Paz19 by Sensi Tapas

Sensi Group’s latest venture is little different from the rest, but charming and with a splendid menu all the same.

Go for a walk through Barri Gótic today and it feels like you can’t move for Sensi Tapas restaurants. The chain (which feels like an unfair word to use for a group of restaurants which each promise their own distinct takes on Spanish cuisine) has something of a monopoly on internationally minded, gourmet tapas in the old town, and their newest offering, Paz19, continues this quest for localized culinary domination.

Tucked away under the portico on Carrer de Josep Anselm Clavé (in a space I used to enjoy going for a casual canya in; alas, with the Sensi Group’s gentrifying machine in full effect, no longer!), Paz19 professes to do a similar job to Sensi’s four other joints in the area: small plates at relatively reasonable prices that examine Catalunya’s classic recipes through the lens of other world cuisines. This one aims to meld Spanish dishes with those from the rest of Mediterranean, using North African influences to create a menu which, I found, hits all the right notes in some places, is a little pedestrian in others, but is fundamentally a great evening out.

First off, Paz19’s location is as charming as the staff—the manager Hans sits us down and indulges me in a quick chat about Leeds United and a bottle of fruity Galician Mencia. He’s picked out a menu which, unfortunately, starts off with a dud: falafel croquettes atop a harissa emulsion with yogurt. It’s lucky I like falafel, because it is just falafel, and is a little measly on the sauces, which you’d really like them to be smothered in. This, thankfully, is the only really dull part of the menu. It’s followed up almost immediately with an oozing truffled tortilla with mushroom mayo. Everyone knows truffle is an easy way to please—mask anything with that preposterously rich fragrance (something I can never quite believe wasn’t invented by scientists trying deliberately to access my endorphins each time I have it) and you’ve got happy diners—but it’s actually the cooking of the omelette itself which steals the show here. My homemade tortillas tend to end up on the rubbery side, so if the chef could please get back to me on how they get the egg to the sublimely gushing consistency while perfectly browned on the outside, it would be much appreciated.

Next in the feast (and a feast it truly is: Hans’ opening gambit included the immortal lines “I may be giving you too many plates”) is an interesting zucchini cannelloni, with mince substituted for a cauliflower couscous that adds a curious (and welcome) crunch when you normally expect meaty stodge, while the goats cheese also hidden in the folds gives it an even lighter air. The high altitude plates continue with what is undoubtedly the evening’s finest—a gorgeous salmon tartar with a white garlic gazpacho. It’s similar to the take on sashimi I’ve eaten at Sensi Gourmet before, but this is undoubtedly the superior dish. It’s the gazpacho that does it: subtle enough in its garlicky fragrance to coat the butter-like fish in a glorious, gossamer sheen of flavor.

Another glass of wine; another plate of fish. This time a sea bass fillet with a beautiful looking turmeric foam—it looks better than it tastes, which is of not a lot—and carrots which err on the sugary end of the caramelized spectrum, but my sweet tooth doesn’t mind too much, and it’s a decent appetizer before the heavy hitters arrive. First up, an utterly rich, utterly delicious plate of slow cooked pork cheeks drenched in a port reduction, something I doubt you can ever actually cook badly. That’s followed by plump, crispy-skinned de-boned chicken on a bed of date-ridden couscous, the only dish which actually lives up to the North African fusion that Paz19 promises to be.

The classic cheesecake topped with dulce de leche ends things on the same decadent notes the meat courses precipitated, and I’m not complaining. While the fusion element of Sensi’s newest joint is not quite as exciting as the pan-Mediterranean concept suggests (and, to be honest, is not that different from their other Sensi menus in the area) the food at Paz19 is consistently great. It’s exactly the sort of place you take your foodie friend to who’s visiting the city for the first time and insists on tapas. Next time that happens, you can’t go wrong with Sensi, whichever one you choose.

Harry Stott is a regular contributor to the Barcelona Metropolitan covering Brexit, local political and social issues as well as the music scene. He recently received a B.A. in music from the University of Leeds, and now writes and produces radio content for a number of organizations in Barcelona and beyond. You can read more of Harry's articles here.