Restaurants of the Month – Lunchtime menús

The menú del dia is a Barcelona institution, allowing workers to eat heartily and well at a good price and without having to commute home. Some menús leave a lot to be desired, being the tired roll call of the usual suspects: lomo a la plancha, overboiled veg and industrial yoghurt. But these restaurants go above and beyond the call of duty

Lluis de les Moles, C/de les Moles 25, tel 93 317 5866. Open 1.30-4pm Mon-Sat.
Lluis de les Moles is a smart, modern dining space which offers creative market cuisine at accessible prices. It opens only at lunchtime, serving an extensive menu del dia, although your choice is severely limited if you want to avoid paying the supplements that many of its dishes attract. But it is possible to eat extremely well -and heartily - without paying extra. Go for the signature starter of timbal de huevos fritos con patatas de sarten, pimientos de piquillo y salsa de jabugo -like a Catalan fry-up through an haute cuisine looking glass. Perfectly waxy potatoes are poached in oil and layered with flor de sal, marinated piquillo peppers and blood botifarra sausage, all topped off with a fried egg and surrounded by a droolingly savoury jamon iberico jus. Do try this at home folks - you can get the recipe from www.tvcatalunya.com/cuines/receptes/recepta_855.htm.

Casa Valencia, C/Corsega 335. Tel: 93 237 2759 Open: 1-4pm, 8-11pm every day
Casa Valencia is one of the many casa culturales in town that cater to the needs and nostalgia of Spanish immigrants to Catalunya. Its menú always includes a paella and other rice dishes among the starters. The paella valenciana has liberal helpings of rabbit, chicken and pork and, most authentically, Valencian butter bean-esque garrafons. Arroz al horno combines saffrony rice with pinenut-studded blood sausage, floury potatoes, caramelised garlic and crusty chickpeas. Valencians, with their fecund huertas, really know how to make vegetables shine in a dish.

Niu Toc, Pl Revolució 3, 93 213 7461 Open 1-4pm & 8pm-12am Tues-Sat, 1-4pm Sun.
Niu Toc offers a well-rounded menu del dia and a generous helping of outdoor seating in a pleasant square. Their gazpacho comes with a fair handful of fresh-fried croutons and flecks of veg suggesting it's made in-house rather than poured from a Tetra Pak. But it is missing the traditional accompanying sprinklings. The paella has fabulously fishy rice, bolstered with good chunks of sepia and meat. Main courses include simple lamb chops and baked potatoes, lightly grilled tuna steak or more crafted dishes such as a casserole of tender chicken drumsticks, tiny prawns and waxy potatoes in a rich mustard and rosemary gravy. The dessert list is chocolate-heavy, with options including puding de chocolate, crepes stuffed with banana in chocolate sauce and chocolate profiteroles, all generously drizzled with a cocoa-intensive sticky chocolate sauce. Service is calm and efficient.

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