The gastronomic miracle has occurred in the heart of Raval: Casa Leopoldo, the famous restaurant where Manuel Vázquez Montalbán devoured tasty oxtail dishes in red wine, perhaps as a source of literary inspiration, has just come back to life. It leaves behind a period in the ICU and an apparent death. The architect of the epic recovery is the Banco de Boquerones group, which already owns eight establishments in the center of Barcelona and has achieved other feats such as converting traditional commercial spaces like Casa Ràfols or Can Framis into restaurants.
The history of Casa Leopoldo is unusual and could have ended in culinary tragedy. The business opened with that name in its current location on Sant Rafael street, 24 in 1936, after a previous run as a winery at another address, where Leopoldo Gil had opened its doors in 1929. The restaurateur managed to root it in the heart of the Chinese quarter, but it was his granddaughter, Rosa Gil, who brought it to fame by brilliantly combining a charismatic space, an immortal stew cuisine, and an artistic-tertulian atmosphere that gave it character.
New history in Raval
The father of detective Carvalho, as well as Terenci Moix, Eduardo Mendoza, Maruja Torres, and Juan Marsé, among many others, frequented its tables and coined Casa Leopoldo in the local history. But over the years, neither the bustling tourist center of Barcelona nor the urban redesign of a part of the Raval seemed enough to give it theeternity. So everything started to get complicated at the end of 2015 when Rosa, owner and neighbor of the property, wanted toretireand the curtain fell for more than a year.It was then that the business experienced a first resurrection (stews included) in 2017 at the hands of the chef duo Romain Fornell and Òscar Manresa, who reconverted it in 2019 into a quality tapas bar along with Rafa Peña (Gresca). However, the blessed pandemic arrived and the invention closed in 2020.
The most agonizing moment, however, was experienced in 2022 when, to the astonishment of Barcelonans, the place reopened at the cost of having been transformed into a Chinese restaurant with 12.5 euro midday menus, where spring rolls had swept away all trace of casseroles with chup-chup. Only its characteristic Portuguese-style tiles remained, as part of the protected heritage included in the municipal catalog of Emblematic Establishments of the city.
Urgent rescue
That episode of local embarrassment also ended in closure and placed it in apparent coma, until Boquerones Bank, or rather its architects,Sofia Matarazzo and Bruno Balbás, they revived it with two urgent ingredients: affection and investment. Thus, the establishment with almost as many lives as a cat has recovered the best of its historical structure, but has added some elements ofcomfort and a certain modernity to the interior design. Like the large velvet bench in one of the rooms, or the reinvention of theprivate dining rooms.Now one bears the name of Rosa Gil and is shocking pink, in the style of the bullfighters' stockings that marked the early stages. For this reason, the best bullfighting posters of the moment have also returned to the walls, recovering part of lost history. And another larger private room, in green and for up to 18 diners gathered at a large table, has been named Manuel Vázquez Montalbán, who already had his own table marked with a plaque.
But making the stage shine would be of little use without the acid test of the dishes. Finally, the new Casa Leopoldo is committed to keeping alive, but without stale connotations, the traditional Catalan dishes with local ingredients and with the right update in the preparations and contributions. They reappear with ease at a time when authenticity is regaining the favor of many diners tired of artifice or international dishes cloned everywhere.
The Albert Pineda stage
Its menu opens with options of Pica-picathat invent nothing but make customers lick their lips: from Russian salad to coca decollect, going through delicious Iberian ham croquettes or boletus with truffled mayonnaise. And then it grows with a repertoire ofdishes to share that it rescues with dignity (quality through) small casseroles like garlic prawns or meatballs with cuttlefish. We highlight the freshness and balance of the sautéed baby squid with Maresme tear peas.The main courses include a section of meats where oxtail in red wine and the peus de porc sense feina with foie, fennel and green apple, are destined to be hits. They range from the immortal tradition of butifarra with mongetes del ganxet, to the lamb ingot in its juice with parsnips, breaking free from nostalgic corsets. Among the fish, the monkfish and seafood suquet shines for unconditional fans of unhurried casseroles, and cod a la llauna stands out in demand, although the house also opts for octopus with potato parmentier and Canarian mojo.
And it would be inconceivable on this gastronomic journey not to have rice dishes, which range from black rice to "señorito" rice, passing through butifarra rice with butifarra, ribs and mushrooms.
The dessert menu is classic, from Catalan cream to its version of the Musician, with almond sponge cake and muscatel, including homemade cakes, cheeses and ice creams.
Long hours and contained price
The magician who, for a few days now, has been gracefully rescuing the original recipe book, adding his own adrenaline, is the chef Albert Pineda (Barcelona, 1987), who for a few months has also been executive chef of the Banco de Boquerones group after helming several of its kitchens. He has more than 18 years of experience in kitchens ranging from Australia to Brazil or Japan, which injects touches of fusion and trend (in other venues) into his "passion" for traditional and Mediterranean cuisine.At Casa Leopoldo, the excellent service in the dining room must also be applauded. And the effort to contain the bill, with affordable appetizers and main courses that generally range between 20 and 23 euros, and a short but interesting selection of wines.
They also have group menus. Another striking element is their extended hours and no closing days, in keeping with the hustle and bustle of the neighborhood and its proximity to La Rambla. It is not a location that currently captivates Barcelonians, but it deserves the excursion and reconciliation. And it would have the blessing of Vázquez Montalbán.