Taste of Japan: Carlota Akaneya
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ushi has been big in Barcelona for several years. Given the Spanish penchant for spanking fresh fish, it’s no wonder it works well as a concept here, but the panoply of the rest of the Japanese kitchen has remained mysteriously elusive. There are a couple of Izakaya (the Japanese take on the pub), but where are the Soba and Ramen bars, the Yakitori and the Sukiyaki joints? Enter Carlota Akaneya, Barcelona’s first authentic Hibachi grill, which is fuelled by a
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Photo courtesy Carlota Akaneya
particular type of white charcoal called binchotan, giving anything grilled above it a distinctive sweet and smoky taste. Trust me, it is as good as it sounds, especially with buttery lozenges of pure Kobe beef thrown on top of it. It’s a wonderfully social style of barbecuing and Carlota Akaneya does it extremely well, offering several different-sized tables, round and oblong, each with a hibachi grill in its centre.
The info: Pintor Fortuny 32 (Raval). Open daily, 1-4pm, 7.30-11.30pm 23
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