One look at BistrEau in Barcelona’s Mandarin Oriental, and it’s easy to see why it has become a firm favourite for locals and visitors alike. Located in the hotel’s central atrium, the restaurant makes for a dramatic centrepiece, thanks to Spanish architect and designer Patricia Urquiola, who made the most of the expansive space by skirting the top half with a metal lattice structure through which the daylight softly filters like an underwater sanctuary. Cosy high-backed leather or cane chairs create intimate nooks in which to sample chef Ángel León’s seafood menu, from which we recommend plumping for the sea urchin burrata with miso and tomato or the grilled turbot with snap peas and yuzu meunière- all washed down with a sparkling glass of cava, of course.
