Viqui Martínez and Liad Finkelstein, at the head of Los Tortillez (Consell de Cent, 299), explain that opening their establishment was the result of necessity. “The traditional tapas bar was disappearing and we were missing a place to enjoy those typical dishes such as tortilla pincho, salad or tripe.” At the end of 2019 they embarked on this project based on the Gràcia neighborhood, and founded a house that embodied this ideal. Another requirement was that their culinary adventure had “added value”, so they incorporated people with intellectual disabilities into the team, a decision that this year has earned them one of the National Hospitality Awards. David, who has been part of the staff since April, is one of these workers, but the ease of him serving dishes and that way of treating customers with kindness as a flag make one wonder: and what the hell is it not? able?
When they started, tortillas were not their emblem, but that virus that turned the world upside down in 2020 forced them to rethink their business. They thought and doubted a lot. Covid prevented sharing dishes and forced many to eat at home without company. “What if we make smaller tortillas tailored to each person's taste? Let's do it!” With or without onion, made, cooked or raw, with sobrasada, cheese, cod, zucchini, bacon, jalapeños, brava sauce... Their way of interpreting this classic was a success and soon it was essential to look for a different place. big. They found it in the heart of Eixample, in the wonderful green area of Consell de Cent, but first they had to convince Suso and Mari Carmen that they deserved it. This Galician couple was retiring and did not want to leave their establishment and clientele to just anyone. “It was almost like a casting,” explain the owners, who after having Suso in the kitchen evaluating his work for a week, they passed the test. They say that when this couple of hoteliers is not in Galicia, they visit them with some regularity. As a tribute, they keep Mari Carmen's octopus á feira on the menu.
Because in addition to juicy and varied tortillas, Los Tortillez serves “other wonders.” That's what they call their tapas offering, which highlights the crunchy and melty croquettes, grandma's cuttlefish meatballs (you have to ask for bread so as not to waste a drop of sauce) and the also very delicious pilpil cod cocochas. The range of dishes is extensive and changes depending on the season, such as tortillas, which with the arrival of winter will be prepared with tripe or cabbage trinxat.
Pickles and escabeches complete this proposal, which combines perfectly with the very eighties aesthetic of the establishment. We recommend that you eat at the bar one day to get the full experience, but remember to make a reservation. “300 people pass through here a day. “We go through half a million eggs a year.”
