Racód'enBinu, a forgotten restaurant that is returning to the spotlight
With two Michelin stars in its day and decades of neglect, this restaurant in Argentona is once again attracting visitors thanks to its history and a documentary.
It may sound exaggerated, but of the more than 80,000 restaurants in Spain, El Racód'enBinu is one of the most unique. Thanks to its history, ambiance, cuisine, and chef, this long-established restaurant in Argentona, in the province of Barcelona, has become a pilgrimage site in recent years for those seeking a distinctive gastronomic experience.
Sitting at their tables is, in a way, like holding the keys to a time machine. The documentary by Guillem Cabra and Mar Clapes, "Binu, a Tale of Two Stars," tells the story of Francesc Fortí and Francina Suriñach.
Francina Suriñach, smiling, moved around the same room where she had worked for over half a century. The heavy trays posed a small challenge, but when it came to placing plates and cutlery with precision, or preparing crêpes Suzette, she was unbeatable. The enormous central fireplace was no longer needed, although it was always ready when it got chilly.
Francesc Fortí, 75, remains in his kitchen until all the dishes on the tasting menu have been served. To start, foie gras, seafood salad, and gratinéed sea urchins arrive, a dish he insists he began preparing in the countryside, which was then copied by everyone. Before dessert, there's sea bass en papillote with crab sauce and chopped nuts, and the "Francesc" beef fillet, prepared in the traditional French style with plenty of butter.
The tasting menu costs 90 euros and includes an iced orange soufflé, a creation no longer prepared for other restaurants and whose recipe is known only to Fortí. Main courses start at around 30 euros.
The recipes and style have remained unchanged for over 50 years. Fortí has no intention of retiring or passing the torch to anyone. His recipes won't be passed on either, he confesses: faced with the idea of them being lost, he responds with a smile, "They don't deserve it."
Forgotten for decades, this restaurant, a living testament to a nearly vanished culinary tradition, is once again attracting attention. "I was born here, I will die here," the chef declares as he walks through the kitchen, and therein lies the key to its survival: in the character and determination of Francesc Fortí.