If you want great Spanish food, go to Japan!

My husband and I traveled to Spain in 2023, and we especially loved the food. So when we were in Tokyo later this year, we were delighted to discover MASIA.

Our reservation was for the 9-course “Mar y Montanya” (Catalan for “Ocean and Mountains”) dinner, consisting of 4 appetizers, 2 starters, fish, rice, meat, pre-dessert, dessert, and mignardises (which translates to small, sweet pastries served at the end of a meal).

Unlike in Spain, we were able to book a time earlier than we were used to going to sleep! It was a slower night - there were a couple tables of people seated near a window with a gorgeous view of the tall buildings of Ginza. However, the chef, Mateu Villaret, seated us at the counter overlooking the kitchen. He said he could tell from our names that we were Americans and would want to socialize. He was right!

Chef Mateu explained that there is no shortage of high-end French restaurants in Tokyo, something we had quickly noticed browsing through the Michelin Guide, and that they had marketed themselves well to the Japanese for decades. But Spanish food was still making a name for itself in the city, and his vision was to bring the flavors of his home in Catalonia to Japan.

MASIA specializes in Catalan and Spanish ingredients as well as the best seasonal produce of Japanese resources. Chef Mateu Villaret’s philosophy is Catalan roots, Spanish soul and Japanese produce.

The Wine

Gramona La Cuvée Corpinnat 2017 - A celebratory cava (sparkling wine) from Catalonia - the perfect start to a special meal!

The Menu

Tapas de Bienvenida (Welcome Tapas)

• Croqueta of prawns
• Tomato focaccia with Iberico ham
• Flat bread with sardines and onions
• Crispy chickpeas tortilla, cured tuna, and egg yolk

Caballa, ajoblanco, tomate y caqui

• Cured, charcoal-grilled mackerel
• Almond and sherry vinegar sauce
• Persimmon and cherry tomatoes
• smoked paprika oil and parsley oil

Lechuga a la brasa, romesco sobrassada

• Charcoal-grilled lettuce
• Pancetta, Iberico anchovies, bottarga, and romesco sauce

Suquet de alfonsino

Suquet is a traditional Catalan seafood stew.

• Kinmedai fish, fried in its scales
• Fish stock with seawater
• Saffron aioli
• Sofrito with amaebi (sweet shrimp)

Arroz bomba con tinta de calamar

• Bomba rice from Valencia
• Squid and squid ink
• Charcoal-grilled green peas

Pato a la brasa con salsa de naranja

• Charred French duck confit
• Orange sauce
• Raw and cooked champignons

Picos

Crispy bread from Sevilla with Verde Puro olive oil

Higos

Pre-dessert of fresh figs, fig leaf sorbet, and powdered fig leaf oil

Tarta de almendras, castanas y manzana asada

• Lemon thyme sorbet
• Almond cake
• Roasted apples and chestnuts cream with wine sauce

Mignardise

• Apple pie
• Crema catalana

Closing Thoughts

MASIA is an incredible dining experience with incredible hospitality. We must have spent an hour just talking with Chef Mateu about the restaurant industry and the places we ate in Spain. He encouraged me to pursue this dream, and that’s a big reason this first blog post is about Masia. If you’re in Tokyo, you need to go. If you’re outside of Japan, it’s worth a trip!