Being led to your table at Los Caracoles feels like you’re being stealthily led through the back door of the restaurant – through the blazing kitchen to avoid paparazzi. (You literally have to walk through the kitchen to get to the restaurant.) It also feels like the waiter has taken you into a secret chamber that has frozen in time a hundred years ago. But then you realise that actually IS the restaurant. There is always a feeling like they’ve just managed to find you the last seat.
“
Being led to your table at the 211-year-old Catalan restaurant Los Caracoles feels like you’re being stealthily led through the back door of the restaurant – through the blazing kitchen to avoid paparazzi.
You will sit down at your table, and the spellbinding and proliferous array of ancient photographs on the wall will make focusing on the menu a challenge. When the charismatic and seasoned waiter senses that your decision is close to final, he will magically appear. You will point to the menu and in poor Spanish, ask “qué es esto?… what is this?” He will tell you in broken English “little piggies” and use his pad and pen to quickly and ornately sketch a row of sausages, explaining as he draws “this is little piggy… and this is little piggy’s friend…”. Still clueless, but charmed by the drawing you will order it. Over the top of his drawing, he will scribble your order.
“
The old men at the table behind us laughed, “We’re Greek!” after accidentally dropping and smashing a dinner plate on the floor.
As far as waiters go, he was best in class; a loveable rogue who toyed with the guests – he had both tables beside us laughing. I saw someone shake his hand as they left. I wasn’t surprised – it was like this when I visited back on a hot 2004 Spanish summer evening with my family. The restaurant and people in it all felt enriched with character. I sat shellshocked and amazed, as a thirteen-year-old, as a traditional Spanish band belted out the Spanish version of ‘Viva España’. I ordered snails for the first time. Later, the old men at the table behind us laughed, “We’re Greek!” after accidentally dropping and smashing a dinner plate on the floor. I never imagined that one day I’d be photographing the interior of such a legend. Of all the places I’ve shot, this has to be the most star-struck I’ve felt. I think because at one point when photographing, I suddenly realised that I was back in the room and at the table I sat all those years ago, as an ultra shy girl. In that moment I was aware of how confident and relaxed within myself I’d become. One of those people ‘enriched with character’. Time had enriched me, as it had the restaurant.
www.loscaracoles.es
Based in London,
we travel UK wide & Europe
To enquire, email info@laportra.com
