If you’re looking to discover the splendour of Barcelona’s art nouveau architecture scene, and to try some excellent local cuisine, we’ve found the perfect place that kills two birds with one beautifully-designed stone: Jacqueline. This recently-opened gem in Eixample has already played host to numerous well-known brands and celebrity guests, all enamoured by its striking interiors and menu by chef Dani Padró, who brings years of experience in Michelin-starred establishments.
Jacqueline is situated on Calle Enrique Granados, aptly named for the romantic classical musician who lived in Barcelona during the Art Nouveau period to which the restaurant’s interiors pay homage. The understated entrance gives nothing away about the expanse that sits behind, stretching over several floors and separated into different spaces that suit a spectrum of events and moods.
We are here to experience Jacqueline’s weekend lunch offering, which takes place in the sunny dining room that overlooks a small internal courtyard filled with greenery. Velvet booths surround tables set with white linen and low hanging tasselled lamps; columns are papered entirely in Toile de Jouy; but the eye is drawn to the eye-catching centrepiece: a stunning vintage bar framed by two huge art nouveau windows and a decorative iron and floral installation that starts at the centre and spreads up the wall, gradually fanning out across the ceiling. It’s like sitting in a real-life Ramon Casas painting.
It’s a civilised setting for a luxurious lunch, and the empty wine bucket sitting next to our table suggests that this will be an afternoon done properly – spread over several hours and accompanied by drinks. Keeping things local, we order a bottle of chilled Cordoniu vintage cava (it feels only right in these surroundings to order a bottle from Spain’s oldest winery and the one credited with creating the ‘traditional method’ for producing cava during the 19th century).
The team at Jacqueline is dressed to impress and a waitress in shirt and waistcoat pours us a glass of cava. This will be a tasting menu, and we’re excited to sample some of the menu’s highlights, as selected by Chef Pedró, former Head Chef at Barcelona’s El Palace hotel.
The first course is a very strong start: steak tartare served on wafer-thin toast. The dish comes ungarnished, keeping the focus on the main event. It is delicious. The meat has a palpable kick (we were asked if we were comfortable with spice), accented by the minerality of the matured meat and the herbs enveloped throughout. It pairs surprisingly well with the dryness of the vintage cava.
The dishes arrive thick and fast now: miniature scallops baked in their shell and flavoured with hazelnut butter and flecks of Iberian ham; thinly-sliced grilled octopus served on top of fondant potato in a stylish interpretation of causa limeña.
Though small, the dishes are filling and we ought to have saved more space for this next course. It’s the hearty Saturday afternoon classic meat with vegetables – in this case a sizeable shoulder of lamb accompanied by onions, shallots and soaking in garlic butter. The meat flakes into pieces with little effort, perfectly cooked through, and the buttery vegetables add warmth to this comfort dish. The portions at Jacqueline are generous and we’re in need of a break after this wholesome course – a chance to further explore the restaurant’s nooks and crannies.
The sun filters through the courtyard windows of the dining room, radiating warmth on the velvety greens and pastels pinks of the décor. Jacqueline is bright and airy by day, but transforms into a sultry, speakeasy-style venue at night. This same dining room doubles as a Japanese “omakase” bar, offering an exclusive tasting menu with just six available seats per evening. The lucky six are invited to sit at the bar and enjoy a live cooking experience using Barcelona’s rich seafood offering to recreate Japanese favourites like nigiri, natsu soba and temaki.
A Dinner Club channels the artsy jazz bars of the modernismo age with dinner and a show. The Club is a stage for some of the best emerging talent in the city, as well as well-established acts across all genres.
And then there’s the champagne bar; an open spiral staircase (an artwork itself) leads to a clandestine attic hideaway dripping with flowers from every wall and ceiling. This room is an ode to the restaurant’s artistic namesake, Jacqueline – the protagonist of a painting from 1954. Jacqueline is a love story to the artistic greats that made the city the cultural treasure it is today. The champagne bar takes its signature drink seriously, with an impressive selection of champagnes from the region, and in particular from Perrier-Jouët – a brand that champions the spirit of art nouveau.
New York-based design studio Rockwell Group is responsible for the more-is-more interiors, weaving together a patchwork of themes. Traditional Turkish fabrics lend inspiration to the design for one of the sitting areas, which is decorated floor to ceiling (including lamps and chairs) in the same deep red patterned fabric. The bathroom facilities are equally maximalist, in golds and deep greens and mirrors with peacock feather fringes.
We return to our seats for the last course of baked basque-style cheesecake and coffee, appreciating the last moments spent in this charming setting. Barcelona is special, thanks in great part to its unique artistic history and the new wave of modernism brought about by Catalan artists like Picasso and Gaudí. It is something that should be celebrated, and Jacqueline endeavours to do just that.
The different rooms and concepts provide flexibility to enjoy several distinctive experiences, from a bright Sunday brunch to a dark and moody dinner with jazz accompaniment. And Chef Pedró’s menu provides the same rich variety, weaving in the flavours of Barcelona’s unique culinary scene.
The cultural references are both in-your-face and subtle at the same time. Jacqueline is a place to spend time exploring and discovering the niche odes and homages. And if you’re less interested in the intricacies of the cultural history, it’s simply a beautiful place to have a meal.
We ate
A special tasting menu designed by the chef, which included:
knife-cut steak tartare – €28
Croquetas amb cecina – €13
Octopus causa limeña – €21
Grilled scallops with pork and hazelnut – €29
Shoulder of lamb – €29
Homemade cheesecake – €10
We drank
A bottle of Jaume de Cordoniu – €69
This was a media visit – all opinions are our own
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