Lo Pinyol is a beautiful spot, with high ceilings, colourful tiled floors, a lovely marble sink, and wine and vermouth barrels suspended over a made-to-measure wooden bar. There are three cosy spaces: the traditional bar at the front, an interior room with books that you can exchange for others you're finished reading, and a dining area at the back for more private meals.
This is a place where €3 gets you a vermouth and a scrumptious little tapa that you can choose from among 'esgarradet' (crumbly cod fish with red pepper), cream of wild mushroom topped with chanterelles, 'markina' (fried Basque peppers), tinned artichoke with sun-dried tomato, or whitebait. The bread is from Can Turris, the provisions are from Valencia, Teruel and nearby. They take such care when it comes to the products they use that they buy bread in the morning and in the afternoon so it's always fresh. As this is a tavern without a proper kitchen, the food is commissioned to the best specialists, such as the potato omelette from Valentina.
Taverns are fashionable, and nowadays it seems like any old bar can dust off their putrefied old barrels, hang up a chalkboard and hike up the price, claiming to be a tavern. This is exactly what Pau (and her husband Jordi) and Carlos did not do; instead, they took over a business with tradition and character and made it their own. How? The forumula is simple but not easy: applying plenty of of desire, friendliness, good taste and genuineness to everything they do.
Barcelona is chock-full with bars and restaurants. It's up to you to choose where to go. And I'm starting to make my choices based on treatment by the staff – if they're distant or rude, they won't have to worry about seeing me again. If they're friendly and pleasant to be around, I'll be back, I'll bring my friends, and I might even become a regular. And that's exactly my experience with Lo Pinyol. Good treatment and good food means faithful customers!