CITY BAR AND RESTAURANT, GRAND CENTRAL HOTEL BARCELONA, SPAIN

In the heart of bustling Barcelona, Grand Central Hotel’s City Bar and Restaurant is a gourmet haven where traditional dishes star with an innovative twist. Start the occasion with a signature cocktail created by Manel Vehi in the sleek City Bar, then head to the intimate dining room where chef Alberto Vicente reigns using fresh local produce in his Mediterranean bistro-style cooking with cosmopolitan touches and a contemporary flourish.

For starters, it’s tender Iberian ham with fresh bread rubbed with ripe tomato, which is a firm favourite with Barcelonians. The crudite salad with sweet figs and goat’s cheese and the truffled potato millefeuille and quail egg yolks are also popular. For mains it is the roasted sea bass cooked to perfection with porcini mushrooms which is a great combination. The signature Central Hamburger and classic steak tartare also has a big following. For a sweet finale it is a toss-up between the Catalan-style custard foam and the traditional torrija with lemon curd and cinnamon – the custard foam doesn’t disappoint.

In a city where tapas dominates, a three-course dinner is a nice alternative. Service is slick and attentive and the wine list is impressive with cava – sparkling wine – and local and international drops. Finish with a nightcap at the romantic Skybar with spectacular views over Barcelona.