Barcelona, Buttercream, and Birthdays

For as long as I can remember I have loved birthdays. I’m not just referring to my own birthday–I love to attend and plan celebrations for friends and family, reveling in the joy of commemorating yet another year with someone special. When I was younger I would adorn plates with glitter and rhinestones, bake and decorate cupcakes, or create a scavenger hunt for a prize throughout my house. I wasn’t necessarily pushing the envelope the way I thought I was but it was definitely more inventive than an afternoon at Chuck E Cheese or Pump it Up.

 As I grew older, birthdays moved away from goodie bags and scavenger hunts, but their importance had nowhere near vanished.  When I came to New Haven, I was worried about my birthday, as it was exactly three weeks and six days after move-in. How would I find a suitable location for my birthday, let alone have people to invite? I did my research, searching TikTok, asking older friends, and reading online blogs, where everyone gave their two cents about the best birthday restaurant in New Haven. My criteria were as follows: food, ambiance, and ability to see everyone. All three turned out better than I could have expected.

This isn’t to say that Barcelona has the best food in New Haven–it certainly doesn’t, though it’s pretty darn good, especially for the price. The restaurant is dark, but not too dark, and the wood detailing and textured walls only add to the ambiance. It’s not fancy but it feels like you’re somewhere nice, and the service is always great. That night, the night of my birthday, I sat with 8 friends at a high-top table with two seats on each side. In my opinion, this is the best table in the restaurant. You’re able to see everyone, pass food easily, and talk without yelling like you have to do at a long table.

 The food itself is tasty, warm, and perfect for sharing. Some highlights are the olives, tomato bread (which technically isn’t on the menu anymore, technically), the steak, bacon wrapped dates, all of the veggies, and of course the DIY charcuterie board. It’s impossible to order too much because regardless you will eat everything and leave very full, but happy. I haven’t tried their desserts, and didn’t this night, wanting to execute dessert by myself. I usually don’t get dessert at restaurants unless I know it’s great, because it often feels like an afterthought. Maybe that’s not the case, but regardless, I had already done more research and had a cake waiting in my dorm.

Sometimes you need to make the party yourself. After my dinner at Barcelona, I brought my friends back to my suite where I had a couple of surprises in store. First, olive themed napkins and balloons, with homemade (very) dirty martinis to match. Second, a cake from Lucibello’s Italian Pastry Shop. The cake itself was yellow with interior layers of whipped cream and fresh strawberries. If you closed your eyes and took a bite, it was a 10/10. I will say I was slightly disappointed with the decoration of the cake. It said “tini bit older” in a grassy green that was kind of hard to read and didn’t leave any room for the candle. That isn’t to say I wouldn’t order another one–I am planning to place my order for the exact same cake tomorrow for my birthday this year, though I will decorate it myself. Maybe I’ll put some glitter and rhinestones on top of this one.