b-served Gastronomy
Sophie Kai
East meets West
Mediterranean and Japanese cuisine come together at Sophie Kai, a recently opened restaurant offering locals a fresh take on classic Asian inspired dishes. Although not obvious, both cuisines have a lot in common, the appreciation of fresh quality ingredients, age-old cooking techniques passed down from generation to generation and a shared conviviality around the table. All of these characteristics are celebrated at Sophie Kai, the raw material is impeccable, and the ambience is laid back with friendly and efficient service. The interior has a vintage vibe where different style seating and lamps are mixed and matched, the front area (towards the street) is decorated in shades of red while the more private area to the rear has a cosy green décor.
Sophie Kai is located on the picturesque streets of the La Ribera neighbourhood, on c/ Rec Comtal, close to Elsa &Fred which also belongs to the same group. After dinner Sophie Kai is the ideal place to enjoy the first cocktail of the evening or extend the sobre mesa with a bottle of wine. There’s a cosy intimacy here that matches the cosmopolitan nature of the streets outside, filled with bars, restaurants, terraces and squares where locals and visitors come together.
-
© .
-
-
Chef Martin Francioni together with sushiman Ramil are the authors of the menu at Sophie Kai. It’s divided into several different sections, each featuring a wide range of dishes; Tapas; Tiraditos, Ceviches and Tartares; Hot dishes: Tatakis; Uramakis,; Sashimi; Niguiris; Niguiris Aburi; Rols Tempurizados. The Tasting menu is a good option to get a general overall idea, featuring 20 different pieces including uramakis, niguiri, sashimi and tataki. Every dish is presented in an appetising format with great attention to detail, ideal for sharing. Equally tempting is the wine menu and the cocktails which is designed along the same lines as the food menu, combining Mediterranean wines, sake and Japanese inspired cocktails.
-
The chefs are inspired by balance, between cooked and raw, technique and emotion, precision and soul, to create an experience where eating is almost an act of meditation. Dishes such as the Kimchi croquettes with saffron, Oxtail gyozas, and Scallops on warm corn cream with hints of cilantro are testament to this philosophy.
-
'Kai' means sea, connection, openness, community… And that's exactly what the cuisine of the new Japanese-inspired restaurant from the Banco de Boquerones gastronomic group, led by Bruno Balbás and Sofía Matarazzo, is all about. It's also a journey, a bridge between cultures where sushi, ramen, and robata grilling converse with olive oil, and umami is expressed in Catalan.
-
- Sophie Kai
- C/ Rec Comtal, 12
- 08003 Barcelona
- Telf. 93 852 4050
- www.sophiekai.es