Via Veneto

A trip to Barcelona might be considered incomplete if you didn't visit Via Veneto, the city's most respected, and one of the oldest, restaurants there. This uptown place is renowned for its sumptuous Catalan cuisine and its elegant and plush décor, while its clientele, like influential businessman and politicians, help to give it a powerful ambience.

José Monje established Via Veneto in 1967 and his culinary expertise undoubtedly counts for the numerous accolades that have come its way. His son Pedro Monje is also now involved in making sure everything runs smoothly and together the duo have forged a strong contender for one of the best restaurants in the city.

In Via Veneto's luxurious surroundings, anything less than an elaborate meal might almost be considered not being fair to your taste buds, so start with the sautéed king prawns with vegetable coca bread in a pine nut vinaigrette or the salad of oven-roasted sea scallops with ham and crispy parmesan cheese.

For mains, their range of fish, meat and game dishes is extensive and equally tempting. Try the charcoal-broiled turbot with aubergine caviar and oven-baked vegetables and cockscombs or the red mullets fillets with saffron rice and orange blossoms if seafood is your passion.

Meat lovers will embrace the idea of roasted rack of baby lamb with a crust of fine herbs and millefeuille of Perol pork sausage with enthusiasm but the pièce de résistance is their roasted duck a la presse. A whole baby duck is slow roasted until golden and brought to the table. Efficient staff will debone it and then run the bones through an antique silver press to extract the rich juices. The combination of the two results in an explosion of flavours and creates a gastronomic experience that is absolutely exquisite.

As befits the entire gamut of tastes there, the desserts are equally decadent and delectable. Whether it is the millefeuilles of chocolate and orange cream with mint ice cream or the savarin with dried fruit consommé and lemon verbena sherbet, these delightful concoctions are a fine way to end the meal unless of course you prefer something simple like the cheese board.

The wine list has an amazing range of ten thousand or so bottles and choosing the right one might seem a daunting task, so it's advisable to ask the sommelier to recommend one that will suit your taste and complement the meal appropriately.