The Market: Freshly made food where every customer comes first

Jordi Carbó: “At El Mercat we sell tapas by the kilo, just like in Bilbao”

Before the advent of trompe l'oeil, spherifications, and deconstructed foods became the kings of new cuisine, the most valued food used to be that of our grandmothers. Without frills, without technology, without additives. With that traditional and customary spirit, Jordi Carbó and Eduardo Sardà opened El Mercat (31 Bruc Street, Barcelona) last April 11th. Located at the foot of the Midtown Apartments, the restaurant is known for its made-to-order food with fresh, seasonal products: vegetables, seafood, fish... And all from an “open” kitchen, where the public can see what is being cooked and how it's done.

And for the more daring, El Mercat offers a novel format in the city that will delight those who eat with their eyes: tapas by the kilo.

Eduardo, how was El Mercat born?

Both Jordi and I wanted to take care of the product and respect it, making the traditional cuisine that we like to eat, with tapas at a reasonable price. From this love for the product and market cuisine, the concept that gives the restaurant its name was born: El Mercat

When you enter, it looks like a small delicatessen because of the display of hams and hanging sausages, how did that idea come about?

[J.C.] The goal was to simulate a small market stall. If we are El Mercat, we had to have that market vibe. We want customers to see that when they order a cheese or charcuterie board, we cut it right then and there. In the medium term, we would also like to have the stall as a sales point for our products: charcuterie, cheeses, oil, etc.

I understand that this is not your first experience in the kitchen.

[E.S] Not at all. We both have very different paths, but connected to the world of hospitality. Jordi as a chef in the restaurant Cal Saldoni, preparing very traditional, slow food and local cuisine, which is quite renowned in Penedès. I, on the other hand, came from the textile industry. In 2008, I went to Menorca motivated by cooking and gastronomy and set up a restaurant. Upon returning, we met and from our conversations emerged the idea of opening a place where I could merge my Menorcan experience with the food from Cal Saldoni.

What are your first impressions after the opening?

[J.C.] Very good. We are very happy. In just 15 days our expectations have been greatly exceeded, without any marketing campaigns or social media. Many tourists come, but also local people. In the first fifteen days we already had a couple of customers who had repeated the experience. People are not used to it and are surprised, especially because everything is made at the moment. Even the desserts. That's our big difference. Here everything is cooked at the moment: the omelette, the potatoes, the croquettes... We don't serve anything that isn't freshly made.

What do you think has been the main factor for success?

[J.C.] We wanted to take it step by step to get the team up to speed, as it's new. In the kitchen, the product and the concept are very clear, but the staff needs to be trained gradually. We started with three waiters, then increased to five...

What caught your attention about the place?

The facade, which at 40 meters allows for complete visibility of the restaurant from the outside. The entrance door alone is four meters. We fell in love with it from the start. We saw it and said: it's our place!

How has the space influenced the design and decoration of the restaurant?

Quite a lot, actually. Upon arrival, we found a space that was almost completely open. The layout was a bit challenging for what we wanted to do, because the space was shaped like a Trivial Pursuit pie wedge. Among other things, we wanted an open kitchen so that people could see how we cook. And it was very important for us that the bar was in the center of the space: it's the axis, the heart of the restaurant and it helps us to emphasize and give prominence to the product. It took a lot of effort to design it in a semicircular shape without taking away space from the diners. It was a challenge but it was worth it. And thanks to this curved shape, the flow of waiters goes behind the bar towards the dish pass, which saves them from having to enter the kitchen. Moreover, being always present in the dining area adds more dynamism.

Neither reservations are accepted nor is there a daily menu. Doesn't it go against the grain of the other restaurants in the area?

In some restaurants, this is already how things work. It's a commitment that gives us a certain degree of differentiation. We want to offer a very dynamic, very fast service, with a high turnover rate. Customers should know that they will have to spend a few minutes at the bar, where they can have a drink while waiting for us to assign them a table. And although there isn't a menu, we do have a section of suggestions which we will be constantly updating with new dishes, so that those who come daily will find new options, variety, and a very reasonable price, almost the same as a set menu.

What is the star dish among the suggestions? And which one would you recommend?

[E.S.] Our bravas are excellent, or the ribeye steak tacos with pepper. But we would especially recommend the stews since that's the offering that sets us apart from any other tapas bar. We have great dishes like country pâté, pickled partridge, tripe with chickpeas, meatballs with cuttlefish... All these traditional stews are exquisite.

[J.C.] We also offer the concept of tapas by the kilo, as in Bilbao. For example, the shrimp dish. If more than five people come and request it, a large tapa, a kilo-sized one, is served at the table to share. The same goes for the suckling pig or the lamb. It's a different way of eating in a group. It's a fun and spectacular proposal that has been very well received.

Time will tell if this formula is successful or not, but at a time when there is a commitment to more ecological, sustainable, and local food, it's reassuring to know that in the center of Barcelona we can find a restaurant that offers us a freshly made omelette. It will be a matter of leaving the supermarket and going back to the market, sorry, to El Mercat.