If you judge a book by its cover, then this place is dead. It looks like a cheesy, overdecorated ethnic caricature, with more Spanish tchotchkes than any sane person should have to look at. The menu too is off-putting, in its excessive length, which suggests that you can have anything you want — from the freezer. But this is a book whose cover lies, for the food is the enchanting garlic- and oil-based cooking of southern Spain. Which begins at the beginning when bread comes with slightly pickled whole garlic cloves. At Casa Barcelona, they grill sardines perfectly and serve them with fresh tomato sauce. Piquillo peppers and tortilla (the traditional flat filled Spanish omelette) are classics done correctly. Deep-fried squid is crisp and salty and ungreasy, also in the Spanish tradition, as are black beans stewed with smoky sausages. If the Spanish Mediterranean is not on your agenda, Casa Barcelona will substitute nicely.
