Restaurant Rasoi | Barcelona — Restaurant in Barcelona

Summary:

I’ve tried nearly every Indian/Nepalese spot in the Bay Area, and this is by far the best Indian food I’ve ever had.

A trusted local recommended Rasoi Indian Kitchen in Barcelona—it was a 50-minute walk, but absolutely worth it. I had the chicken tikka masala (medium spicy), my friend had the pot biryani with chicken, plus naan. Both dishes blew me away: incredibly tender, flavorful meat and perfectly balanced spice. Even the rice was soft and aromatic, not dry or firm like I’m used to.

Pro tips: the bread on top of the biryani is for steaming, not eating. Medium spicy was perfect. The yogurt sauce is delicious and helps tame the heat.

Final Verdict: If you’re in Barcelona and want to experience Indian food done right, go here.

—————————

Rating: Food: * Incredibly flavorful and tender dishes; best Indian food I’ve ever had. Service: *
Warm, attentive, and helpful throughout the meal. Staff speaks excellent English. Ambience: *
Clean, comfortable, and hip Value: * Very fair pricing for the quality but I am coming from SF Bay Area where everything is much more expensive

—————————

Full Review for people with time to read:

I’ve tried almost every Indian / Nepalese restaurant in the Bay Area, mainly SF and East Bay, and I have tried a few in the South Bay), and this, by far, is the best Indian food I’ve ever had.

Everyone says that Indian food is amazing in the UK, and frankly I’ve not tried Indian there, but I cannot imagine how much better it can be than what I’ve had today.

My good friend texted his friend where the best Indian food is in Barcelona, and his friend came back with a very definitive recommendation. It was 2 miles away so a 50 minute walk, so a substantial distance, but my friend had faith in this referral, so we made the trek to Rasoi Indian Kitchen.

I ordered my standby, chicken tikka masala, and my friend ordered a pot biryani with chicken, which is an Indian rice dish covered with bread for steaming as well as 2 orders or naan (not buttered).

All the Indian food I’ve had in the states is either unacceptably at the low end, or “decent” at the high end. What keeps me ordering is dipping the naan in the sauce, whether curry, tikka masala, or butter chicken sauce, but the meat itself is always a bit dry.

Today, both the chicken dishes had incredibly tender and flavorful chicken, with both surprised and delighted my palate. I ordered medium spicy for the tikka masala, and my friend ordered medium, and if I had a re-do, I would’ve ordered medium spicy for both. It was a bit spicy, but the spiciness wasn’t overpowering and paired well with both the bread and steamed rice.

My impression of Indian rice was that it’s typically harder than Chinese rice, but the rice in the biryani was equally tender and soft.

Some tips: so the bread that steams the biryani isn’t meant to be eaten. It can be, but it’s not as delicious as the naan. I asked if the dish could’ve steamed it with foil, and my friend assented. Also, go for medium spicy and then you can always add spice if you want (unless you are a spice lover). The accompanying yogurt sauce is also a great way to notch down the spice level, and it is delicious regardless.

Final Verdict: If you are in Barcelona and either like Indian food or what to see what amazing Indian food should taste like, give...

I'm a big fan of Indian food and wanted to go somewhere really special for my birthday lunch. Rasoi was recommended by a foodie friend of Indian heritage so decided to give it a try. After a warm welcome, we were guided to our table in a dining room surrounded by curtains of gold chains. Snazzy. We ordered the tasting menu for two with an extra portion of paneer pakora - because I love paneer and there was none in the menu. It was good. Some parts excellent - the trio of starters: tender and well spiced chicken tandoori chicken tikka, a classic samosa and a nawaabi lamb kebab - and others a bit disappointing - the San Francisco cocktails. All of the elements of the tasting menu were really well executed and delicious but my main issue is the dish selection for the main courses. There was a real lack of variety that failed to show off either chef's skills or the range of flavours and styles in Indian cuisine. Nawaab lamb korma, butter chicken and dhal makhani: all brown, all creamy, all a very similar flavour profile. Something tangy, sharp or tomato-based would have been great, or a classic tarka dhal... Or something with iron rich spinach for contrast. Dessert (gulab jamun with cardamom ice cream) was delicious but only one gulab felt a bit mean. Service was friendly and prompt. Value for money was good at €26.50 - but mix up those main dishes, please. I'd return but would probably eat off the a la carte menu. There looked to be some delicious things on there. Overall, some of the best Indian food I've eaten in Spain but not without its...

UPDATE: I had to take off two stars because after ordering from them several times, sadly the chicken has been tough, dry, and overcooked every time. I tried three times to give them a chance, but I think it's best to dine in!

Best Indian food in Barcelona, and among my favorites anywhere. Food and flavors are authentic and on point- I was actually surprised, tbh. Hard to find this quality and execution outside of India or Indian communities.

The portions are perfect, and the dining area has a nice atmosphere. Service was notably superior to 99% of places here in the city- attentive, efficient, friendly, and warm. It really adds to the experience, and is much appreciated.

Plus, for those who know: THEY HAVE INDO-CHINESE DISHES. This is one of my absolute favorite cuisines, but basically impossible to find outside of India. The Chilly Chicken was stellar- can’t wait to try them all.

My only complaint is the paneer (in the mattar and saag paneer dishes I’ve tried): it’s too soft, with the texture of soft tofu.

Looking forward to my next visit and trying the...