HUNGRY EYES / Restaurant Review
Fresh and Spicy in Torreblanca
Hungry Eyes is a welcome new arrival in Sant Cugat, in the spot formerly occupied by El Mexicano on the corner by Parc de la Pollancreda. We liked El Mexicano with its delicious chicken mole, so its closure was a shame.
That said, we are still well served for Mexican food locally, and even better, for the first time, we now have two excellent Indian restaurants, sensibly located at opposite ends.
Masala Indian, reviewed previously in Simply Sant Cugat, set a high bar and has continued to impress. Hungry Eyes also impresses with its home cooked food and fresh ingredients apparent in every dish.
Hungry Eyes has been established in Barcelona for many years, where their original restaurant enjoys excellent reviews. That experience shows.
We were four diners and ordered a cross-section of the menu. The caraway seeded poppadoms were of the folded variety, but accompanied by four excellent homemade pickles, with the lime pickle being a standout. Onion bhajis were exactly as remembered from a good UK curry house, while the vegetable samosas were nicely spiced and encrusted with thick pastry.
Mains were a success. The lamb rogan josh was delicious with tender meat in a thick, creamy sauce with just enough heat. The chicken korma was also excellent, rich and comforting. A vegetarian dal makhani (black lentils) was full of flavour and the fish curry was not bad, made with hake on the bone in a mild aromatic herb sauce.
Pilau rice was colourful and fluffy and service throughout was attentive and genuinely interested in making us feel welcome, comfortable and happy.
Desserts were well worth ordering. The carrot halwa, a warm carrot and milk pudding was delicious, as was the gulab jamun served with homemade ice cream.
The ambience is light, airy and colourful, with plenty of space between tables and a large terrace for summer. And thankfully, no sign of Patrick Swayze. At around 30€ per person for a full meal and drinks, the value is very fair.
Overall, Hungry Eyes is a strong addition to Sant Cugat’s restaurant scene, and one we will happily return to.
