Indian in Barcelona

If you love Indian food, you’re in for a treat! The Little Andaman bar and restaurant on Carrer Muntaner in Barcelona’s Eixample is a pioneering proposal for lovers of Indian food and modern palates.

Named after an island off India’s mainland, Little Andaman offers its guests a light and healthy Indian approach to cooking. Far from the typical Indian cuisine that you can typically find here in Barcelona, their menu features seafood and Indian style tapas with an interesting selection of contrasting fresh flavors.

Not as focused on spices as one might imagine, this restaurant is truly unique in every way. As well as more traditional Indian dishes such as a selection of curries, naans and rice, they offer a wide range of vegetarian and vegan options. Accompany this with one of their exotic cocktails, local wines or beers for a truly delectable experience!

It’s the minds behind the The Fish & Chips Shop that have opened Baby Jalebi on Gran Via. The space is named after the mother of one of the owners, who loved sweet jalebi so much as a child that she obtained the moniker. The offering is billed as Punjabi street food but includes familiar plates like chicken tikka masala and saag paneer alongside more unusual dishes like fried okra.

The most novel thing about this place is not on the plate but in the presentation. They’ve done away with the associated trinkets and tat in favor of a simple design with an orange stripe that runs along the wall and around the plates, serves as a border for the menus, and culminates in a neon sign at the back of the restaurant.

An affordable à la carte menu adds to the appeal. Although relatively new, Baby Jalebi already enjoys good patronage

Starting out on the Barcelona food truck scene, Casa Masala’s kitchen began in a 1973 Mercedes bus, which has expanded into a restaurant offering a refreshingly short menu of elegant, contemporary dishes that change with the seasons. Here we find Indian classics with a nod to local food culture.

Start with a calçot pakora or a bomba Mumbai, their vegetarian take on the Barcelona meat-and-potato classic, topped with bravas sauce and curry mayonnaise. For mains, there’s a choice of four curries including a green vegetable korma or an organic lamb Gosht Madras, or from the tandoor, tandoori masala poussin or marinated duck breast.

Partner with a sourdough naan, lentil dahl or spinach paneer and finish with a cooling almond, rose and saffron ras malai served with traditional kulfi or maybe a mandarin lassi.

The capital city of Tamil Nadu, Chennai, is hailed as the “soul of South India” and is a hub of art, culture and gastronomy. My British compatriots and fellow curry zealots may be more familiar with its previous name, Madras.

It’s also where chef Selva hails from and learned how to cook traditional dosas, a sort of crispy, spiced crêpe made with a rice flour and lentil batter (they’re vegan and gluten-free). Order one of the 25 varieties, which are decadently stuffed with fillings like mutton, prawns, Paneer cheese and vegetables. Or, if you can’t decide on just one filling, then go native and ask for a thali, a selection of different curries, chutneys, spices with rice and raita to dunk your dosa into.

Sip on light and zesty mango lassi or masala chai tea. There are great cocktails too. Be sure to eat with your hands for a true Indian dining experience.

The Koh-i-Noor diamond may be set into one of the British Crown Jewels, but this family-run restaurant of the same name has in just six months set itself up as a jewel in the Barcelona curry scene. In typical curry house style the interior is vivid, the lighting bright and the welcome warm and inviting, a mark of the owners’ Punjabi hospitality.

Koh-i-noor prides itself on using fresh ingredients with everything made to order using authentic Indian spices. Among the classic curry and extensive vegetarian dishes there’s some standout differences on the menu: korma with cashew nut sauce, shrimp pakoras, hake with green mint sauce, cilantro and coconut milk and the slightly sweet butter chicken (made with roast chicken) that they are so proud of.Among the commonly found breads you can also choose a mint naan or herb-and-spice onion bread followed by some gems for dessert: homemade ice creams of pistachio or mango and nuts.

Butter chicken with basmati rice, lamb with spinach curry or spiced vegetable biryani. Where do you go when you crave Indian food? The answer is Surya. These two Indian street food eateries will spice up your life.

The cuisine is from Gujarat, lighter than from other parts of India. Aside from traditional fare, Surya offers street food rolls: choose your type of naan (plain, cheese, garlic, butter or chili) and filling (the chicken mayo & avocado is great). There are vegetarian choices, fruit juices (like mango lassi) and a weekend Indian brunch.

At night they are popular nightlife spots with good cocktails and DJs, including parties at the weekend. Check out their new, Bollywood-style second location, recently opened on C/ Consell de Cent, 236.