Superior sushi, sashimi and more at The Tatami Room in Barcelona’s Poble Sec district.
Bite-Sized Review: The Tatami Room Japanese restaurant, Barcelona
I had dinner last month at The Tatami Room with its owner, Hugo. I know what you’re thinking, and you’re correct: Hugo is not a very Japanese name. Hugo the owner is, however, a genuine Japanophile, who lived there for many years and speaks fluent Japanese. He brought his love of the cuisine with him to Barcelona and opened The Tatami Room, in partnership with his Japanese wife, in 2010.
There’s not much upstairs but the lower level, which is bright and un-basement-like thanks to a large skylight, is attractively laid out around a long bar with low tables and cushions. There’s legroom beneath for less-flexible diners who don’t fancy feasting while folded up.
The draught beer is excellent and the food is many notches above what usually passes for Japanese cuisine in Barcelona. The Tatami Rooms boasts something rarely seen in the city: a properly trained sushi chef. Prices are reasonable (most dishes are €5-€14; expect to eat 4 or 5), and top-quality ingredients are used throughout. I won’t go into a full review because I didn’t take notes and I was there for a chat not to take photos and write critiques. Nevertheless, here are a couple of snaps. I encourage you to check it out for yourself.
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