Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona and the world’s first champagne house, Ruinart, are opening a pop-up restaurant at the hotel. Its Banker’s Bar will be made-over to recreate New York’s classic French bistro and wine bar, Bar Boulud, from 11 November to 16 December. One of the many successful restaurants of award-winning Chef Daniel Boulud, the pop-up, Bar Boulud Barcelona, will draw on the talent of guest chef, Thomas Piat, who is Executive Chef of Bar Boulud London at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London.
To recreate the casual look and feel of the New York original, the pop-up’s décor will combine French bistro elements, such as marble-topped tables, red and white chairs, gold lamps and a natural wood wall feature that mimics the inside of a wine barrel as a nod to the restaurant’s wine offer. Adding a bit of mystery upon arrival, the hotel’s staff entrance will be transformed into a speakeasy-style doorway for Bar Boulud Barcelona. On entering, guests will pass down a corridor lined with photos illustrating the world of Bar Boulud’s founder, Chef Boulud, and come into the bar by a secret entry after crossing the kitchen service area.
Providing a playful and dramatic focal point, a mini kitchen in the bar’s atrium will be made to look like a food truck, with guests able to watch the chefs cooking through a window as they prepare special menu items such as Tunisienne Hot Dog(lamb mergez, brioche bun, pepper stew, cucumber mint yogurt) and Boudin Noir Croquette (black pudding croquette, apple sauce).
Other dishes will reflect Chef Boulud’s signature fare of seasonal rustic French cooking, including house-made terrines, pâtés, burgers and specialities, such as Pâté Gran Père (foie gras, pork and black truffle) and Rillons Croustillants (crispy pork belly, frisée).
Bar Boulud’s signature burgers, the Yankee and the Piggies, will be on offer at Bar Boulud Barcelona together with Escargots (Burgundy snails, grilled bread parsley and garlic butter) or Pissaladière (Provencal onion tart, olives and anchovies). Desserts will include Gateau Basque (classic French cake with brandied cherry jam and vanilla anglaise) and the shareable house-made madeleines, served warm from the oven.
Speciality cocktails will include the Boulud signature White Cosmopolitan (vodka, St-Germain Elderflower Liqueur, white cranberry, lime and an orchid ice sphere), while Ruinart will suggest champagne pairings for dishes, selecting from labels such as “R” de Ruinart, Ruinart Blanc de Blancs, Ruinart Rosé, Dom Ruinart and Dom Ruinart Rosé. (The vintage champagnes on offer will be Dom Ruinart Blanc de Blancs 2016 and Dom Ruinart Rosé 2014).
Bar Boulud Barcelona opening hours: Monday to Sunday, with first bookings at 7.30pm, second bookings at 9.30pm, third bookings at 11pm, all days. Bar closes at 1am from Sunday to Wednesday and 3am, Thursday to Saturday. For reservations please contact Banker’s Bar from Monday to Sunday, between 10am and 6pm, by phone: +34 610726449 or email: mobcn-barboulud@mohg.com.
Overseas guests interested in joining this one-of-a-kind pop-up event can take advantage of the hotel’s latest accommodation offers at Mandarin Oriental Barcelona For room reservations please visit www.mandarinoriental.com.
About Thomas Piat
A veteran of Daniel Boulud’s restaurant group, Frenchman, Thomas Piat, is Executive Chef of Bar Boulud London at Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park, London. Under the guidance of Daniel Boulud, Thomas was invited to open Bar Boulud London, in 2010. He returned briefly to Paris, in 2012, to work closely with Gilles Verot and his team of renowned charcuterie specialists, before resuming his place at Bar Boulud London the following year.
About Bar Boulud
Daniel Boulud trained in France with legendary chefs Roger Vergé, Georges Blanc and Michel Guérard before opening his first restaurant, Daniel, in New York, in 1993. It now holds two Michelin Stars and received the much-coveted James Beard Award for best restaurant in North America 2010. Daniel has been followed by the opening of a series of restaurants and bars around the world under the Café Boulud, Bar Boulud, db bistro modern, Épicerie Boulud, Maison Boulud, and DBGB Kitchen and Bar brands.
Chef Boulud’s culinary roots can be traced back to his family farm near Lyon, France, where he developed a love of home cooking using fresh seasonal produce. Of all Daniel Boulud’s restaurants, Bar Boulud is most directly inspired by his childhood in the French countryside.
With an emphasis on French regional wines and an elevated interpretation of classic home cooking, Bar Boulud invites diners to discover the deep, rustic roots of French gastronomy.
About Ruinart
France’s first champagne house, Ruinart has been creating exceptional vintages since 1729. The use of Chardonnay grapes in the blending process brings purity and taste to the wine, creating a lightness that is Ruinart’s signature style. Ruinart has become the champagne house of the art world, partnering with many artists round the globe, such as Jaume Plensa, Piet Hein Eek, Hervé van der Straeten and Georgia Russell, who have created artworks inspired by its heritage and cuvées.