Can Ramonet, Barcelona

[GeordieSteve]

A very reluctant, disappointed post, this.

I've been a fan of Can Ramonet in Barceloneta for years since VSerna recommended it, but I have to mention the sad slide in standards recently.

A booking a few weeks ago (made by me) was accepted without problems; when the guests arrived the restaurant was close for holidays.

Today I went first hand to find out what was going on. The problems were shocking: a 30 minute wait between sitting down and someone taking our order; a 1 hr wait between sitting down and one of our first courses arriving -- the other disappeared into the ether and I had to eventually cancel; mysterious drinks orders added to our bill; a standard of cooking that while OK was in no way comparable with previous visits.

I've had many good meals at Can Ramonet in the past, but it seems that it's succumbed to the touristification of Barcelona and gone into overbooking and rip off practices like the rest. Very sad. Avoid, folks.

[vserna]

I must have recommended this a long, long time ago... Not the same level at all now, of course. I like Els Pescadors, but it's somewhat more modern in style.

[GeordieSteve]

Probably 2 or 3 years ago. It was still good then.

[vserna]

Dec. 2003, actually. Time flies... It was again mentioned later in that same thread, revived in 2005.

[GeordieSteve]

Wow! Time flies indeed...