Galician Cuisine with a Modern Twist
Arume is a popular restaurant in the Raval area, which is located in the former home of Catalan writer Manuel Vazquez Montalban.
You can enjoy a paella for one for about €16.
“well-presented and creative Galician dishes”
Arume, which means aroma in Galician, focuses on well-presented and creative Galician dishes. For example, the crispy octopus with garlic mayonnaise, potato foam and lime (pictured above). Or the beef tartare with caramel bread. Galician restaurants are highly regarded in Spain and there’s quite a few in Barcelona. At Arume they add their own twist to classic dishes. For instance, the crispness of the octopus and flavour combination with the lime was spot on.
“quality over quantity”
Stewed beef cheek, red curry, pickled cauliflower and citrus mashed potato is one dish you’ll find on the menu. Another is sauteed squid, celery puree and homemade kimchi. On top of that there’s also some interesting specials. Great care is taken in the preparation and presentation of the food, which is more about quality over quantity.
Is it the best cheap paella in Barcelona?
Generally it’s best to avoid paellas near La Ramblas. Arume is close. However, the paellas are fresh and prepared with care. They have a seafood option and a meat option (which was duck when I visited). The bonus is they offer portions for 1 person, which can be rare in Barcelona. The portion is actually quite big with a lot of seafood. And at a good price too, about €16.
Worth mentioning is the house cocktail Blackberry Mojito, which is also served around the corner in Cera 23. It’s fruity, refreshing and a mix of bitter and sweet.
Desserts are not forgotten at Arume either because you have a choice of Manuel’s torrija with Galician ice cream. Or the hazelnut chocolate cookie with red berries and violet ice cream. Both are so good and worth saving room for.
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See my full list of the other places in Barcelona here.