Walking into the vintage wallpaper-covered hallway, the dark, open space, which used to be a garage, instantly welcomes you with mismatched chairs, a long, solid bar and a roaring, though artfully enclosed, fireplace. I immediately found a spot on a roomy bar stool, but could barely pay attention to the bartender as the sparkling vintage glass chandeliers dazzled and distracted me. Also there to divert my attention were Bar Celona’s dozen-plus specialty cocktails made with fresh fruit, spices and Spanish flare. I decided to order the God Bless the Sister ($12), delightfully fizzy drink made with ginger liqueur, passion fruit, bitters, cava and orgeat.The ginger hit first and then rounded out with passion fruit as it went down my throat in one exhilarating swoop.
Aside from the dangerously first-rate drinks, owner Cynthia Diaz also offers a list of tapas, from traditional Spanish dishes to ones like the savory mushroom and morcilla tostones ($8). Given a Latin twist by chef Jordy Lavanderos, this ground-up, meaty blood sausage comes on a crisp plantain chip and is mellowed out by a shallot confit with a dash of parsley oil. On the more conventional end, Bar Celona serves up a savory paella negra ($18) blackened with squid ink. Like most paellas, the dish features an array of seafood and meat mixed in with rice.This one has tender chicken, spicy chorizo discs, slightly rubbery calamari, sweet mussels and overcooked shrimp and clams. Despite the overdone bits, the dish offers a rich combo of flavors that worked, especially if you tell the kitchen to skip the seafood.
To go along with its menu, Bar Celona has a section of drinks that go down like meals. Try the Paellarinha ($11), a beverage made savory by using red pepper and saffron syrup, or the Lighter Gazpacho ($12), which tastes like the classic cold tomato soup. But my favorite drink of the evening was the Albino Old Fashioned ($12). Made with Death’s Door white whiskey (it’s so clear you can pretend it’s water), this beverage’s sweetness comes from the house-made brandied cherries muddled at its bottom.
Back to the tapas, I found the pop-able ventresca tuna pate ($8) in a darling hard-boiled egg shell reminiscent of my mom’s deviled eggs, but with a slightly fishy taste. The roasted beet terrine ($9) turned out to be a delight, with thinly sliced beets angled around layers of fluffy goat cheese, apples and walnuts that allowed each flavor to hit the tongue separately in bursts of sweet and citrus. I was less fond of the bland bombas ($10), deep fried potato and codfish croquettes that only got flavor from the orange and garlic marmalade.
Make sure you don’t leave without trying the delightful habichuela con dulce ($8), which looks like espresso and has the texture of rice pudding but is sweet without being overwhelming. If you want pure decadence, the melted chocolate cake ($9) literally oozes hot fudge mixed with a touch of caramel—it really satisfies the sweet tooth. If dessert isn’t your thing, you can follow up the meal with the Missionary’s Position ($12), a dangerous blend of Reposado tequila, pear syrup and ginger. Just be careful drinking these, lest you end up in a similar position yourself.
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Bar Celona
104 S. 4th St. (betw. Bedford Ave. & Berry St.), Brooklyn, 718-237-7828.
