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Near-perfect experience, if only the double espresso would have been served quicker: Restaurant Ikibana Paralelo (1. May 2021)

| June 23, 2021 | 0 Comments

The Ikibana Paralelo was recommended to me by a friend and I must say, it was a good recommendation. I started with a “Tokiocabana (Leblon cachaça sake, lychee puree, sisho sweet syrup and lime juice)” (EUR 13.00) which was refreshing and a nice start into lunch. What surprised me, to be honest, was the fact that you’re allowed to sit inside. On Mallorca you can only sit outside but apparently in Barcelona, it’s possible to be inside too (not that I’m complaining at all but it still surprised me).

I decided to go for the “tasting menu I” (EUR 48.00) which started with a selection of starters, i.e., “edamame (green soy beens with Maldon salt)”, “white ceviche (white fish marinated with lime, onion, coriander, and shichimi)”, “gyozas (steamed gyozas filled with beef and spring onion, served with dashi broth and shitaki mushrooms)” and a special order by my friend. And I must say, that the start was definitely a positive one. The ceviche was refreshing, the gyozas were nice and had a tasty stuffing, the cubes were filled with cheese and were absolutely lovely and last but not least, the edamame was done as it should be.

Next in line was a round of “uramaki sushi”, i.e., “hokkai (tempurized maki with salmon tatar, cream cheese and tare sauce)”, “paralelo uramaki (foie mi-cuit and banana chips, wrapped in glazed foie and caviar-style truffle)” and “birimbau uramaki (king prawn tempura, spicey mayonnaise, tobikko, wrapped in seared salmon sashimi and caramelised onion)”. While I absolutely loved the hokkai, the paralelo uramaki was second best, and finally the birimbau uramaki turned out to be the worst of the three – yet, still being very good. So, they definitely know on how to prepare these uramakis – and they are damn enjoyable.

The first main dish was “yakimeshi (rice sautéed with chicken, vegetables, egg at low temperature, kimchi, tender onion and teriyaki sauce)” which was good but, damn, was it a lot! This portion alone would feed half a family at least as a main dish. So, I was quite surprised how big the bowl was. And I must say, while it was overall quite good it was not really anything surprising, i.e., there was no special flavor coming with it which turned out to be some kind of disappointment.

The “picanha beef (picanha beef, tatsoy, fried banana, shimeji mushrooms, and lemon-ginger sauce)” on the other hand was outstanding. The meat was tender and rich in flavor and in combination with the fried banana and the lemon-ginger sauce, it really made your taste buds dance.

Last but not least, it was time for desserts! The “passion fruit mouse (delicious passion fruit mousse, red fruit jelly and whipped cream)” was good but too heavy for my personal gusto. The “merenguinho (crunchy meringue with vanilla cream, strawberries, lime jelly and gold dust)” on the other hand was exactly the way I like a dessert to be (if it’s not cheese) – light, sweet, and not making you feel like you’re going to explode after eating it.

What I liked a lot about the place was the interior design. Overall, it was very lovely! What is a bit annoying though are some of the tables – I got seated at one in the corner where you would almost fall off the bench which is kind of a shitty table. I mean, I get it, you’re trying to fill up the space as much as possible but that shouldn’t be table really.

The service, overall, does a good job. Everything was done as it should be, the food came quickly and it was overall quite lovely. And when the waiter did a little mistake and poured some water onto the table, he basically awarded the water ‘for free’ (usually EUR 4.75). Only when it came to the “double espresso” (EUR 3.00), they somehow failed. Everything worked wonders. They were attentive. Friendly. Swift. But when it came to ordering that damn double espresso they would be so damn slow that it was almost unbelievable. So, unfortunately, I left the restaurant with a sour aftertaste which was completely unnecessary if they had only brought that double espresso a bit swifter – and I had asked three times for it. Still, to remain fair here, the place is recommendable and you get a great bargain for tasty dishes with the tasting menu I.

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Contact Details:

Restaurant Ikibana Paralelo

Av. del Paral·lel 148

08015 Barcelona (E)

Tel.: +34 934 24 46 48

E-Mail: info@ikibana.com

Homepage: http://ikibana.com/ikibana-paralelo

About the Author:

I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org. Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City.
EUR 190.00 (incl. tip) Filed in: Barcelona (E), Restaurants
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