Lobster, cava and xuixo for breakfast at the first beach of the Costa Brava

BlanesThe fork breakfasts are all the rage in Catalonia. Traditional Catalan dishes and slow-cooked meals first thing in the morning, in a classic, long-standing establishment, accompanied by bread and wine, are gaining more and more followers. They are often carnivorous meals, such as tripe and chickpeas, beef stew, braised pork cheek, or sausage with beans. However, some coastal bars and restaurants, specialized in working with the fresh catch of the day, also serve seafood fork breakfasts. And the experience is truly worth it. Enjoying a good seafood platter by the sea after an early morning coffee is an unbeatable plan.

One of the most famous establishments is Cala Bona, in Blanes. The venue, inaugurated 13 years ago, is located on Sant Francesc beach, the first one to the south of the Costa Brava, in La Selva, with a sandy entrance flanked by stones and cliffs. The tables, on the front line, are right by the beach, with no obstacles in view of the horizon. It is a popular restaurant, not at all pretentious, one that handles good produce. Before the lunch service, at 8 a.m. and 10 a.m., they have two shifts for fork breakfasts with a predominance of fish and seafood dishes, at very competitive prices. The lobster, cava, and xuixo combo is the most legendary, but the offer is very varied. It is always packed, even during the week, with families, young people, retirees, cyclists, or motorcyclists.

The business is run by the siblings Maria and Josep Pratsevall, together with Josep's daughter, Aniana, who will provide continuity to the business after her father's upcoming retirement. Josep and Aniana are in the kitchen and Maria is in the dining room. "We started with breakfasts from the beginning, but it has become increasingly fashionable and gained more fame. Now we are packed. I imagine it's because it's a more economical option than lunch, but you eat more or less the same, in the ideal place, and before or after you can go for a swim and spend a complete morning," explains Josep, in the small margin of time between the end of the breakfast service and the start of the lunch one. He recalls that, as a child, in Blanes it was common to eat fish for breakfast: "With friends or family, we would cook it ourselves or at home, at the vineyard. It was also the usual food for fishermen while they were working," he recalls.

Lobster or two menus under €20

Of the breakfast options at Cala Bona, the most expensive one, at 80 euros for two people, is a championship meal: bread with tomato, salad, a mix of small Norway lobsters (the smallest but also very tasty) and a fried lobster dish with eggs, potatoes, and Padrón peppers. It also includes dessert, wine, and coffee. "A lobster, of course, is a dish you don't eat normally, but if you set it at a normal price, normal people, from time to time, feel up to it. Lobster, cava, xuixo, and sea, the advertising does itself," comments the restaurateur.

The other two options are much more affordable but ideal for all audiences. They include a starter, a main course to choose from, dessert, wine, and coffee. You will be more than satisfied. One costs 17.50 euros and the other, 19.90. The only difference is that the second one has more dishes to choose from (some with a supplement) and that the starters include not only salad and bread, but also the mix of small Norway lobsters. Among the dishes to choose from, there are usually grilled sardines, small cuttlefish, stuffed squid, very tender baby octopus with onions, white shrimp from Blanes, octopus with fried eggs and potatoes, sole, sand eels, elvers... as well as some typical meat dishes like pig's trotters with snails, pork cheek, or capipota.

"The fish arrives at five in the morning. We work with a supplier from Blanes and also with the fishermen's guild that brings us the product directly from the dock. We work with the local people, which allows us to achieve affordable prices for normal, working-class people. In a business, knowing how to sell is just as important as knowing how to buy," states Josep.

From Monday to Friday, they also have a daily menu and, on weekends, offers of seafood platters and high-quality grilled fish, albeit at higher prices. They used to serve dinners as well, sometimes even with concerts, but since they open so early, they now close in the evenings to get some rest.