top of page
OUR STORY
→ COUNTRY OF ORIGIN: HANS IS FROM ROSARIO, ARGENTINA AND LEO IS FROM HAVANA, CUBA
→ LIVING IN PORTLAND: LEO FOR 12 / HANS FOR 25 YEARS
→ SIGNIFICANCE OF NAME: EL GATO TUERTO, OR "THE ONE-EYED CAT", IS A FAMOUS RESTAURANT IN HAVANA, CUBA THAT HAS BEEN OPEN SINCE 1959. BEING THE FIRST PLACE LEO EVER WORKED AFTER CULINARY SCHOOL, THE NAME AND ESSENCE OF "EL GATO TUERTO" IS VERY DEAR TO HIS HEART AND REMINDS THEM OF THE ROOTS OF THIS BUSINESS.
→ LIKES ABOUT PORTLAND: LIVING IN PORTLAND IS A GASTRONOMIC ADVENTURE, THERE ARE FOODIES EVERYWHERE! THERE IS SENSE OF FREEDOM IN BOTH THE LIFESTYLE AND FOOD INDUSTRY.
EL GATO TUERTO
EL GATO TUERTO INVITES YOU TO EXPERIENCE A NEW FOOD ADVENTURE THAT BRIDGES ARGENTINIAN AND CUBAN CUISINE. TWO DIFFERENT COUNTRIES BOTH GEOGRAPHICALLY AND CULTURALLY, CUBA AND ARGENTINA ARE BOTH WORLD-RENOWNED FOR FOOD. THE MENU AT EL GATO TUERTO WILL RANGE EXTENSIVELY, FROM MEATS MARINATED IN TRADITIONAL SAUCES SUCH AS THE CUBAN MOJO AND THE ARGENTINIAN CHIMICHURRI, TO DELICIOUS SOUPS, DESSERTS AND VEGGIE PLATES. USING FRESH AND NATURAL INGREDIENTS, YOU CAN EXPECT THAT THESE TWO CULTURES WILL TASTE INCREDIBLY GOOD TOGETHER, AND WE HOPE YOU WILL JOIN US AT THE PORTLAND MERCADO TO BE THE FIRST TO FIND OUT.
MEET THE OWNERS
FACING ECONOMIC CHALLENGES, LEO AND HANS BOTH LEFT THEIR HOME COUNTRIES INDEPENDENTLY IN SEARCH OF A BETTER LIFE. AFTER LEAVING CUBA, LEO HEADED TO MEXICO WHERE HE BECAME HEAD CHEF AT A CUBAN RESTAURANT, AND HANS LEFT ARGENTINA FOR EUROPE, WHERE HE EVENTUALLY MET HIS WIFE. AFTER SOME TIME, THEY INDEPENDENTLY WARMED TO OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE IN THE UNITED STATES. THE TWO MET WORKING IN PORTLAND KITCHENS A FEW YEARS AGO AND IN 2011, HANS OPENED A RESTAURANT, GAUCHO'S ARGENTINIAN CUISINE. THIS WILL BE THEIR FIRST PROJECT TOGETHER. THEY ARE EXCITED TO EMBARK ON THIS JOURNEY THAT THEY REFER TO AS A BUSINESS ADVENTURE.
→ FAVORITE DISHES:
- EL CUBANO SANDWICH: MADE WITH HAM, ROASTED PORK, SWISS CHEESE, PICKLES, AND MUSTARD ON GRILLED CUBAN BREAD.
- EL CHURRASCO PLATE: A SERVING OF A VARIETY OF TRADITIONAL ARGENTINIAN MEATS MARINATED WITH DIFFERENT FLAVORS
→ GOALS FOR BUSINESS:
THAT THE MERCADO BECOMES SUCCESSFUL AS A HISPANIC CENTER AND PORTLAND WILL GET TO KNOW THE AUTHENTIC GASTRONOMY OF CENTRAL AND SOUTH AMERICA.
- Portland Mercado
ABOUT HANS & LEO
bottom of page