An unexpected gastronomic experience
Recently, during a dinner with colleagues from the press, a Portuguese journalist came across an ingredient on the menu that perplexed her: the red scorpion, also known as scorpora. The maître described it as an unattractive fish, full of bones and toxic poison, that lives in the deep sea. This description, lacking any gastronomic reference, did not exactly generate an appetite for this fish unknown to the Portuguese journalist.
Faced with this unfortunate presentation, some diners were quick to assure that the red scorpion was delicious, that it was used in suquets and that pâtés and cakes were also prepared with it. Finally, when the dish arrived, with a small portion of scorpora pâté, it turned out to be exquisite and, despite the initial bad impression, everyone was satisfied.
The names of bars and restaurants
This experience led us to reflect on the names given to bars and restaurants. There seems to be a tendency to use nicknames and names that do not evoke pleasure, quite the opposite; names that border on the insulting or that refer to unpleasant situations. It is regrettable not to be able to mention the numerous examples collected, but an attempt will be made to illustrate with examples that bear a certain similarity to reality, in a purely casual manner.
Who would want to visit a place called “Restaurante Los Platos Quemados” or “El Arisco del Puerto”, or go to the bar “Mugriento” or “Salmó Nela”, or to the tavern “Can Estúpido” or “Josep Frustración”? At first glance, it seems unattractive. Perhaps this can be attributed to the excessive reading of Wittgenstein’s propositions, or simply to the lack of sense in using names that evoke scenes or situations that go against the gastronomic act.
Not everything has to be related to culinary pleasure, and there are fantastic examples of neutral names, like “035” or “14 de Rosa”, that play with the location, and others that are consistent with what they offer, like “Món Vínic” or “Muysca”, or that refer to some object inside, such as the “Bar Torpedo”. There are even establishments that are simply called “Siberia”, with an ice logo, and offer excellent set menus.
The use of pejorative names is not something new. For example, we remember an old restaurant on Paseo de Gracia with Rosellón, called “La Punyalada” (1927-1998), which was renamed “Olímpic Bar” because it was considered too neutral. It is important to prevent the city from being filled with outlandish names that seem more like something taken from a novel from the Middle Ages than from gastronomic establishments.