Ataula’s Story
Cristina and Emily have been close friends since they met in New York and discovered their shared passion for hospitality, almost ten years ago. They knew then and vowed that if it the time ever came to open a restaurant, they would want to do it together. Cristina met the Spanish Jose during an internship at Can Fabes and the rest was – as the saying goes – history. Cristina was the first to visit Portland when she came to town for a food styling workshop. She had never been, and invited Emily along. From Puerto Rico and Chicago they rendezvoused out west and both fell in love with the city. After urging Jose to visit, he and Cristina moved out from New York in late 2010. After two-odd years of learning the city and the studying the food scene the time had finally come. They reached out to Emily and Ataula began.
Our Story
Although the three of us are mostly of a fine dining pedigree, we have joined together in the hopes of creating something unique. While working in the high pressure world of the Michelin-Starred, we learned everything we could about dedicating ourselves to an uncompromising standard. And yet, as the years went by, we all began to feel that that world was not where we would end up. We never understood why great food had to require the pomp and price tag of degustation menus. And so we bring to you our vision: a restaurant that delivers the highest quality food in a more relaxed environment. We bring to you Ataula.
About the name:
Ataula (ah-TAŮ-luh) is a Catalonian word which roughly translated means, ‘to the table.’ It is the call to meals in that part of Spain, uttered by chefs, home cooks, mothers and grandmothers alike. It signals everyone to gather and share food with their loved ones. Bring yours and join us. Ataula.
What is Ataula?
Located in NW Portland, Ataula is the perfect destination where old and new come together as Cristina Baez and chef Jose Chesa put a modern interpretation on the traditional Spanish ‘tapeo’ culture. Chef Jose will transport you to his homeland with dishes rooted in Catalunya and other Spanish regions, meanwhile updating and advancing their flavors by utilizing the Northwest’s bounty of fresh ingredients.
Ataula not only facilitates shared eating, but also shared memories with friends and family. We want to preserve the ‘tapeo’ essence and its unforgettable ‘salero’ style that has been passed on for generations in Spain.
At Ataula, tapas represent our character, our personality and most importantly, the understanding of gastronomy. Ataula allows us to enjoy and share it the way we like: with several small plates and a good ‘cañita’, or wine, sitting at the bar.