Post #126692 by Chip and Andy on Sun, Nov 21, 2004 9:30 AM

We just got back from a trip to Spain and have some new photos of the Kahala in Barcelona..

The place is amazing inside and out! There is a nice little atrium when you walk in that includes some interesting tiki's, but looks slightly odd with an Aztec influence to the walls. Imagine Indiana Jones going to the Pacific.... The atrium still serves its purpose, and that is to separate you from the outside world. Once you 'enter' the bar, all you can hear is the sound of the waterfall.

Once you get inside, you are going to notice one of three things, depending on which way you are looking: The amazing floor, the cool fish tank (no puff fish..) or the bar and phone box....

The floor: The floor is the really amazing terrazzo with giant japanese style coi in contrasting colors stamped/layed in. The pattern repeats the entire length of the bar and looks like it might have onetime gone all the way through to the back room.

The bar: Just inside the door is a phone box guarded by two floor tiki's that are about two and half feet tall. The edge of the cubby is trimmed floor to ceiling with carved wood in multiple styles. The phone has one big button for a cab, and for those that are sober enough to manage the smaller normal keypad. Immediately beyond the phone box is the bar. There are idols above and below and you are not sure which to look at first... The bottom idols spaced along the length of the bar switch back and forth between paintings and wood carvings and include Hawaiian, Marquesian and Aztec idols. Interesting mix to say the least. Above the bar are back or bottom lit paintings that were lit with black light and therefore hard to see as anything other than interesting lights above the bar.

The place is filled with low tables and equally low chairs. The decor is appropriately dim and transports you to a far away land. There is a back room that looks like the inside of a hut with a thatch ceiling and a post in the middle that looks like a giant totem pole. Polynesian idols meet Alaskan Indian craft style. Mixed metaphors aside, it is really cool!

The bar is amazing, the menu even more so! The menu is a giant face that matches their logo and includes all of the usual drinks. The vessels they serve in, however, are simply beyond description. Andy was served in a split vessel and they put the dry ice in the sides and dropped in hot water when served to fog the drink/table/seating area. Way cool! My drink was served in a giant boat with Moai on the ends of the boat. The service was amazing, the presentation even better, but the drinks themselves were slightly disappointing. It was a Monday night and there was a soccer game on, so we were still happy.

I have some photos and am working on a more detailed description here:

http://www.ealoli.com/tiki/barcelona/kahala/index.htm

If you try you will find me, where the sky meets the sea, your special island, come to me, come to me...

[ Edited by: Chip and Andy on 2004-11-21 09:37 ]