One-sided shrimp with batayaki sauce in japanese Robata grill in japanese restaurant Arko, best restaurant in Barcelona, Eixample

The “by the fire” cooking technique 

The japanese grill “robata” is a short form of the term robatayaki, which translates directly to “cooking by the fire”. Like the western barbecue, the robata uses hot coals to cook food for a longer or shorter period of time. It can be used to prepare everything from fish and seafood to meat or vegetables.

A culinary tradition with centuries of history

According to popular legend, the story of Japanese robata began with fishermen from Hokkaido (one of the most renowned fishing areas in Japan). After spending the day fishing, he wanted to eat some of his catch quickly when he would come back from the shore, for which he used their oars as cooking utensils.

Bincho, a unique charcoal

Robata is cooked with white oak bincho, or binchotan, a Japanese white charcoal made by experienced craftsmen. Although it burns at a very high temperature, it burns almost completely cleanly, producing very little smoke or flames. This is due to its high carbon content, the result of long cooking in a low-oxygen oven, and subsequent exposure to temperatures of up to 950 degrees Celsius.

The Master’s Hand

During the cooking process, the juices from the food drip onto the surface of the charcoal, creating smoke that rises and gives it a unique flavour. Precision is very important in Japanese robata, as the cook has to prepare each food for the right amount of time. In addition, he only has to turn it over once on each side to obtain a juicy interior. At Arko, a Japanese restaurant near Paseo de Gracia, we use this technique to prepare butterfish with green mojo béarnaise, salmon glazed with soy, honey and miso or different types and cuts of Wagyu beef, all accompanied by fried yuca sticks. To try them, just book a table through this link and decide which one you’re going to start with.