• 2
• Uptight, Terrible choice for families

We visited the restaurant mandacaru for dinner on our first night in Barcelona. We were visiting with our young kids 3 year old and 6 month old. Initially we were pleased with our find because the restaurant is in a really residential neighbourhood of poble-sec. And vegetarian to boot. The owner and manager Christian was quite friendly at first, did not appear to have a problem with the family that just walked in. The food is a fusion of traditional Catalan flavours and is creative. We found it over salty but tolerable. But as the evening continued, the under current of uptightness made our whole experience bland. The owner approached us mid meal and announced that his customers like the restaurant because it is a quiet place so we should take the baby out or just leave. We were a shocked at his tone and manner for one. Secondly, our kids were very familiar with going to restaurants. So they are well mannered. The most my 3 year old did was bang his spoon on the table when we got in, and we promptly put the cutlery beyond his reach. He then took to watching the cooks through the little peep window into the kitchen. My 6 month old was being a happy chap and happily babbling away. This is what the other customers had a problem with. The clientèle seemed mixed local and english speaking tourists, who come here for the mild ambiance and occasional live music. Since it was our first time in Barcelona, we just picked out this restaurant from happy cow as it was closest to where we were staying. What is most appalling in the experience was how rude the owner was in calling out my family. We would have happily picked another place for dinner if he had told us when we walked in with two babies and a stroller. Clearly the owner has never encountered kids at the dinner table. Our kids are quite well travelled and have good table manners. There was no crying or tantrums during dinner. He could have appeased us with just an apology his rudeness. But, his attitude towards families and young children was appalling. Can't, speak for the clientèle. I wasn't paying much attention to them. But they were young and likely didn't find happy baby babbles too relaxing. I respect that they wanted a quiet dinner, my complaint is solely with the owner and how he handled this. He just shrugged when he approached him about this. He didn't seem to care about our experience. Please avoid this place at all costs if you are going with children.