There’s a hot new table in Barcelona from the Adrià brothers. But don’t expect the elaborate foams and molecular cuisine that were a trademark at el Bulli. The newest venture—Pakta comes from the Quechuan word for “union”—is all about Japanese-Peruvian Nikkei cuisine.
It’s a new direction for the duo, who were interviewed in a recent article for The New York Times. Here’s the skinny: "The small plates are inspired by the Nikkei cuisine of the Japanese who migrated to Peru about a century ago: fresh fish combined with corn, ají peppers, yuca, potatoes and, in Pakta’s case, a host of creative flourishes — algae from around the world, flavorful flower petals, succinct wild herbs and bursting soy “caviar” bubbles.”
Following tradition, guests are encouraged to eat with their hands. There are two tasting menus: 20 courses and 5 desserts for 90 euros a person, or 15 courses and 4 desserts for 68 euros. It’s a small space (32 seats) so reservations are hard to come by.
Note: Pakta was recently featured by Food + Wine as one of the “100 Restaurants Worth a Pilgrimage”- a list chosen by the magazine’s “favorite globe-trotting chefs.”