Somodó: Catalan cuisine with a touch of Japanese style
Tucked away in a side-street in the Gràcia quarter, you’ll find Somodó, a restaurant serving Mediterranean – Japanese fusion cuisine.
Shojiro Ochi has been developing dishes inspired by the local culture in Barcelona since 1979. His Japanese roots set him apart from the city’s other chefs, though, and the fresh, Mediterranean-inspired food at Somodó is full of delicate Japenese touches.
As lovers of both cuisines, we were very excited by the prospect of the restaurant’s evening tasting menu – and we weren’t disappointed!
The secrets of Somodó
Fresh, top-quality products
Shojiro is a familiar face at the Boquería market, which he visits every day, from Tuesday to Saturday, to stock up on the very freshest fish, meats, fruit and vegetables. No half-measures here: he insists on choosing all of the ingredients for his fusion cuisine in person.
A pair of expert chefs
Shojiro’s co-chef, Toshi, trained in New York. His experience and creative flair perfectly complement Shojiro’s style, resulting in some fabulous gastronomic surprises at Somodó.
Following Toshi’s arrival, the name of the restaurant changed from the original Shojiro to Somodó. The new name is a contraction of “somos dos”, meaning “there are two of us” in Spanish. Simple, but not obvious!
Menus at Somodó
There’s no a la carte menu here! Dishes change with the seasons and the chefs’ inspirations. Trust them – you’ll be surprised, but in a good way!
The lunch menu
For around €20 (including wine and coffee), you’ll get a tapas-sized starter, followed by a second set starter and a main (choose from meat or fish). Then comes the hard bit: you’ll have to choose one of the two desserts on offer.
The evening tasting menu
In the evening, Shojiro will come to the table to present the dishes himself. There are two versions of the tasting menu: the full version and a “lighter” option.
For around €30 – €35 (excluding drinks and taxes), you get two or three starters, followed by a main (as at lunchtime, choose from meat or fish). Next comes a cheese-based dessert, a pre-dessert and, finally the dessert itself! Yes, that’s a lot of desserts (smiles sheepishly) but you won’t hear us complaining about that…
Just to give you an idea, here are a few pictures of the dishes we were served at Somodó. The evening was memorable, thanks to the original cuisine and the fantastic balance of flavours in each dish.
If you’re hungry and/or greedy, we suggest you scroll through quickly to avoid unnecessary food-envy. And don’t drool on the keyboard, it won’t do it any good!
Useful information
- Somodó is housed in a former textile shop, and space is of the essence – the restaurant only seats 19. Booking is essential: call +34 934 156 548.
- The restaurant is closed on Sundays and Mondays.
