Bellota will open in the Suffolk market town of Bury St. Edmunds later this month and will offer a Spanish-inspired menu. Open from Wednesday through to Saturday, it will serve a six or seven course tasting menu, rising to 10 courses on Friday and Saturday evenings.
At lunch times it will offer both a set menu and a selection of light à la carte plates.
The 20-cover restaurant takes its name from the Spanish word for acorn, a reference to Aguilar Bel’s Spanish heritage and which hints to the acorn-fed pigs which yield the famous jamon found in his hometown of Teruel.
Bellota’s chef’s table style design will have an open plan design to allow diners to interact with the chefs at work, with an oak countertop made from a single piece sliced through the trunk.
Its menu will focus on the abundance of local Suffolk produce as well as using Spanish ingredients, with dishes on the launch menu to include puffed pig with smoked yolk and cured jowl; Iberian ham croquetas; aged rice with charcoal grilled rabbit, girolles and consommé veil; raviolo with grilled escalivada vegetables and manchego with a tomato crumble; and Suffolk coast wild bass with Catalan calçots parmentier and green asparagus.
Dessert options include passion fruit brûlée with chocolate cream; arbequina mousse; and a citrus sorbet with gin foam.
The succinct wine list will offer a selection of English and Spanish wines, with a Hungarian Tokaji dessert wine paying homage to Fogarasi’s homeland.
The duo have a strong culinary pedigree. Aguilar Bel has previously worked at Petrus as well as the three Michelin-starred Akelarre in San Sebastian, while pastry chef Fogarasi has worked at Murano and One Aldwych Hotel.
“I met Ruben a few years ago and was totally blown away by his exceptional cooking,” says Keenan.
“Bury is a happening place and fast becoming a foodie magnet for Suffolk so this seemed like an opportune moment to work together.
“The open kitchen chef led format is new to this area and given the growing interest in gastronomy locally we are hoping that it will be well received.
“Our goal is for the restaurant to be a shared experience between guests and staff - everyone will be united by the theatre that enjoying a meal at Bellota provides.”
Bellota opens on 23 April.