Comida Chronicles: Part II

After a 29M delay, Comida Chronicles is back. Without a vengeance. 

The Dog Is Hot
Barrio: El Raval
Address: Carrer de Joaquin Costa, 47
Price Range: Pretty cheap, around 3.50 a dog

Yeah I wrote about this place before. Yeah the hot dogs are amazing. Yeah, I still find myself thinking about their TDIH's 10 sauces you can throw on any dog. Yeah, just like in the rest of the Spain their Coca-Cola tastes better than it does in the United States*.

The sole downside to TDIH is that the only available seating is a stack of neon-hue-spray-painted wooden cubes – which only seat two and aren’t that comfortable. But they sure do look cool as shit!

On the opposing wall of the neon cubes, is a staircase leading to a small, open mezzanine that hangs above the counter. The back of the always-empty mezzanine level is lined with what appears to be a glass office that’s always shielded by closed blinds. With hopes of discovering a secret hot-dog utopia lined with pillows, I asked if it was possible ascend into said mezzanine, but the TDIH employee, snickered and said no.

So I can only assume that behind the blinds is the same thing that is atop every nightclub in every movie ever: a cache of assault rifles, piles of cocaine, and lots of strippers feeding stacks of money into those cool counting machines. All of which makes sense as to why I was not allowed up there.

*I’ve been told this is because the soda here doesn’t contain high fructose corn syrup as it does in the States, where the government subsidizes the corn industry, which over-produces corn. This results in high fructose corn syrup being used in Coca-Cola, which apparently diminishes the taste.

I should probably fact check that or at least look at the Coca-Cola can sitting 5 inches from me as I type this. But that Coca-Cola can is mysteriously written in German and I don’t feel like fact checking. Plus the person who told me that once lived in the United States for 8 months, so he has to know what he’s talking about.

Oviso/ Can Nabo
Barrio: Gótico
Address: Carrer d'Arai, 5 / Carrer Nou de Sant Francesc, 25
Price: Cheap

I grouped them together because their ran by the same company that operates four spots in town, two of them being bars (one boasts itself as BCN’s official “after-skate”). I’ve only been to their food-serving-non-k-grinding spots, Oviso and Can Nabo.

If you were high and wanted a place with good, cheap food and a spot where you could forever stare at oddly-painted walls, I’d recommend Oviso. Their burger is not the best in the world, but it’s big, damn good, and it’s only €5. Their pizza is also spooktacular, while their crepes were the only thing I’ve had that I didn’t like. But if you do somehow fuck up and accidentally get the crepes just focus on the massive peacock paintings that cover the wall and you'll be at least mildly happy.

Be warned that Oviso is cash only and they only accept one form of currency. This may seem like common sense, but I once brought some weird relatives there, who tried to pay the bill with €30 and 8USD. This was before I reminded them that just like the rest of the first world, this European restaurant will only take it’s home country’s currency and we’d have to hit an ATM like a normal human being.

I’ve only been to Can Nabo once, but their braised rabbit was really good. Also their menu del dia is available at night and is only €6, which means Sarah and I each had a three-course-dinner with drinks for €12. I just broke that down in case you were unable to multiple 6 by 2, the trick was the “3” in three-course meal was not actually part of the equation. You’re welcome.

Also, if you’re a drug/hot dog kingpin reading this from the secret lair inside The Dog Is Hot and you want to make sure the feds or rival drug/hot dog dealers are not in a Barnawood restaurant before you try it out yourself. Well fear not because their site has a live video stream from the inside of each restaurant.