Nakashita Restaurant: Excellent and surprising Japanese food in the heart of Barcelona

My friend told me about Nakashita.  At first I was really wary about it, not because I don't think that she has excellent taste in food, it was mainly the location.  The restaurants in this area tend to be, somewhat, disappointing....to put it nicely.  Nevertheless, she invited me to go one day, extolling the virtues of the "Brasilian-Japanese" style sushi, and its decoration. 
When I stepped inside, my initial instict was that I liked it....it was a cold rainy night, sometime this autumn as the weather just started to turn, and the raw wood doors and windows framing the black walls was a triumph in simplicity and warmth.  Small, capacity for 20 people max, made it even more  inviting.  Immediately the first thing you notice is the bar, since it is the focal point of the place (being so small) and its main chef, Marcio, who hails from Brasil....not your average sushi chef, and as I soon found out, this isn't your average sushi.

The menu is small but well done, with your regular items such as home made gyozas, (I have tried them several times, some made with beef and pork and some made with shrimp and fish), miso soup, yakisoba and yakimeshi (noodles, and the latter rice) teriyaki chicken with shitake, etc.  The gyozas are light, filling and well made.  The yakisoba, is perfect, with its little wiggling tuna flakes on top, the yakimeshi rice with shrimp is brilliant, although I have to admit sometimes it is better than other times.  The miso soup, what can I say, there is miso soup, and then there is Miso Soup....this one falls under the category of capital letter Miso soup, warming, fresh ingredients...this isn't your package soup!

The real star though, is the sushi.  Marcio's ability to meld east and west flavors is impeccable.  He highlights the freshness of the fish with just touches of suprising ingrediets.  For example, one off the menu item that he proposed to us last week was salmon maki with a touch of caramelized onion jam.  Sublime.  One permanent menu item is the spicy tuna roll.  Yes, it sounds typical, except that he lightly batters it in tempura (lightly is the operative keyword) and then fries it for just a second.  The result is something heavenly.  The tuna inside is still raw, but the avocado turns into an unctuous delight that just melts in your mouth.  One surprising roll, not for regular sushi joints, but for Barcelona is the Soft shell crab roll.   Its not new or innovative, but it is one of my favorites and I was happy to see it on the menu.  The also have your typical sashimi and nigiri plates, but for the specials, check out the mirror by the entrace, for weekly specials.  One of my particular favorites is the foie nigiri.....I mean, who doesn't like anything with foie gras? 

The desserts are ok.  You have your mochis, your sake truffles, and some type of green tea cake.  The one thing that is strangely missing is green tea.  Huh?  That's what I thought.
In anycase, Nakashita has become one of my favorite neighbourhood jaunts.  I love going there, I love the warmth, and I love love love Marcio's take on sushi.  Sushi Samba.....eat your heart out!

Nakashita
Rec Comtal, 15
Barcelona 08003
93 955 378