Blanc Brasserie & Gastrobar at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona has to be one of the city’s prettiest restaurants. It was the dreamy design that drew me to the casual all-day restaurant, but also its Mediterranean and Asian menu sounded particularly tempting.
Mandarin Oriental Barcelona occupies a prestigious location on the chic Passeig de Gràcia, nestled between Eixample’s designer boutiques and iconic Gaudí buildings. It feels immediately grand and luxurious as you stroll up the raised walkway towards the lobby, bathed in a soft golden glow.
The intimate lobby has the plush appearance of a high end store rather than the lofty marble reception that you might expect from a five star hotel housed in a former bank building. The hotel’s two Michelin star fine dining restaurant Moments by Chef Carme Ruscalleda attracts a well-heeled crowd and is renowned for its innovative Catalan gastronomy.
Blanc is a more low-key, casual affair with cool interiors and a great ambiance. By day, Blanc is a bright, sleek space but at night, it turns more seductive with dimmed lights and chilled out music. Every table feels private and has comfortable seating, whether it’s a deep sofa, armchair or high-back wicker chair.
The crowd is a mix of hotel guests and locals and when we visited, the restaurant became steadily full. We were warmly greeted by the friendly staff and were served ice cold mineral water.
We began the meal with the chef’s special amuse-bouche of Croqueta with squid ink. The petite croquetas were light and crispy with a punchy seafood flavour and velvety texture, served with creamy garlic aioli. They were a perfect bite-size treat that somehow captured the flavours of traditional Catalan cuisine in one mouthful.
For my starter, I decided to go with the light and flavoursome Ravioli with prawn from Palamós, ceps and shallot (€26). I’d expected the ravioli to be Asian-style dumplings, perhaps served in a dim sum steaming basket. However, when the dish arrived, it was even more exciting and creative than I’d hoped.
Tiny pieces of sautéed ceps and shallot were encased in a ‘ravioli’ of delicate, juicy prawn. I’ve never experienced anything like it – each little bite was heavenly and masterfully prepared. The manager later told us that prawns from Palamós in Girona are world-renowned for their sweetness and unique reddish colour.
While my starter was light and healthy, Steven’s Rigatoni with carbonara stuffing and veal juice (€14) was extremely indulgent. The large tubes of pasta were oozing with rich, smooth carbonara stuffing and covered in a cream sauce and grilled cheese. As it that wasn’t enough, the rigatoni was accompanied by a dark, meaty veal jus. It was a delicious, comforting starter that’s not for the faint-hearted.
For the main course, I went for a typically Catalonian dish of Cod confit, emulsion of ganxet white beans and garlic chips (€22). The succulent, beautifully-cooked cod confit was so fresh and satisfying. It was served on a generous amount of smooth, dense ganxet white bean purée and finished with punchy garlic chips and a colourful, slightly piquant tomato and red pepper jus.
Steven ordered the Candied rack of lamb from Aragon, ratte potatoes and shallots (€23). The tender, lean rack of lamb was well-marinated in a sticky, sweet sauce, which was given a touch of sharpness from the whole shallots. It was a substantial, satisfying dish with rich flavours.
I ended on a light note with an Exotic macaron with fresh mango and lime sorbet (€9). The exquisite macaron was filled with whipped mango cream and topped with crunchy brittle, mango compote and a scoop of refreshing, zesty lime sorbet.
The dessert was finished with perfect pieces of fresh mango and drops of sticky mango gel. It’s an ideal choice if you want to end the meal with something luscious, light as air and reasonably healthy.
Steven chose the winning dessert – an impossibly decadent 100% chocolate with milk tonka and candy ice cream (€11). The heavenly dessert was made of velvety milk chocolate ganache on a praline biscuit base, encased in glossy chocolate. It was topped with a layer or sweet caramel and dark chocolate and served with luxurious candy caramel ice cream.
It was a truly indulgent, memorable dessert that’s substantial enough for two to share (or leave you on a sugar high).
To round off our meal, we ordered a pot of Oolong black tea and Yunnan red tea, which came served in an authentic Asian metal tea pot. The tea menu at Blanc is a real delight, with glass tubes filled with different teas for you to sample the aromas before making a decision.
Our teas were served with dainty, fruity petit fours – an ideal way to finish a fantastic dinner.
Blanc Brasserie & Gastrobar at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona is a stunning restaurant with accomplished cooking and warm, attentive service. It has plenty of atmosphere and a sense of intimacy, making it a great spot for a date or evening out with friends. After dinner, pay a visit to the slick rooftop bar Terrat for creative cocktails, cool beats and impressive views over the city.
As we were leaving, we were kindly given bottles of mineral water for the journey back. That’s just the Mandarin Oriental way.
For more information and booking, visit: www.mandarinoriental.com
Chérie City was a guest of Blanc at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona
Photos by Chérie City (interiors by Mandarin Oriental Barcelona)
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