Creative brunch tapas & pimped up classics
Approx. €15-20 for brunch
Nearest metro: Jaume1
Picnic Restaurant
Carrer del Comerç, 1
www.picnic-restaurant.com
+ 34 93 511 6661
Go for: Perfectly poached eggs | French toast & peanut butter sauce | Pulled pork brekkie taco
Good for: Boozy Sundays | Smaller groups | Al fresco dining | Feeling like you've got a hot ticket
Need to Know: Day | Terrace | Takes reservations | Vegan/Veggie Friendly | Brunch only at weekends 11.30am - 5pm
A good poached egg is a beautiful, yet elusive thing.
And one that I had yet to find in Barcelona, until I visited Picnic.
This buzzing little brunch spot is sandwiched into the shadow of Arc de Triomf in Born, and prides itself on its creative approach to food and drink.
Indeed, it’s refreshing to see a morning menu devoid of granola - instead, pulled pork tacos sit alongside salmon gravlax and turkey clubs, allowing you to visit Mexico, America and Scandinavia all in one sitting.
The queue to get in however, impresses me less, as does the rate at which you feel you’re being pressed to order. The inside space (there’s a roadside terrace too) is busy to the point of chaotic, with waiting staff tripping over themselves to keep up with the turnover.
It’s a Sunday, so the agenda is obviously eggs. And the €12 price tag for a classic Benedict lays on some expectation.
Thankfully, it arrives properly pimped up with crispy bacon, spinach and a giant cous-cous salad, while my Huevos Rancheros is a feast of mashed black beans, tortillas and guacamole. And both with perfect eggs - the former poached, the latter scrambled.
The couple next to us are sharing a selection of brunchy tapas - including a stack of pancakes and what look like Picnic’s famous fried green tomatoes with feta. Both look very good, more like works of art than face fodder.
I like the concept of Picnic, so I’ll be back for dinner (the smoked mussels and grilled kangaroo have caught my eye.)
Just a shame it’s brunch is a bit too popular.
