In the mind of Caguas chef Luis Miguel Díaz, there is a methodical noise. The senses dictate, he orchestrates: that is how Cosechas, Bodega Esquina Gastronómica, Tachuelas and Sito's were born. Now he is cooking something different: Bar Celis, a tapas bar that aims for the honesty of traditional Madrid taverns.
"I can express that Spanish cooking with Puerto Rican touches," Caguas's culinary ambassador told Platea in an interview. On Saturday, Dec. 6, he celebrated the opening of his most recent culinary project.
Bar Celis responds to a broader ambition: to show that Caguas deserves a place in any serious conversation about gastronomy. The goal is not to imitate but to translate, to cross the Atlantic and keep putting Caguas on the map.
"I'm still young and I'd rather keep thinking about what we can do to continue the development and help the town keep growing. (…). I want people to see Caguas the way they see San Juan," he said.
"It's going to be full of noise and life"
Spanish culture runs through every tile of the business, located on Calle José Celis Aguilera in the historic downtown of Caguas. The yellow sharing plates, clay cazuelas and paelleras make up the symphony of noise that Díaz conducts. "It's so interesting, all the chairs are from Spain. Everything here was thought through," he explained. The sound system is a hi-fi, high fidelity setup, and there will be a projector to screen old European films.
On Saturdays and Sundays they open from noon with a menu of Spanish tortillas, beers and spritzes. "I see it as a tapas bar, meaning loud music, everyone sharing, a lot of networking."
On Fridays and Saturdays they close at 1:00 a.m., creating a space that lends itself to hanging out. "It's going to be full of noise and life," the chef and entrepreneur said.
The menu
Ten years from now, Díaz envisions Caguas as a "gastronomic mecca."
"I think we're on a good path, in addition to what I'm doing, there are many colleagues doing tremendous work in Caguas." Díaz knows that to become a mecca, excellence is the only option. The Bar Celis dishes, which are still evolving, are evidence of that determination.
Txistorra: prepared on a hibachi, a Japanese charcoal grill using Puerto Rican vegetable charcoal, served with caramelized onions in sherry vinegar, a touch of sugar and olive oil.
Gambas al ajillo: large, meaty prawns prepared on the hibachi with a garlic and parsley butter.
Batatas bravas: a half-potato, half-yellow canola batata from Puerto Rico, bathed in a brava sauce of sweet peppers and topped with Bar Celis alioli, olive oil and a touch of paprika.
Croquetas: filled with smoked chicken and Idiazábal cheese, served over tomato jam and inspired by the chicken from Marcelo's, a restaurant at the entrance to the municipality of Caguas. "I wanted to make a replica of their chicken, but in a croqueta," the chef said.
Pan tumaca: bread from La Asturiana, a bakery in the Caguas historic downtown, spread with tomato sauce and topped with Iberian ham and grated grana padano cheese.
Pulpo Bar Celis: Spanish octopus over a potato and celery foam, topped with a thin layer of Castelvetrano olives and olive oil.
Spanish octopus over a potato and celery foam, topped with a thin layer of Castelvetrano olives and olive oil. Photo: Mariana Betancourt
A half-potato, half-yellow canola batata from Puerto Rico, bathed in a brava sauce of sweet peppers and topped with Bar Celis alioli, olive oil and a touch of paprika. Photo: Mariana Betancourt
Large, meaty langostinos prepared hibachi-style with a garlic and parsley butter. Photo: Mariana Betancourt
Prepared on a hibachi grill using Puerto Rican vegetable charcoal, served with onions caramelized with sherry vinegar, a touch of sugar and olive oil. Photo: Mariana Betancourt
The bar's mixology complements the dishes: "The cocktail program is incredible. We're working with Joafner Marrero, our bar director, on a lot of things, lots of gin and incorporating kitchen ingredients into the bar, like a chorizo syrup. (…) Lots of vermouth and lots of Spanish wine."
Education as a mission
Through his recipes, he aims to educate palates and bring new worlds to the Island. "In Caguas, my secret has been to start small, let people get to know me, let people start trying things, and I keep building and keep educating," Díaz explains.
The strategy is patient but deliberate. "I think that education of the guest is super important. When you educate the guest, I think it gives you more opportunity in the long run to get where you want to go."
In his head the noise keeps going, branching out, multiplying. He imagines a parking area for his businesses in the historic downtown of Caguas, "where they take you in golf carts while they tell you the history of Caguas."
But in the short term, for Bar Celis, whose opening is scheduled for December 8, the goal is clear. "We are not going to fail," he concludes with a laugh.
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This content was translated with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
