Restaurante Palacio Prado - Salamanca

The Restaurante Palacio Prado is a Spanish restaurant in Salamanca that really lives up to its name. Located within the Palace of the Marquis of Llen, this restaurant specialises in traditional Spanish food coupled with some exciting twists which helps make this restaurant unique.

The Restaurant

Palacio Prado

The charm of the Restaurante Palacio Prado is very much due to the fairytale like setting. The restaurant can be found on the ground floor of the 'El Palacio del Marqués de Llen' (Palace of the Marquis of Llen). This palace was built in Salamanca at the end of the 19th Century into the start of the 20th Century by Joaquín de Vargas Aguirre.

It is clear that this palace was built in the cross-over between these two centuries as the architecture of the building, both inside and out, reflects the popular Modernist styles of this time such as Art Nouveau and Art Déco. The fine marble staircase with metal columns, the wonderful rooms and the fantastically decorative skylight all ooze 20th Century style. A visit to the Restaurante Palacio Prado is like stepping into a Salamanca travel guide.

The section of the palace that contains the restaurant is made out of granite which dates from 1894. It is said that the building was once used as an old beer brewery. Inside the establishment the rooms that contain the Restaurante Palacio Prado have vaulted ceilings and the walls contain many Neo-Arabic motifs based on the decorations at the La Alhambra in Granada.

The interior dining rooms at the Restaurante Palacio Prado can hold around 200 people at once, plus there is a terrace outside which the restaurant uses during the summer months, which can seat many more. The terrace is perfect for enjoying a cool drink on a hot summer's day whilst taking in the history that surrounds you. Or, if you are there to work or study Spanish in Salamanca then you will be glad to know that the restaurant and terrace have Wi-Fi access.

The restaurant itself however, is not as old as the building which houses it. The Restaurante Palacio Prado only opened its doors to customers in 2005. Since then, this Spanish restaurant has become a favourite among members of the contemporary upper classes in Spain such as businessmen and women, artists and sports personalities, as well as locals and tourists too. Furthermore, the Restaurante Palacio Prado has managed to become a reference point for gastronomy in the city of Salamanca.

The Menu

Palacio Prado Menu

The food at the Restaurante Palacio Prado is mostly based upon traditional recipes which have been around forever, but in order to bring them up to contemporary tastes, they have given them all a modern twist. There are also some dishes on the menu which are both original and just as delicious.

The quality of the dishes served at this Spanish restaurant is down to two major aspects. Firstly, the restaurant prides itself on its experienced yet experimental kitchen team who all work with the same principles in mind. Secondly, the key to a great dish lies in the ingredients you use to make it. Consequently the Restaurante Palacio Prado ensures that all the products it uses are the best ingredients available.

Some of the specialities from the main menu at the Restaurante Palacio Prado include 'Brick de rabo de toro con cebolla caramelizada, queso de cabra y manzana' (Brick of Oxtail with caramelised onion, goat's cheese and apple), 'Solomillo de ibérico a las tres uvas - Uva pasa, moscatel y fresca' (Iberian Three Grape Sirloin steak - Raisin, Fresh grapes and Muscat grapes), and 'Entrecot de ternera charra a la brasa' (Entrecot of char-grilled Veal).

Alongside their main menu, the Restaurante Palacio Prado offers a variety of other menus including a Daily Menu, Children's Menu and a Tasting Menu. Furthermore they have a great selection of Spanish tapas and raciones for you to share between a group of friends or family.