Nuara, the latest and most ambitious venture from Familia Nuri — a family business with 60 years of history and success in Barcelona — has dropped anchor in the city’s newly revamped Port Olímpic, setting a new standard for Mediterranean dining in the Catalan capital’s emerging ‘Gastronomic Balcony.’
Taking its name from the Catalan verb nuar, meaning ‘to knot,’ Nuara is a celebration of connection; both in its culinary philosophy and its deep-rooted ties to the sea. Paying homage to the fresh markets and traditional rice dishes of the region, this beautiful new restaurant elevates them with a sophisticated grill-forward approach.
Meat and seafood take centre stage, each ingredient handled with respect and refined technique, culminating in dishes that are as honest as they are tasteful. An open-fire grill sits proudly in full view of diners, a bold statement of the restaurant’s commitment to quality and transparency.
With a prime waterfront location and attentive but approachable service, we kick off proceedings with a couple of Guillardeau No.3 oysters with passion fruit and a glass of champagne to wash them down. Because that’s the sort of feeling this place evokes. Less fancy but by no means less tasty is a surprisingly humble star dish: rustic bread roll with artisanal butter. The butter-soaked, perfectly crafted hunk of bread is the ideal conduit for the epic porcini mushroom meunière that accompanies an exceptional entrée of marinated leeks. Two grown adults should not be this excited about bread.
A second starter of longline hake in tempura with mayonnaise and pickled onion is another winning selection, and expertly sets the scene for the main event: a truly decadent lobster paella. A staggering counterpoint to the modest and unassuming bread roll, the paella is an unabashed celebration of gastronomy at its most lavish, a full lobster halved, it’s claws cracked for easy access, and the whole lot set extravagantly atop of a delicious dish of rice of the highest order. This is what loving food is all about.
Designed internally by Raquel González in collaboration with Sánchez Guisado Arquitectos — the visionaries behind Barcelona dining spots including Enigma, Estimar, and Slow & Low — Nuara’s aesthetic is beautifully curated and considered.
Spacious while retaining an air of intimacy, the restaurant spans some 200+ square metres, blending natural materials with warm lighting; evoking the uncomplicated charm of a coastal hideaway. A larger, 235 square metre terrace allows for outdoor dining with a front-row seat to the hum of the newly beautified port. For those looking for a more exclusive setting, a private dining room can seat up to 12 guests, perfect for intimate gatherings or special occasions.
Whether for the unmistakable aroma of the grill; for the connection between design, experience and cuisine; or for its unrivalled connection to the maritime world, Familia Nuri have nailed it once again. Bringing elegance and refinement to an area once left to disrepair, Nuara is poised to become a new benchmark for Barcelona’s evolving dining scene.
@nuarabarcelona
@sanchezguisado_arquitectos
Interiors Photography, Santa Helena Agency.
Food Photography © We Heart.
