Honest and unpretentious cuisine in Torroella de Montgrí
The Descarat alludes to its own name with a casual cuisine, with personality and rooted in the territory
El Descarat
- Address: Passeig de l'Església, 1, 17257 Torroella de MontgríMenu: With local produceMust-try: Dry rice with cod, cockles and ganxet beansWine: Very varied and complete menuService: EfficientVenue: The interior is like a palace, the exterior with a spectacular terracePrice paid per person: 30€
There are people who exude optimism, and a way of understanding work based on enthusiasm and perseverance. Joan Carles is one of them. After a professional career linked to Empordà, three years ago he decided to shape the most personal project of his career. Thus, three years ago, Descarat was born, a restaurant that deliberately moves away from the canons that have marked a large part of his journey.
Here there is no obsession with Michelin stars or the will to follow preconceived paths. On the contrary. Joan Carles Sánchez advocates for a freer, more relaxed and daring cuisine, designed to be shared and enjoyed without labels. A proposal with a mischievous and daring touch, as the name itself indicates, which reflects his current way of understanding gastronomy: with less solemnity, more fun, and with local produce.
El Descarat is located in a privileged enclave: the majestic Palau Lo Mirador, in the heart of Torroella de Montgrí. Next to the grand glass hall of the palace gardens, the restaurant enjoys a bright and warm space, where vegetation, stone, and architectural elements dialogue with centuries of history, creating an atmosphere as elegant as it is welcoming. With this backdrop, it is time to sit down at the table and discover a daily menu true to the spirit of the house.
To start, we share three starters that already hint at the personality of Joan Carles' cuisine: smoked escalivada with fried egg, onion and parmesan crisp; fire-roasted aubergine with sobrassada, anchovies from L'Escala and honey muslin, and a refreshing lentil and vegetable salad with shredded cod and green sprouts. Then come the main courses. The tuna tataki, accompanied by a pea, hazelnut and honey-mustard sauce cream; crispy panko-crusted hake, with cheese cream, candied cherries and a touch of spiced peanuts; and, above all, one of the chef's great specialties: rice. On this occasion, a dry rice elaborated with a fire-cooked sofrito, cod, cockles, and ganxet beans, crowned with a delicate sweet pepper muslin from La Vera.
The final touch is provided by some fresh and delicious desserts: melon and yogurt soup with lime sorbet; mousse with chocolate cream and almond crumble, and a chocolate and walnut brownie with vanilla ice cream. All this, paired with a Can Sumoi of black Grenache from Penedès, which discreetly accompanies a meal that confirms that Descarat does not seek to impress with artifice, but to seduce through sincere, fun, and deeply rooted cuisine in the territory. Because, after all, Descarat is this: an honest and personal restaurant, bearing the seal of a chef who has decided to cook, simply, what he feels like. And to think that it all began many years ago at Can Falet, in L'Estartit, when Joan Carles Sánchez was a waiter after leaving his job at the Red Cross.
Perhaps destiny was already written. Because, in essence, his vocation has always been the same: to care for others. Before from an NGO, today from a kitchen. Some are born to help. And Joan Carles Sánchez does it today in the way that best represents him: making people happy around a table.