Eating in the hotel usually seems like a pretty boring option, seeing as the city is full of amazing tastes and flavours, but in this case, I couldn’t wait to try out the Market Restaurant. In fact, it felt very decadent just slinking downstairs in ridiculous heels that couldn’t withstand the rough terrain of Raval, and then rolling back upstairs without worrying about catching the last metro back.
Like the rest of the hotel, the restaurant is beautifully designed, all white-washed wood, black lanterns and mirrored cabinets. Despite stretching over three separate dining areas, it has a buzzy, intimate atmosphere and the clientele appear to be Catalan locals, which is always a good sign.
The menu is extensive and Catalan bistro-style, with a good selection of meat, fish and rice dishes and salads. As usual, Steven and I went for mostly the same dishes (well, it avoids food envy) and started with onion soup and cheese bread croutons. The soup was well-seasoned and chunky and appeared to be never ending.
We ordered a bottle of the recommended Rioja red wine, which came with hotel’s logo on the bottle and was incredibly reasonable at just 7.50 Euros! It was medium-bodied and very easy to drink, possibly one of the best house wines I’ve ever had.
Next up was a generously-sized pork escalope with fried potatoes. The escalopes were thin and but not dry, with fine breadcrumbs and seasoned with rosemary and black pepper. The chips appeared to have been cooked in nut oil and were not at all greasy. The meal was satisfying and had some interesting flavours, although it needed something to lift it slightly, so we asked for some mayo.
With hardly any room left, but a dedication to foodie reporting, Steven ordered his longtime favourite, Tiramisu, and I went for the white chocolate cake – a creamy mousse on a biscuit base with raspberry coulis and topped with crushed pistachios.
The white chocolate cake was pretty much perfection and I managed to polish off the whole thing. The Tiramisu went down well too and the mark of a good chef often lies in this dessert – get it wrong, and it’s a disaster.
Our bill came to a respectable 47 Euros for three course, bread, wine and water and we were able to charge it to the room. Many of the restaurants in the Fork & Pillow group offer set menus with all of the above for around 19 Euros each, but it seems that it wasn’t available when we were there.
After the meal, we needed a super long walk around the neighbourhood to get over the three course feast but on the second night, we had a nightcap at the hotel’s Bar Rosso.
Once again, gorgeous design with seductive red walls, mirrored doors, crystal lamps, Surrealist artwork and oriental touches. There are plenty of plush sofas and nooks for lounging and the outdoor terrace is perfect for making the most of the warm, balmy evenings.
We ordered a Whiskey Sour (7 Euros) and a Martini (4 Euros), which came with a big bowl of cashew nuts to munch on. The drinks were well mixed, the bar staff were polite and attentive and we weren’t rushed, even when the bar was closing.
The bar stays open until 2am and there is a wonderful night porter in the reception until this time, who helped us with the air con and found me a big bottle 0f water from the restaurant when there was none left at the front desk.
Market Restaurant is a must, whether you’re staying at the hotel or not, as it offers excellent quality food in a chic, comfortable and airy environment at an affordable price. It doesn’t have the tourist/business atmosphere of a regular hotel restaurant and is mostly filled with ‘in the know’ locals, so it’s best to reserve a table when you check in, or call in advance.
Market Restaurant, Comte Borrell 68, 08015 Barcelona. Tel. (+34) 93 289 01 30