Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Ikibana Paralelo – Sant Antoni's Sushi Samba Surprise

By Javier Castillo - February/18/2014

Following the success of its longstanding flagship restaurant in the Borne, last year Ikibana opened another culinary establishment in the Sant Antoni area of Barcelona, on Avinguda del Paral.lel 148. The place has all the touches of a master interior designer with a skilled vision of transforming the restaurant into a contemporary and aesthetically alluring space. Wood is abundant as the material of choice - giving the place unique form and artistic definition. Its curvaceous nature lend to the Japanese appeal of elegance and fluidity. According to their website the idea behind their tables was to create “bowl-shaped islands […] designed like pieces of fruit with a dark exterior and a warm, colourful interior.” 

Image from www.ikibanagastroclub.es













And so you have itIkibana Paralelo unites the Japanese tradition of perfection and quality with the fun-spirited and exotic characteristics of Brazilian culture. It’s a place to see and be seen. It’s hip, elegant and entertaining with a young, attentive and vibrant staff. Now, what about the food? Presentation plays a role here at Ikibana and you can witness their creative philosophy in every delicious morsel the kitchen churns out. The Japanese - Brazilian fusion, being East meets West, offers a little of those principal ingredients well representative of each country’s culinary traditions. Everything blends beautifully together here, no skimping on taste, form or texture whatsoever. From the dishes I tried, I would recommend their shrimp and vegetable tempura which is one of the best I have had in Barcelona; as well as their Picasso Uramaki made with foie gras (and lots of it). Fan of raw fish? Go ahead and try their creative Nigiris and Maki offerings - all very tasty and combine some interesting and unique combinations such as spicy tuna with coconut sauce.


Image from www.ikibanagastroclub.es


More Information:

Ikibana Paralelo
http://www.ikibanagastroclub.es/en/restaurant/
Avinguda del Paral.lel 148
08015, Barcelona, EspaƱa
info@ikibana.com
Reservations: +34 934 244 648
Open daily from 1:00 pm to 1:00 am and weekends from 1:00 pm till 3:00 am.