Spanish Asian bridge! Dos Palillos

On this post DOS Palillos, asian tapas gourmet bar.

Dos Palillos is located in the narrow calle Elisabeth in the funky Raval neighborhood, on the ground of the hotel Casa Camper.

Dos Palillos, a Michelin Star restaurant has two types of ambiance; you enter in a Spanish typical bar where you can sit and order asian tapas a la carte. Behind the beaded curtain you get an intimate Asian food bar with the open kitchen in the center, where you can have a tasting menu.You have to book for the tasting menu but you can just go for some tapas whenever you want, on week mid days it would be easier to get a seat.

The name of the place, Dos Palillos , two toothpicks, is a blend of the usual toothpicks you have your tapas with and chopsticks.

The layout inside is cool, kitsch and intimate. When you book you specify your food allergies and preference, vegetarian in our case.

You can see all the cooks and the chef going on with their work. What really attracted me was the calm and precision which with they were cooking. It was peaceful to look at them, nothing at all like what you see in programs like  Gordon Ramsay's Hell Kitchen. Each cook had their own duties to carry on with, a nice mix of different people from all over the world.

With chef Albert Raurich

I think the merit goes to Albet Raurich, he is a fun and nice person, very down to earth despite the fact of his connection with EL Bulli. He is always there , checking the food, the clients, the bar; going back and forth.
Albert was born in Cadaques, used to play in front of Dali's house, and was interested with cooking at a very young age. He worked in various Italian restaurants, as Immortales, and then started in El Bulli with Ferran Adria- the best restaurant in the world.

He openned Dos Palillos in 2008, a new concept restaurant in Barcelona, serving Asian tapas.

 
We were welcome inside and we started our tasting menu with a cocktail : Raspberry sake with a green tea olive that bursts in your mouth. 

 We were then served shitake in a sweet savoury marinade, bok choy and mushrooms wontons. Then we got a seaweed salad, vegetables spring rolls, agedashi tofu with yuzu (delicious) .

 
It continued with a very nice crispy rice paper roll filled with crunchy lotus root and veggies, interesting Tempura of cherry tomatoes  with Wasabi, some steamed dumplings. We then got to make our own maki roll and we finished with a wok of vegetables. 

For desserts a divine mango custard with a coconut mousse and a macedoine, all in layers in a pot.  We also got an excellent chocolate ningo yaki.

It is a nice experience , you have to know to enjoy each bite and appreciate all the flavors. You won't get stuffed but you will leave with a good feeling.
 “There is no love sincerer than the love of food.”George Bernard Shaw
 
Recommended wines :
White : Château Thieuley-Bordeaux
Red : Valdhermoso Crianza-Ribera de Duero

“Cookery is not chemistry. It is an art. It requires instinct and taste rather than exact measurements.”
- Chef Marcel Boulestin