The 'brunch' at the Hotel Palace: a buffet with oysters, anchovies, dried sausage, duck rice and roasted chicken cannelloni

BarcelonaThe Hotel Palace has an undeniable mystique, as it is a historic enclave in the city of Barcelona. For many, it will always remain the Ritz, and in fact, when you enter, you can't help but look around to see if Xavier Cugat's chihuahua is still lurking. If we are not staying there, we can access it to use its gastronomic offerings. We can go

Then it will be the turn of the hot dishes. There is a rice station, which they constantly make to order. We have duck and cuttlefish. Both frankly very good; in fact, the best of the meal. They use bomba rice from the Illa de Riu house, from Sant Jaume d'Enveja. There is also a space with mini-hamburgers and chicken nuggets designed for children, but which made no distinctions and everyone ate them. On the list of hot dishes, however, there are three that are made to order (they are included, but they are ordered on the spot and prepared in the kitchen). These are eggs Benedict (with salmon or ham), roasted chicken cannelloni, and grilled beef loin with mini potatoes.

Finally, it is finished with another all-you-can-eat buffet, but this time for desserts. Cakes of all kinds, cookies, yogurt with fruit, fruit skewers... Or, if you wish, you can go back to the cheeses. While you are eating, there is live music, and activities for the children, such as a person who paints their faces or makes balloon animals. On the first day, and given the date, there was also an Easter egg hunt. The price of the meal is 35 euros for children and 65 for adults. If other drinks are desired, they must be paid separately.

Other proposals

This offer is added to two we have on Passeig de Gràcia. On the one hand, the brunch offered by the Mandarin Oriental at the Blanc restaurant, which costs 65 euros. And, on the other hand, the one offered by the Monument hotel, which on the first and third Sunday of the month serves one at the Glasss restaurant and on the Verbena terrace. This proposal is signed by chef Martín Berasategui and costs 75 euros. They call it Yummy Sundays, and it must be booked in advance because it is a very successful activity. In this case, an open bar of cocktails (also water, coffee, and infusions) is included. The schedule coincides with our lunchtime: from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. There is the cold buffet, with assorted seasonal salads, montaditos, meat and fish carpaccio, artisan cured meats with coca bread and tomato, or the veal tartare in the style of the renowned Basque chef.

The hot dishes are the langoustine croquette with lemon alioli, the squid and corvina seafood stew with Maresme peas, the creamy pumpkin rice with Iberian ham shavings, gratin dauphinoise with confit duck and botifarra del perol, or the beef rib with Padrón peppers. For dessert, there are several options, but most people will surely opt for the Basque-style cheesecake.