Possibly, it is their most complicated debut, but, once again, the show has not disappointed. Pol Mainat Sardà, along with his father, the famous actor, producer, and audiovisual businessman Josep Maria Mainat, lead the cast of El Magnífic, a gastronomic restaurant-tavern located in Empuriabrava, in the heart of the Costa Brava.
For their hospitality debut, they preferred to move away from big capitals, to seek a unique niche where both feel comfortable. "We feel very much from Empordà," father and son point out.
Thus, El Magnífic is a "gastronomic space," a restaurant where classic Catalan cuisine goes hand in hand with filigrees and avant-garde techniques, and where the premium quality of each and every product shines as the main protagonists. A space with capacity for 45 diners and seven more in the so-called Barra de los 7 Magníficos. This, without a doubt, is the corner where the gastronomic climax is reached. A bar in front of the stoves, where you can eat nº 3 oysters, savor exquisite Beluga caviar, whet your appetite with the best Iberian acorn-fed ham, or finish a feast with some luxurious artisan cheeses.
"We have always liked to eat well"
"We have always liked to cook and go out to eat well. In the family, we have had a lot of gastronomic culture. My mother cooked 'magnificently'," he confesses Pol Mainat. That's why, he adds, "we wanted to start this adventure, this project in which we are going to put all our effort and desire for it to turn out well."The establishment, starring actor, director and filmmaker Pol Mainat, lives up to its name and offers a magnificent gastronomic selection for gourmet palates. Pol himself is in charge of personally searching, choosing and selecting the best raw materials for his chef, Aniol Pararols, to execute them to perfection.
Pararols, trained under the umbrella of the Roca brothers, prepares dishes that, although simple, shine on the table. Dishes such as Pol i l'Aniol's fried eggs, with truffle and caviar; or cauliflowers with béchamel, truffle oil, toasted garlic chips and pancetta. The avocado carpaccio with caviar, mole sauce and guacamole ice cream has already conquered many of its diners, as has the shrimp ceviche with scarlet prawns, kikos ice cream, sweet potato and tiger's milk; or the grilled monkfish with beurre blanc sauce, olivada and vegetables.
"We want to do it very well, be creative"
"When my father and I set out to do something together, we want to do it very well, be creative, because we have it in our blood. That's why, we decided to call it The Magnificent, a name that reminds us that we must never let our guard down. A meeting place for those who want to eat well on the Costa Brava," says Pol Mainat.In fact, El Magnífic wants to position itself as a space for gourmet palates, but also for those who enjoy good food. For this reason, the menu is very varied, for all tastes and budgets: it allows for a gourmet meal for less than 50 euros, but it can also be a "magnificent" and memorable feast, without limit. Traditional Catalan cuisine, local produce, fused with technique, perfection and high-voltage filigree. A proposal, without a doubt, unique in Empuriabrava.