
The seared razor clams, mussels with lime or grilled red prawns (a wonder from the south of the Iberian peninsula) coexist with more complex fish stews, rice dishes and hot plates that you can find on the printed menu of around 15 dishes or in the daily specials that Peñalver builds each day from what is available. Close your eyes and the aroma from the grill smells of Mediterranean fishermen’s cottages along the shore where once upon a time the catch of the day was grilled fresh each day.
Don’t miss the specialties of the house, the “rice of the day” and the suquet de llotja, fish-market stew. Another must-try are the baked sardines with a traditional picada (minced garlic, breadcrumbs and almonds) and tomato oil, a tasty paragon of humble greatness. On our visit, it was the off-menu items that won us over, like a stew of peas with cod kotkoxas (jowls) and black sausage butifarra – green freshness and creamy succulence in contrast to each other, the perfect example of a Catalán mar i muntanya (“sea and mountain”) dish.
A cold bar of raw and marinated dishes is also available (with a larger selection during the warmer seasons). On the menu you will find everything from fresh oysters to tuna carpaccio with soy and ginger vinaigrette or the amazing wild sea bass ceviche. From the same section we also tasted the more traditional salpicón de marisco, a Spanish dish of mix chopped fish and seafood – typically octopus and shellfish – dressed with olive oil, salt and vinegar and minced vegetables such as tomato, onion and peppers.
Hermós doesn’t serve coffee or dessert because it’s not allowed according to the property’s license, which is limited to what could be called the catch of the day. For that, we can explore the many bars and cafés that surround us. For now, we are more than content with this small corner of La Llibertat Market, a small slice of Peñalver’s creativity and his interpretation of the beautiful tradition of Catalan fishing.
Published on May 31, 2023
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