It's not that it's a secret place or that it doesn't have a name. It is true that if there was a marketing agency behind it, it would surely be delighted to use that mysterious script to promote the place. But the truth is that in El Cup Vell, they tell us, the thing about not having the name on the door and that it doesn't look like a restaurant either happened a bit by chance. But it is already part of the charm of this small place that has become an essential in the Part Alta de Tarragona.
In fact, one does not arrive at El Cup Vell by chance, but usually ends up there with the help of someone from the city or thanks to the rumor that has been circulating in Tarragona for a long time. We are also in the most touristic area of the town, which is not always compatible with an interesting gastronomic offer or designed for locals.
Just at the other end of those restaurants that have someone singing the menu at the door to attract clueless visitors, it is normal to pass in front of number 8 Ventallols street and not realize that it is a restaurant. Something that has fueled a certain reputation for secrecy around this business that opened in the summer of 2018 and survived a pandemic. Which, in a way, has also shaped his style.
“That there is no sign, I think it was a detail at the time of opening. We had a hard time deciding on the name. It was coincidence and so it has continued. In the end it has been a way for them to identify us too, but in a way contrary to the majority of locals. I think that, deep down, it is linked to our personality”, explains Alberto Pontón, one of the owners of the place.
A personality that is also clear as soon as you enter El Cup Vell. The restaurant is cozy, without any concession to luxury or preciousness designed to make it look pretty on Instagram, although it must be recognized that the details and the atmosphere are very well taken care of.
So much so that this kind of neighborhood gastronomic tavern -that's how its managers define it- has a certain cool air. We were going to say, now that nobody from there is listening to us, that the restaurant could perfectly be in Barcelona or any other big city, but since Tarragona appeared as one of the most recommended destinations of the year by The New York Times, it is no longer necessary pull these comparisons.
But going back to El Cup Vell, more than a place with an open kitchen, here it gives the feeling that we are having dinner in the kitchen where Pau Feliu -the other half of this project- officiates together with Ricard Llop and Adrià Seritjol. In fact, the menu is chosen by them and Pontón, notebook in hand, explains and negotiates the dishes that make up the tasting in the dining room. The average price is between 50 and 65 euros and, according to what they tell us, 85% of their customers are local.
"That there is no menu and offering a tasting menu has been another coincidence," says Pontón. They started offering a menu like any other restaurant, but the year 2020 arrived, the pandemic, the restrictions and it was time to change “and find a way to move forward”. It is clear that the formula has worked.
This essence of a unique and seasonal menu means that it does not make much sense to talk about specific dishes, because logically they will already have changed the next day or week. But, as a reference, during our visit we were able to try some sensational leeks with octopus, a pithivier (salty puff pastry) stuffed with pigeon and foie, some delta mussels with Thai sauce or a juicy and crunchy porchetta accompanied by asparagus. That for the drink the proposal is based on natural wines and some craft beer surely does not surprise anyone.
With this variety, let's see who dares to put a label on this cuisine. classic? Local with international influences? From the market and season, no matter how tasty both things sound at this point in time when everyone claims to cook like that?
“We are not labels. We are cooking based on respect for traditions, and the knowledge transmitted generation after generation in each family. The base is time and cooking, product and care”, sums up Alberto Pontón.
But that rootedness does not imply that the sights are short or that the team does not let itself be seen in other places. In fact, in recent months they have been in Paris and Barcelona in different pop-ups. Is Tarragona too small for a kitchen with obvious potential to go abroad? It seems not. “We want to continue offering a different option in Tarragona. We have many plans in our heads and perseverance will give us more ideas to grow in some way, the idea would be to continue at home, on our land. That is where you play more comfortable ”, they assure.
