Restaurant Review: Tasting Spanish grandeur at Amar Barcelona

Barcelona is a city known for its vibrant architecture, gothic charm and a fusion of fashion, culture and gastronomy. Spanish cuisine is one of the most underrated and there is no better place for an authentic introduction than on this beachside city in Spain. When it comes to fine dining with a Mediterranean twist, there is no better place to be than at Amar Barcelona.

Situated inside the regal El Palace Barcelona, at Amar, you experience history in every corner of the grand room — think crystal chandeliers, gilded mouldings and blue tones. The restaurant was born out of a collaboration between the hotel and chef Rafa Zafra, who imagined this to be a love letter to the city, its sea and many traditions, leading with honest, product-driven cuisine.

You can really tell that is the case as we are directed to our table overlooking the entire restaurant, as the very knowledgeable sommelier pours us a glass of champagne to celebrate our final night in Barcelona. We start with some bread that arrives in a massive cart (there are three different kinds on offer), olive oil and probably the creamiest, most delectable dollop of butter I’ve sampled in a good, long while.Amar Barcelona is inspired by chef Rafa’s Sevillian roots and passion for the flavours of the sea. This meant that the menu at Amar featured some of the most incredible seafood dishes Spain has to offer. There is also an entire section dedicated to premium dry-aged cuts of meat, ensuring that there is something for everyone.

After the bread, we decide to try some oysters next — the restaurant has six different kinds on their menu in a tribute to renowned Spanish chef Albert Adrià — as my friend had never actually tried one before. We went with the classic as a way of introduction and also tried the Peruvian version, which was essentially an oyster ceviche. Both were delightful — my friend was thoroughly impressed — but the ceviche version was in a league of its own. We also tried some crayfish carpaccio which was equally as delightful.

Every single dish we tried, you could tell it was of the highest quality. Every single produce, poultry and seafood item felt fresh and bright, and was created with meticulous attention to detail. Each section of the menu is a tribute to culinary trailblazers — from top quality produce vendors and farmers, to the dishes historically served at the Ritz of Barcelona (which has now become El Palace Barcelona) as well as Spanish and Catalan cuisine.From here we moved on to a course of the sole meunière, which instantly melts in your mouth and provides a light burst of flavour — perfect after the vibrant dishes we had sampled just moments before. We also tried the grilled white asparagus, which was a great accompaniment to the main meal.

In terms of drinks, the wine was free flowing and absolutely delicious. The very kind staff at Amar Barcelona made sure to cater to both of our favoured palates, ensuring each glass perfectly paired with the dishes we were sampling.

For dessert, we went with the profiteroles tower with cream and toffee sauce, which was the cherry on top to a truly incredible meal. One of the great things about the restaurant is that they list the recipe to each of their desserts in the menu, so if you are ever feeling adventurous or wish to recreate the magic of what you sampled at Amar, you can try it for yourself in the comfort of your own home.A meal at Amar Barcelona is truly an experience unto itself. The saying ‘meal fit for a king/queen’ certainly applies in this case. There is a mix of tradition with haute cuisine and gastronomy, resulting in a regal fine dining expedition through Spain and the Mediterranean like no other. Whether it is the grand chandelier-filled room, the impeccable hospitality and service or the mouthwatering food, you truly get to experience what Spanish cuisine is all about.

As we walked out of the hotel, pleasantly buzzed with our bellies full, my friend and I both agreed this was the best way to end our trip to Barcelona — and we can’t wait to come back for more.

Read more food and drink stories with Tempus