TRAVEL
It’sbeensaidthatmodernityhasimperiledtheSpanishtraditionof
latenightdining,alongwithsiestasandmonth-longvacations.Buta
numberofspotsaroundBarcelonaprovethatnighttimegastronomy
isaliveandwell,particularlyinthecategoryofrestaurantthatblurs
thelinebetweenfoodandfiesta.
Ifyou’veneverdinedinBarcelonabefore,youmustfirstpay
homagetothefathersofthemodernIberiangastronomicboom,
FerranandAlbertAdrià,atthelatter’sMichelin-starred,ever-popular,
listtoppingrestaurantTickets.Withoutthemtheremightbeno
foamedsauces,notweezersemployedintheconstructionof
sculpturalandwhimsicaldishes.
There’sperhapsnomorecleverordeliciousa culinaryjokethan
theAdriàs’signaturespherecisedolives,inwhichthegreenfruit
ispureedandjuiced,thenreformedagainintoanoliveshapethat
immediatelymeltsinyourmouth,somehowmorepurelyolivethan
it wasbefore.Theenergyandcolorfuldecorofthe space lend the
meal a theatrical and almost circus-like vibe.
Youknowyou’reinBarcelonawhena restaurant’spostedhours
are 8:30pmto 6:00am.Thingsstartlate here,andat the hybrid
restaurant/discoElCincotheyendverylate.Inothercitiesa clubby
restaurantwouldhavefoodasanafterthought,buthereit’sprepared
bya chef,JosepArmenteros,whohasstagedandcookedwithSpanish
legends.Hismenuisunabashedlyheartyandluxurious:Spanish
tortillaistruff led,scallopsareenrichedwithpigsfeet.Thebetter
tofuelthepatronswhoheaddowntothebasementtodanceuntil
thesuncomesup.
ContinuethesubterraneanthemeintheCabaretlocated
beneathIanSchrager’snewBarcelonaEditionhotelinthecharming
ElBornneighbourhood.Theundergroundsupperclubisjustone
ofmanyrevelry-friendlyfoodanddrinkoptionsinthehotel,allof
whichareoverseenbyformerAdriàProjectsCreativeDirector
SebastiánMazzola.ThehotelisalsohometothePunchRoom,
a speakeasy-styleloungethatofferslate-nightsmallbites,billiards,
andoversizedpunchbowls.
Whileall-nightdininganddancingisthenorminBarcelona,
converselyall-dayrestaurantsarea rarity.Howevershouldyoufind
yourselffamishedduringthedarkhoursbetweenlunchanddinner,
theclubbyBatuarrestaurantattheCottonHouseHotelhasyou
covered,witha fullcocktaillistandeclectic menu of hangover food
— which, trust us, you will need.■CLOCKWISE(FROMTOPLEFT):Tickets,thehot
restaurantbyworld-renownedsuperstarchefAlbert
Adrià.Cabaret,locatedwithintheBarcelonaEdition,offers
everythingfromburlesqueshowsandacrobats,to singers
andperformanceartists,allduringanexquisitesix-course
chef’s tastingmenu.Gazeoutoverthecityasit comesalive
at night while taking a swim at Barcelona EditionHowandwheretoeatinBarcelona,where
dinnerincreasinglyblurswithnightlife
The Art of Late Night Dining