We wander the warm bustle of Barcelona’s streets and eventually arrive at the city’s Gran Vía and The Cotton House Hotel. A proud 19th century building that was previously the headquarters of cotton manufacturers – since February 2015, its name may not have wandered too far from its heritage; but inside this building has taken on a glamourous new life as part of The Autograph Collection.
Inside, rich dark features sit alongside grand antiques that are strikingly bound as one with an overall colonial theme. We arrive at 7pm to The Cotton House’s restaurant Batuar. An undoubtedly opulent interior, the layout of Batuar contrasts itself with an exotically persuaded terrace teaming with deep green foliage, wicker furnishings and elegant parasols. Seated at a small table that is nestled with large waxy green leaves, we sink into sofas and catch a glimpse of this all-day space slip from late afternoon into early evening.
A menu that is traditionally Mediterranean with a certain local incorporation, with a vast bar and selection of innovative cocktails, the food at Bataur competes highly with the drinks. Award winning bartenders regularly create quintessentially aromatic cocktails that reflect and encapsulate the colonial concept of the restaurant. We cool down with some of these cocktails, as one of the waitresses proudly serves us is her own signature creation; the Cotton Spritz complete with an edible flower.
With non-stop service from 7am until midnight, this dynamic menu teases diners with collections of flavours and ingredients designed to tempt. Our waiter is charismatic and confident and directs us to the finer points. We begin with roasted potatoes bursting with blue cheese, smooth and delicate beef tartare, traditional ham croquettes and homemade bread to start and to share. Other similar dishes featured include Iberia ham, a farmed Catalan cheese assortment and the South American flavours of beef lime tortitas.
A Mediterranean favourite we choose the burrata salad paired with caramelised pear, pesto and mint as a lighter dish and roasted farmed chicken cannelloni with crispy skin, Portobello and parmesan. Diners can also choose from a variety from the sea and land such as the coconut salmon with fennel, anchovies & macha tea, black rice with baby calamari, rabbit and ginger or their surf and turf interpretation of scallops with bacon. Sweets are simple but offer a light finish. We squeeze in fruit salad with sorbet and a proudly presented deconstructed cheesecake with strawberry and cookie ice cream.
Preserving the character and ancestry of the historic building, the origin of the name “Batuar” is the machine that was once responsible for pressing cotton to eliminate its impurities and since the late 1800s, the House of Cotton has been a significant Barcelona landmark. Following its restoration and refurbishment, the building has now begun a significant era as a sophisticated hotel and restaurant that embodies and recalls the essence of this iconic Catalonian building.
Address:: Batuar at The Cotton House Hotel, Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 670, 08010 Barcelona, Spain, +34934505045, hotelcottonhouse.com
