Situated up on the 26th floor of the bold beachfront building, inspiring views are served alongside the new menu from leading Japanese chef Azuma Song and a design concept from the international studio Black Sheep. Creating a colourful, shapely, and future-forward design of the space, NOXE is both intriguing and inviting. Set around a striking golden marble bar which stands centrally among a dancefloor, the restaurant also features a DJ booth, flaming open kitchens and the high-energy dining space.
Described as a place ‘where the flavours of the sunset meet the sounds of the night’, NOXE blends together its restaurant, cocktail bar and club, whilst embodying the excitement of the city witnessed beneath for Song’s omakase dining concept. Translating as ‘I trust you, chef’, this traditional culinary style leaves the power of your meal in the chef’s hands, depending on the fresh ingredients at hand. This seasonal, quality-led way of cooking allows Song and his team to focus on delivering the finest dishes of the moment.
The new menu unites traditional Japanese favourites that have been shaken up with a modern twist. This notably includes the ‘NOXE Katsusando’ we ordered which is a luxurious Japanese take on a brioche sandwich with Galician beef tenderloin dusted in golden panko breadcrumbs, miso cream and mustard, served with tartar sauce. Another example is the ‘Nanbanzuke Salmon’ with pickled with sweet and sour vegetables in sake, ginger and chilli.
Meanwhile profiling local ingredients you’d find across the city are the rich and meaty handmade gyozas filled with Iberian pork, calçots and fresh ginger. We ordered these to begin alongside a plate of crispy vegetable tempura washed down with cups of sparkling sake to cleanse the palate with a sweet finish. Moving onto Japanese classics, choose from a colourful, fresh portfolio of sashimi, nigiri, and maki rolls. I’d recommend marbled fatty tuna and chunky bright orange slices of salmon.
Chef Song has also created the signature maki ‘NOXE Futomaki’ (fat roll) wrapped with soybean leaf, squid tempura, sweet shrimp and black tobiko fish roe. Other larger main course dishes include teppanyaki Galician beef tenderloin and ‘yakiniku’ (Japanese grilled meat) Iberian pork ribs which are tenderised at low temperature and marinated with sweet soy sauce with gohan white rice. Casting an eye over the high-end deserts, these include the ‘NOXE Wax’ (simply put, a coconut semifreddo with crunchy chocolate flakes), a typical light and airy Japanese cotton cheesecake along with the popular yuzu sponge cake and a mochi selection.
Creative, colourful cocktails are certainly worth a try, before, during or after dinner. Paired with the panoramic views, the team of talented mixologists had a goal to create a new and surprising drinks menu that brings diners closer to Japan. They do this with a tribute to Japanese culture with the new ‘Yugen’ cocktail which refers to the Japanese concept of deep emotion (of such depth that it cannot be expressed…), or the ‘The Rashomon Effect’ that is inspired by Japanese literature and cinema. These are best enjoyed once the sun has dropped beneath the horizon and the cityscape sparkles. In honour of its party persona, NOXE then transforms into a buzzy bar and club, welcoming a line-up of national and international DJs each week.
Designed by world-renowned architect Ricardo Bofill, since opening back in 2009, the W Barcelona has marked its place proudly on the famous Barceloneta boardwalk. With 473 guestrooms and suites, it has become the city’s go-to hotel for sophisticated fun, with rooms filled with signature W beds, a 6,700 square feet spa, a beach club and a DJ sundeck lined with private cabanas. Settling in at its new home up on the scenic 26th floor, the welcoming of NOXE completes the collection of exciting options the hotel offers Barcelona’s coolest crowd.
Factbox
Address: Plaça Rosa Del Vents 1, Final, Pg. de Joan de Borbó, 08039 Barcelona, Spain
Phone: +34 932 95 28 00
Website: noxebarcelona.com
