Bulla Gastrobar, opening this fall, to bring a little elBulli flair to Winter Park

The Spanish word “bulla” (pronounced “boo-ya”) equates to “buzz,” and Bulla Gastrobar will generate a lot of it as we count down the weeks to its opening this fall in the Lakeside Crossing shopping center on the corner of Orlando Avenue and Morse Boulevard. 

Leading the charge into Winter Park is 

South Florida-based restaurateur Carlos Centurion and his eponymous Centurion Restaurant Group — a company claiming to be “created by foodies for foodies.”

Centurion lived in Spain and worked at various restaurants before opening his own — the well-received Por Fin in Coral Gables.

In 2013, he morphed Por Fin into Bulla Gastrobar with plans to open more around the country. This May, a second Bulla opened in Doral, and agreements have been signed in Tampa, Atlanta, Dallas as well as here.

“Unique Spanish and Catalan dishes created with the finest and freshest ingredients” is what’s promised from the kitchen headed by Centurion’s chef-partner, Felix Plasencia.

Plasencia, former executive sous chef of Bulla Gastrobar in Coral Gables, will work closely with executive chef Miguel Rebolledo, who spent some time working under Ferran Adrià at legendary elBulli in Roses, Spain, as well as with José Andrés at Bazaar Meat by José Andrés.

Rebolledo oversees menu development for Bulla and I’m told he’ll visit the Winter Park location regularly.

Just some of the menu items you can expect to see:

• “Huevos Bulla” with homemade potato chips, Serrano ham, potato foam and truffle oil
• Croquetas de Jamon Ibérico with fig jelly
• Ensalada de pulpo with heirloom tomatoes and cucumber
• Churros
• Paellas

Expect an extensive selection of Spanish wines from Ribera del Duero, Rioja and Tierra de Castilla y León as well.

The restaurant will be a big one. According to site plans, the space is 11,000 square feet, but a spokesperson for the restaurant said it’ll be 5,500 square feet. Whatever the size, Bulla will have 200 seats inside and an additional 36 seats on the patio. 

While you’re waiting for Bulla to open, email info@bullagastrobar.com with the words “Can’t wait” in the subject line to receive a $20 gift card to use when the Winter Park location opens.

More at bullagastrobar.com.

This article appears in Jul 20-26, 2016.