Restaurant Ají — Restaurant in Barcelona

This was my second visit to this small yet impressive restaurant, having first discovered it last year. My first experience was excellent, and I was excited to return. The restaurant still holds up well and continues to stand out, especially with its digital sommelier, a unique feature that I haven’t encountered elsewhere. It gave a solid wine recommendation, though I do think the wine list could benefit from more options, particularly in dry whites and reds.

The space itself is compact but stylish. It's modern, practical, and comfortable – a clear product of thoughtful design. It’s no surprise it has a Michelin recommendation.

Dishes Tried:

Spicy Scallops. Beautifully presented and perfectly cooked, but lacked a bit of seasoning to fully elevate the dish. Tempura Prawns. Crispy, light, and absolutely delicious. One of the standouts of the evening. Crispy Chicken. Tasty and well-prepared. However, I would’ve preferred the orange vinegar sauce on the side rather than poured over the top. Still managed to retain its crispiness. Prawn Maki. Requested without scallop on top. The roll itself was fresh and flavorful, but they added cream cheese on top, which I wasn’t expecting. I just removed it and enjoyed the rest. Beef Dish. Cooked to perfection. The standout here was the garlic rice on the side, possibly the best I’ve had. Highly recommend this dish. Grilled Pineapple with Sorbet – A light and refreshing way to end the meal, though nothing...

Aji Restaurant – A Hidden Gem of Peruvian Fusion in Barcelona

I had the pleasure of dining at Aji, a Peruvian fusion restaurant tucked away near the base of the Barcelona Casino. Although it took me a few extra minutes to locate it—the entrance is a bit hidden and involves descending a staircase into an inner courtyard not clearly marked on Google Maps—it was absolutely worth the search.

I opted for the tasting menu with wine pairings, and the experience was nothing short of outstanding. One of the highlights for me was the tuna tartare, made from Balfegó’s Atlantic bluefin tuna—fresh, refined, and beautifully balanced. I also appreciated the flexibility of the kitchen: I asked to have the ceviche made with corvina instead of salmon, and they gladly accommodated my request. The dish had a slight twist with the addition of soy sauce, which added an exciting umami depth without compromising the essence of traditional ceviche.

The overall atmosphere was relaxed yet refined, and sitting at the counter allowed me to watch the chefs in action, which made the evening feel even more personal and immersive. Service was warm and attentive from start to finish, and the price-to-quality ratio was excellent for the level of cuisine offered.

I highly recommend Aji to anyone looking for a sophisticated yet approachable introduction to modern Peruvian fusion in Barcelona. Just make sure to give yourself a few extra minutes to find...

My initial review was not published by "the other company", so here we are to save some people a disapointing experience. In short, the food is just tasteless. Food with great presentation, the service and cleaness is 5 stars. Unfortunately, what moves me to a restaurant is the food and the taste is just not there. The emblematic ceviche was totally tasteless (just salt and lemon....yeah just like in Peru's streets..but 20x more expensive). I guess....that 's what people call authentic. I would try any peruvian restaurant I see because the food is usually fantastic, but this place is just pretencious. Pisco sour was excellent and deserts were...