We Miguelins like places with character. This is often linked to young, passion projects, aimed at excellence and with an interesting story behind the restaurant team. Such initiatives spring up around Barcelona every day, but only a few achieve a profitable business model worthy of a success story.
Today we present you the success story of Fabiola Lairet, a Venezuelan civil engineer who, together with her husband and business partner Ricardo, arrived in Barcelona 14 years ago. Here they developed their passion and love of Japanese cuisine through a number of courses at the Bellart school. The love was so deep that they decided to pack their bags and go to California to train at the Sushi Chef Institute. From there, they managed to get work experience in Japan which allowed them to earn national certificates as Sushi Chefs. Fabiola is one of the few women to have achieved this.
Returning to the Catalan capital, Fabiola and Ricardo opened their successful Monster Sushi and then, just a year ago (October 2016), Robata Sushi & Grill. With an enviable location on the corner of carrer Enric Granados and carrer Mallorca, and seating for more than 150 people is where Fabiola captures version 2.0 of their vision of Japanese fusion food, non-stop from 1:30pm to midnight, seven days a week.
The restaurant itself, where we get more of a feeling of business than of character, is set up with four different rooms. Each of them has its own unique combination of light, materials and music to create different atmospheres, from one that's more elegant, sophisticated and intimate to another more informal, relaxed and lively. It's ideal for a celebration as a couple, to agree something with a customer or as the opening act of a night out with a group of more fashionable friends.
The culinary offering is wide and designed to please a general public, if not those looking for a more traditional, orthodox Japanese experience. The menu includes various Japanese starters (3€-17€), nigiri sushi, uramaki rolls (14€-15€), robata (grilled) skewers (3€-4€) and a very American selection of desserts (8€). For those so inclined, there is an interesting cocktail menu to accompany the food. To compare those prices, 10€ is currently £8.91 or $11.85.
We were served by Santiago, a friendly, efficient Colombian, who suggested those dishes which he believes are a must for any visit to Robata. And he didn't let us down!
We started with some fantastic chicken gyoza, super crispy, with very fine pastry, outstandingly cooked. Then arrived the delicious grilled skewers: yakitori chicken, sirloin and pork, all three very well cooked and with a marked, but not invasive, grilled taste. We finished the starters with some fine slices of bull lightly roasted on the grill accompanied by caramalised onion, also very tasty.
Chicken gyozas
Grilled skewers
Grilled bull
For mains, we tried three Uramaki rolls. The first was the "Nikkei", with a crispy tempura prawn, avocado and covered in tuna and leche de tigre sauce, like a Peruvian ceviche, giving it the same pleasant coolness and hint of spice. The second was the "Redondo Beach", completely battered, with salmon and cream cheese inside and a salmon tartare on top. A pure explosion of flavour! Finally, the "Bad Boy", very curious, being ox sirloin stir-fried with shiitake mushrooms, avocado and caramelised onion, an original mix of flavours.
Nikkei
Redondo Beach
Bad Boy
It's clear that, with Robata Sushi & Grill, Fabiola and Ricardo are showing us their most evolved and sophisticated style. The result, a business that works and offers a good product, well executed, tasty food, good service and a cool restaurant. We Migeulins take our hats off to them and already want to go back!
| Score | ||
|---|---|---|
| Food | Wine | |
| 71 | 65 | |
| Service | Restaurant | |
| 67 | 70 | |
| Price | Miguelin Stars | |
| 35€ (£31, $41) |  |
|
| Per person: 2/3 starters to share+1 sushi roll+1 dessert to share | ||
Where is Robata Sushi & Grill?
Address: C/ d'Enric Granados, 55, 08008 Barcelona
Telephone: (+34) 937 82 60 00
Opening hours: From 1:30pm to 12:00am every day.
Website: robata.es