Imaginative dishes based in Catalan tradition.
Bringing the world of Carme Ruscalleda to Nihonbashi.
Nostalgic old buildings stand amidst the new cityscape in Nihonbashi, the spiritual heart of modern-day Tokyo.
Slip behind Coledo Nihonbashi, one of the area's landmark buildings, and peek through the glass on the first floor of its Annex building. There you will find a kitchen bursting with life - Restaurant Sant Pau.
The original restaurant can be found in the small town of San Pol de Mar, 60 km from Barcelona. In 1990, only two and a half years after it opened, it was awarded its first Michelin star.
Sant Pau's chef Carme Ruscalleda didn't start in such work - she was originally a simple housewife, and this fact gathered great attention. By 1996 she had earned her second star, by 2006 her third, and now her restaurant is renowned worldwide.
Ruscalleda opened her Tokyo location in Nihonbashi in March, 2004. The cuisine on offer is based in the Catalan food she was raised on, but modified so imaginatively that first-time visitors will likely find that their image of Spanish cuisine becomes completely transformed.
Beautifully transparent jelly is made with seawater to add a touch of salt to the final dish. Decorative herbs that seem to have come straight from the garden are combined with mayonnaise.
Every beautiful dish is given a feminine touch; each incorporates something extra that strikes a resonant chord within the soul to create a moment of pure bliss.
Since its opening ten years ago, it has brought a breath of fresh air to the streets of Nihonbashi, and established itself as a true classic.
It continues the traditions of the home restaurant in San Pol de Mar, but gives them a unique twist using Japanese ingredients and Japanese philosophy.
This is a culinary tale of two towns - Tokyo and San Pol de Mar - both of which are home to the incredible cuisine of Sant Pau.
