Koy Shunka

"Koy Shunka is one of Barcelona’s most recognized Japanese dining destinations, built around chef Hideki Matsuhisa’s vision of combining traditional Japanese techniques with high quality seasonal ingredients. We chose the Kpy Experience menu, which felt like the best value for the price. The experience started in the kitchen, which was a fun concept, but the flavors of the opening didn't leave the best first impression. The first half of the tasting menu also wasn't to our liking, with many dishes leaning heavily earthy. The second half, however, is where the restaurant truly shines. The lobster, tuna, and eel dishes were absolutely phenomenal, and ingredients like fresh Japanese wasabi made certain dishes feel special. One issue throughout the meal was the heavy use of salt and soy. We ended up ordering five bottles of water just trying to balance it out. At a restaurant of this caliber, I would expect more balance and confidence in the ingredients without relying so heavily on seasoning. The dark, mysterious atmosphere adds a lot to the experience, but some of the overall pageantry felt disjointed. The service was mostly friendly, though we felt rushed toward the end of the evening. Seeing cleaning begin around us and backup chefs stepping in took away from the polished Michelin star experience we expected. It created the feeling that not every guest was receiving the same seamless experience from start to finish. I do have to applaud the team for accomodating a nut allergy, sometimes making different dishes so that the guest would not feel left out. Overall, despite some misses and service inconsistencies, the incredible seafood dishes in the second half of the meal made the experience here memorable."