Manat

Raw work at a Perpignan counter

Raw preparations set the measure at Manat in Perpignan before the heat arrives. Yuka Okugawa and Marc Meya helm the restaurant as co-chefs, a French-Japanese couple whose partnership drives the seasonal cooking. Yuka brings the Japanese hand to the fore, visible in shio koji frying and tosazu seasoning; Marc, a Catalan native, brings local sourcing and Southern flavour. Marc's formative years were spent in Japan, notably at Sans Déconner in Shibuya, learning umami-forward casual gastronomy. Manat opened in 2022 as the result of what the guides call their years of knocking about, and the room is built around shared plates, counter dining and seasonal market cooking in the Hyper Centre.

The philosophy is market cuisine: fresh, seasonal product from Roussillon producers, executed with Japanese precision and Catalan heart. Pané ris de veau with champignons and tosazu belongs to the first idea; gambas in bouillabaisse juice belongs to the second. Eco-responsibility, local produce and plates that arrive kitchen-ready are the terms both chefs are credited with, and the pass has to answer to Roussillon produce, Japanese seasoning and the pace of a packed small room.

Shio koji, bonito and the shared pass

The cooking at Manat does not lean on a fixed procession. Plates arrive when the kitchen has them ready, which suits a counter where the handover matters as much as the order. Karaage holds the method in plain sight: boneless chicken leg, shio koji, shiso and spring onions, fried with enough structure to carry heat, salt and leaf. Ravioli bring gambas and Iberian pork into a shellfish broth. Tataki of local bonito moves through sear, slice and seasoning without needing ceremony.

The house works with a daily field of sharing plates, shaped by the market and by producers close enough to keep the cooking alert. Japanese gestures appear as tools rather than decoration: tosazu, miso, shio koji, tataki, the clean lift of vinegar and dashi. The Catalan side comes through gambas, local fish, Roussillon vegetables and broths with a Southern accent. Panna cotta, miso-marinated olives and small plates built for the counter give the menu its range, from first bite to spoon. A Michelin Bib Gourmand in 2025 marks the balance of quality and value.

Stone walls, pale wood, open flame

The room keeps the kitchen close. Thick stone walls hold the old Perpignan building; pale wood tables, ceramic dishes and noren curtains soften it without erasing the masonry. The open kitchen and large counter make the pass part of the room, so the guest sees the rhythm of frying, slicing, wiping, plating and calling. It is refined without becoming hushed. The dining room can feel festive when full, with the intimacy of a small place where plates cross the table as they are finished.

The beverage program follows the same local line, with natural Roussillon wines and sake set against umami, citrus, fried chicken and broth. Muscat, carignan and bottles from nearby eco-minded domains sit naturally beside bonito and shio koji. Nothing in the room asks the food to perform fusion as an idea; the work happens plate by plate, at the counter, inside Manat.