A chilcano, in its most basic form, is pisco combined with ginger ale for a drink that is fresher and lighter than the typical pisco sour, and perfect for summer. Yakumanka is flying the Peruvian flag in Barcelona with the goal to offer the best chilcano menu in Europe—I’m not sure how much competition there is, but it’s safe to say that they take their pisco seriously. Head chef César Bellido runs the kitchen, while José María Vázquez runs the bar, macerating a myriad of jungle fruits and roots, imported directly from Peru, with pisco to create the bases for their signature cocktails.
The menu focuses heavily on seafood, with a bounty of fresh fish and crustaceans displayed on ice along a counter that wraps around the open kitchen. Tiraditos of sliced tuna, green mango, pickled aji chilis and crunchy quinoa accompany the numerous ceviches—from the special Cebiche Apaltado, which combines the fish of the day with grilled octopus and avocado, to the classic Combinado, the daily catch tossed with prawn chicharones. There is also an ample offering of hot dishes, such as the chaufa fried rice—a classic dish from the canon of Peruvian Chinese fusion cuisine known as Chifa—and the anticuchos, skewers of grilled fish, beef hearts or duck breast.
With a bright, casual dining room, hand-painted signage on the walls and a mix of traditional and avant-garde dishes, Yakumanka makes native limeños (from Lima) feel at home with honest versions of classic favourites. It also challenges the perception of Peruvian cuisine—what it is and what it could be—by concocting new interpretations of beloved drinks, such as the chilcano, and exploring ways to use local ingredients to make their signature dishes shine.
Yakumanka. València 207. Open Monday-Saturday 1pm-3pm and 8pm-11pm, Sundays 1pm-4pm. T. 93 566 1548.