THE SENNA EDIT / BARCELONA / EIXAMPLE
LA BALABUSTA.
Not your typical tapas night.
Middle Eastern flavours, natural wine and a dinner spot that makes choosing the restaurant a whole lot easier.
The pressure was on.
You know that feeling when someone asks you to choose the restaurant, and suddenly you're responsible for everyone's evening? Well, that was me.
I was going for dinner with my boyfriend's family, and I was the one who had to pick the place. Normally, choosing restaurants is one of my favourite things to do, but this time I was a little nervous. I wanted somewhere with good food, a nice atmosphere and, most importantly, somewhere everyone would actually enjoy. So I chose La Balabusta.
And luckily, it was exactly what I had hoped for. If you're looking for something different from the typical tapas bars you'll find on almost every corner in Barcelona, this is definitely a place to consider.
Not another patatas bravas situation.
Don't get me wrong, I love a good Spanish tapas bar, but sometimes you just want something a little different. La Balabusta serves Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine with Mediterranean influences. Think tahini, roasted vegetables, fresh herbs, interesting combinations and plenty of dishes designed to be shared.
And sharing is exactly how I'd recommend eating here. We ordered a whole selection of dishes for the table, which is probably my favourite way to have dinner. Everyone gets to try a little bit of everything, and there's always that one dish everyone wants the last bite of.
GOOD FOOD. BETTER SHARED.
So, what did we order?
Quite a lot, actually haha.
We started with the cauliflower shawarma with tahini and lemon confit, followed by burnt eggplant fritters with feta, green apple and honey dates. We also tried the fried feta mille-feuille with grapes, which is one of those combinations that sounds a little unusual until you actually taste it.
Then came the ceviche, fresh squid with aioli, chicken shawarma with tahini and pita bread, and beef ribs on the bone with grape honey and potatoes. What I liked most was how different everything felt from the dishes I usually order when eating out in Barcelona. There were so many flavours and combinations, and it made the whole dinner much more interesting.
It's the kind of menu where you keep looking at the next table thinking, Wait, what did they order?
OH! NATURAL.
Now, let's talk about the wine. La Balabusta has a really interesting wine selection, with plenty of bottles to choose from. We went for Oh! Natural, an aromatic natural white wine, and honestly, it was the perfect choice for the evening.
But the wine wasn't the only thing I loved about the setting. There were bottles of wine everywhere, an open kitchen, candles on the tables and those cool wine glasses that somehow made drinking wine feel even more fun. The tables are relatively close together, giving the restaurant that lively, intimate atmosphere, but not so close that you feel like you're participating in the conversation next to you. It all felt very cosy without being overly romantic or formal. Exactly the kind of restaurant where you can easily spend an entire evening.
Good food. Fair prices. Full stomachs.
One thing I really appreciated about La Balabusta was the value for money. Most smaller dishes range from €15–€22, while larger meat dishes cost around €25–€38. Considering the quality, interesting flavours and generous portions, I think the prices are more than fair. And trust me, when you're sharing several dishes, you won't leave hungry!
Overall, the price-quality balance is spot on. Something different from your usual Barcelona tapas experience, without spending a fortune. And that's always a win in my book.
One little side note, though.
Now, because I come from a hospitality background, I tend to notice the smaller service details quite quickly. Which I sometimes find a little annoying about myself, but oh well…
And there was one thing I thought could have been better. The girl welcoming guests at the entrance wasn't particularly warm, which was a shame considering how lovely the restaurant itself was. We also had to wait a little while for someone to come to our table. Nothing that ruined the evening, but definitely something I noticed.
For me, a restaurant experience isn't only about what's on the plate. The welcome and service are part of it too. That being said, the food absolutely made up for it.
Would I go back?
Yes, definitely. La Balabusta is somewhere I'd recommend if you're looking for a restaurant in Barcelona that feels a little different. It's great for a dinner with friends, a date night or even a family dinner when you're the one responsible for choosing the restaurant. Trust me on that last one.
The atmosphere is lovely, the menu is interesting, and sharing all those different dishes makes the evening feel like much more than just going out for dinner. Would I have loved a slightly warmer welcome? Yes. Would that stop me from going back? Absolutely not.
THE DETAILS / LA BALABUSTA
Carrer del Rosselló, 180 · Barcelona
RESTAURANT WEBSITE ↗