It is no coincidence that The World's 50 Best chose chef Virgilio Martínez's Central restaurant as the best in the world. Peru sets global culinary trends thanks to a rich pantry that arises from a great wealth of ecosystems and a strong influence from immigrants from all over the world.
In Barcelona, many restaurants explore these autochthonous products and demonstrate that there is life beyond nikkei. To discover it, we propose a tour of five establishments that, in addition to perfecting the classics, also pair signature cocktails with Chinese, Italian, and Catalan fusions.
COYA Barcelona, the opening of the season
The international chain COYA, with a presence in Paris, Monte Carlo, London, and Dubai, celebrates its first decade with a second location in Spain ---the first was in Marbella---. Under the motto "find your inner Inca," this Peruvian-inspired restaurant once again positions the Hotel W Barcelona on the city's gastronomic agenda with a very cosmopolitan space. And it is that at COYA, diners from different parts of the world gather in search of a sophisticated environment that takes care of both gastronomy and pairings.
Proof of this is the imposing Pisco Bar, inspired by traditional Lima bars, which specializes in margaritas with ají and classic piscos. The menu, for its part, offers seafood ceviches, tiraditos, tatakis, and charcoal-grilled marinated anticuchos. They also prepare signature dishes such as nikkei rice with lime and chili, wagyu narrow steak, lacquered duck, and the emblematic orange churros with dulce de leche. Art and music are also closely linked to COYA, which has its own musical label and promises to host exhibitions and cultural events in the coming months.
Leche de tigre: when eating is learning
The name of the place is inspired by one of Peru's most popular juices. Its proposal, now on Casanova street, is based on the defense of autochthonous products and fusions such as bachiche, which combines Peruvian ingredients with Italian techniques. Here, diners not only taste new flavors but also learn thanks to a very well-maintained Instagram and the fun Peruvian-Spanish gastronomic dictionary printed on the menu, which reviews concepts such as rocoto (chili), camote (sweet potato), palta (avocado) or sillao (soy).
Wild sea bass ceviches are the kings of the menu, which covers various regions of the country and combines classic options with others like Callao, with fried fish cracklings, and Apaltado, with capers and avocado. They also have three types of leche de tigre (which they themselves define as "a base with fish fumet, chili peppers, and vegetables"): classic, with yellow chili pepper, or ponja style, with miso and tamarind. Diners can also discover the Chinese influence in Peru with duck in homemade hoisin sauce or pork belly with char siu (barbecue sauce) or tausi (fermented black bean). For desserts, you must try the cocoa cake with lúcuma ("the gold of the Incas") and, to pair, the chilcanos or the chicha morada.
Nuna, the most Mediterranean Peru
Mediterranean cuisines have also influenced Peruvian gastronomy. Chef David Guevara knows this very well; after surprising with Panko, he opened the Nuna restaurant a few months ago on Casanova street. On the menu, the chef places Mediterranean flavors at the center but applies Nikkei techniques to them, while introducing references to countries like Mexico or India.
This is expressed in the form of nigiris such as the scampi with white truffle butter, the wagyu tataki with huacatay, or the tuna belly with yellow chili chimichurri. You can also explore Chifa and Bachiche cuisine and Catalan fusions such as the causa condal with saffron aioli or the Andean Maresme dish, with robata peas and smoked oil with Andean herb pil-pil. For pairing, signature cocktails are combined with international wines, some natural and biodynamic, and several sake references. All in two well-differentiated spaces that hide a magnificent terrace with natural light.
Terrat by Gastón Acurio, a summer classic
As every summer, Gastón Acurio's recipes return to the terrace of the Hotel Mandarin Oriental, Barcelona to celebrate the season. The Peruvian chef's mastery is displayed until September with recipes such as the fried prawn and huacatay roll with ocopa sauce, the scallops with parmesan foam (a classic of the place) or the tataki anticuchero with root vegetable parmentier. The menu also features a section of baos, among which the Iberian pork secret with pickles and char siu stands out, a sauce that highlights the Cantonese influence in Peru.
For pairing, the recommendation is to opt for the house pisco sour or the Passion Mule with lime, passion fruit, angostura and pisco. By the glass, the Pisco Huamani Quebranta stands out, a distillate made in the coastal valleys whose history dates back to 1890. If you like music, they also have a DJ who livens up the evening from Thursday to Saturday. As Acurio points out in the menu: "Peruvian gastronomy, for many years, was a hidden treasure that has finally been revealed." And there is no better way to discover it than with its most international chef.
Yakumanka, a textbook cebichería
Also signed by Acurio, but in a much more casual setting, Yakumanka is an informal cebichería that takes its name from the Quechua "water pot". On the menu, head chef Tomás de la Paz offers whole grilled fish with yellow chili sauce or fried Nikkei style. It is also a good place to try the heart anticuchos, the airport with prawns and small shrimp (a type of chaufa rice) or starters such as chili croquettes, criolla empanadas or prawn wontons. Fisherman's cuisine that connects Peru with Spain.
On the walls, notice the graffiti that generates pertinent questions such as "Why is it called leche de tigre if there are no tigers in Peru? Ask without fear." To discover it, you can also browse the book Yakumanka, La cocina peruana de una cebichería por el mundo (Larousse, 2022), a volume that celebrates the sixth anniversary of the establishment with many easy-to-cook recipes. As explained in the prologue signed by Acurio: "This book was born with the idea of serving as a reference for those interested in filling their hearts with the flavors of Peru."