By Ana María Ramos
Editorial Staff El Inmobiliario
SANTO DOMINGO.- To speak of the Mesón de la Cava Restaurant is to stroll through the nature of an iconic place built under a cavern, to bathe in the memories of the Taíno culture and to encounter a unique Dominican classic, where love constantly lingers and alights before its charms.
Reaching its caves is an invitation to connect with the origins of our history and to come into contact with a different environment that for 55 years has been a capital city landmark that has served to satisfy the good appetite of Dominicans and foreigners, in addition to living an experience for pleasant memories.
Located in the middle of Santo Domingo's main green space, Mirador Sur Park, this place has in its archives the record of having been the scene of visits from celebrities such as Al Pacino, Brad Pitt, Vin Diesel, Don King, Shaquille O'Neal, Robert Redford, among others.
Its name tells the story of a Dominican student in Spain, its founder Oto Ricart, who died during the pandemic, visiting the inns located in the basements, where travelers stopped to rest and eat.
As a young man, he experienced life in a European country where he studied and discovered his passion for gastronomy. Upon returning to the Caribbean, he brought with him the idea of opening a restaurant, and together with some friends, he embarked on the project and created Mesón de la Cava, which at the time was an abandoned cave that hundreds of years before had been inhabited by pirates and other people; it had also served as a camp and security area for the American army during the 1965 US intervention.
Since its birth in 1967, two years after the April Revolution, the Mesón de la Cava has become a symbol of love, with spaces like table 18 and 60 accomplices that patiently await the arrival of lovers with their requests in tow and their commitments.
“There are many marriage proposals, meaning that people see the Mesón as a romantic place, that's what we see most often on a daily basis,” says Nicaury Caba, Marketing and Events Manager.
With a family-oriented concept, this venue hosts an average of three to four weddings per month in its various spaces, offering the opportunity to choose between the Caves, the Terrace, and the Garden. The latter represents the most recent attraction of the venue, which has had to expand in response to the increasing demand from clients.
Their event calendar also includes packages for birthdays, graduations, anniversaries, baptisms, and corporate events, from noon to midnight. La Cueva has a capacity for 150 people using its various areas, the Terrace for 200, and the Garden for up to 80 people.
“All our dishes are good, although some stand out more than others, among them the seafood paella. For years people have come here for the paella; in fact, we still hold the Sunday feast, an event that takes place on Sundays and used to be a buffet. Besides that, the salmon on a board, an original dish created by Mr. Oto Ricart, is baked and glazed on a cedar board and has an exquisite blend of flavors,” explains the executive.
On a normal day, the average number of visitors to Mesón de la Cava is between 200 and 250 people; on weekends it rises to 300 and up to 400 on Sundays, with the Sunday feast taking place from noon until four in the afternoon.
Throughout its more than five decades, the restaurant has undergone renovations to improve its conditions, protect it, and beautify it, without losing sight of its Taíno essence and the rustic architecture that is its original style and which remains unchanged, adding touches of elegance "to highlight that we are a fine dining restaurant. The terrace is completely natural.".
Dealing with leaks is one of the biggest daily challenges at Las Cuevas. “It’s not easy. People see it as beautiful and think it’s always like this, but because of the leaks, we constantly have to make repairs. Since it’s a cave, water is always flowing inside, so to maintain it, we have to keep fixing things. Another issue is that, being a natural space, we’re exposed to pests, and we’re constantly fumigating,” Caba explains.
To ensure oxygen flow in the caves, they have an air purification machine. After the death of its owner and founder, Otto Ricart, his daughter Amy Ricart and her husband Roberto Ruiz Alma took over.
Paella for 35 years
Manuel Carrión is one of the 70 employees at Mesón de la Cava and has been a cook there for 35 years. He started as a dishwasher, took advantage of a partial scholarship for a cooking course where he demonstrated his skills, and after two years was appointed chef's assistant. He is the mastermind behind the delicious paella served at the Sunday feast that draws hundreds of families to the restaurant every week.
Through her work she has experienced countless stories, such as cooking for world celebrities, although the main one consists of her three children, the oldest being 27 years old; and five grandchildren who await her every night in the community of Haina, from where she has traveled every day, for more than three decades.
“I like my job and I also like to do it well,” says this loyal worker who assures that his work is not limited to paella, but that he knows how to make everything that is prepared at Mesón de la Cava.
Europeans, Haitians, North Americans, and Russians are the countries with the greatest representation to try the international menu at Mesón de la Cava, an icon in Santo Domingo, where you can live a gastronomic experience in a unique and different space.
“We are a unique, romantic, sublime and welcoming space, endowed with excellent gastronomy and the highest standards of service,” is how Nicaury Caba describes it.
In Las Cuevas, La Terraza or El Jardín, if you try the house cocktail, Paradise, you will feel the distinction of sharing in an environment for unforgettable memories.
