Restaurante Pakta - Nikkei Cuisine Arrives In Barcelona

By Javier Castillo - July/23/2013

Not many people know that Peru was the first Latin American country to accept Japanese immigration in 1899. The resulting cultural mix was, to say the least, rich and unique. Now, fast-forward through 114 years of culinary innovation to 2013 and what you have today as a by-product of that long-standing symbiosis is a modern cuisine that magnificently blends together Japanese and Peruvian ingredients, giving way to the name Nikkei. It’s quite fitting, then, that the new Barcelona restaurant headed by Ferran Adrià’s brother, Albert, be called Pakta which means “together” or “union” in the Quechua language.

Peruvian food is the latest craze in Barcelona. And why wouldn’t it be? It’s undergoing a new culinary revolution. Adding to the hype has been Ferran Adrià’s recent interest in Peruvian gastronomy and what that country has to offer.  I would recommend watching the documentary called “Perú Sabe” directed by Jesús M. Santos and starring Ferran Adrià and Peruvian chef Gaston Acurio to get a better understanding about Peruvian cuisine and how it acts as an agent for social change in the country.

Now, back to Pakta and the superb dining experience I had there the other night. The place is small and quaint (fitting only 32 clients at a time) and reminiscent of a typical sushi bar; yet it is a very inviting space. And the staff is one of the most courteous, accommodating and friendly I have ever had the pleasure of being served by. The chefs, and for that matter all staff, are fully attentive throughout the entire dining experience and love to chat with clients - giving the place a highly sociable atmosphere. Following in the same footsteps as Tickets and 41 Degrees, Pakta promises a similar experience and doesn’t skimp on creativity and exotic tastes in its offerings, and the uniquely artistic presentation of each plate is representative of the magic that is always expected from the Adrià brand name. One of the highlights of the set menu was the first plate that consisted of 5 well combined pieces:

1. Soy milk Yuba, with caviar and dashishoyu veil.

2. Tiger’s eye pickles with salmon and sumiso sauce.

3. Avocado tofu with salmon roe and wasabi.

4. Broad beans and edamame salad with kimchi
    sauce and gomasio.

5. Ocopa of potato with olluco and mentaiko.

Sound impressive? You betcha! They currently offer 2 different set menus that can be adapted to your needs and both offer the chance to taste representative dishes from these 2 wonderful cuisines.

More Information:

Restaurante Pakta
C/ Lleida, 5  08004 Barcelona, Spain
+34 936 24 01 77
www.pakta.es

Reservations can also be made emailing: reservas@pakta.es.

Note: Reservations are not immediate and you might have to wait several weeks or months depending on the season.