Madrid presents a challenge to the enthusiastic restaurant goer: can your stomach adapt to the Spanish habit of not eating lunch until after 2pm or dinner until well after 9pm? If it can, the Spanish capital offers an exciting range of cafés and restaurants, many in stunning settings.
Madrid's culinary reputation has until recently rested on the fact that its major markets have sucked in the best produce from all over the country: the famous Serrano ham; fish from
the Basque coast to the north or the even
colder waters around the Galician coast to the northwest; and lamb from the Pyrenees.
But recently there has been a noticeable shift in the style of how the city's restaurateurs and chefs use these ingredients. Rather like the younger chefs now cooking such good food in British pubs, many young Spanish chefs have taken over the kitchens of the traditional tavernas to produce lighter, more exciting food. In addition,
a growing Asian population is opening exciting Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese restaurants. In terms of range and excitement, Madrid is hot on the heels of London and New York.
CAFE AT CIRCULO DES BELLAS ARTES DE MADRID
Calle de Alcalà 42, +34 91 360 54 00 circulobellasartes.com
Although changing rapidly, Madrid's city centre still retains some impressive architecture from the early 20th century and nowhere leaves a stronger visual impression than this stunning Art Deco café. The painted ceiling is hung with magnificent chandeliers, tasteful nudes adorn the pale green pillars, a marble female nude reclines by the entrance and the upright chairs are supremely comfortable. An elegant bar in the corner adds to these visual pleasures.The menu is similar to many other cafés in the city but the combination of food and setting make this a memorable venue for a coffee, hot chocolate, sandwich or glass of sherry and a few tapas before dinner.
TABERNA LAREDO
Calle de Menorca 14, +34 91 573 30 61, tabernalaredo.com
Close to the Parque del Retiro and not far from the Prado, this long-established tavern is now
in the capable hands of David Laredo and his enthusiastic young team. It has been adopted by the city's wine trade as the place to meet, taste wine, gossip and enjoy some very good food. As a result, its wine list is particularly interesting. This is cleverly supported by a menu that takes classic tavern dishes to a higher level: grilled red prawns with sea salt, a favourite dish of many Madrileños; codfish with rice; thin slices of crisp suckling pig; and a lip-smackingly sweet flan that needs a strong coffee to wash it down. But this is a great place not just to eat well in
but also where one can feel an integral part
of this intriguing city.
SUDESTADA
Calle de Ponzano 85, +34 91 533 41 54
Sudestada is Argentine owned, which accounts for its name and its chic interior, but the kitchen is in the hands of a Vietnamese cook simply referred to by his nickname Tien. This unusual combination allows Sudestada
to fulfil surprisingly, but most effectively, its mission, clearly stated by its front door, of serving 'Asian Fine Food'. This ranges from ultra-crisp Vietnamese spring rolls to spicier Singapore dumplings to a delicious salad with thin slices
of pressed pig's ear. Best of all, however, was
'com chien', a mesmerising mixture of diced mushrooms, Chinese sausage and crisp rice
that popped in the mouth.
ENEKO ATXA AT THE VILLA MAGNA HOTEL
Paseo de la Castellana 22, +34 91 587 12 34, hotelvillamagna.com
This modern hotel is situated on one of Madrid's busiest streets. By day its entrance
is surrounded by large black cars and their chauffeurs, all smoking, waiting for those meeting inside. In the evening it is quieter and a very convenient location for dinner. Eneko Atxa is the young Basque chef who provides the culinary excitement, ably assisted by an ultra-professional waiting staff. Our dinner began with slices of juicy Iberico ham, took in one of his more experimental dishes, a slow-cooked egg infused with black truffle, and ended on a very high note: a fillet of sea
bass on top of an unusual, but successful combination of diced potato and avocado.
British Airways flies to Madrid up to 13 times daily from Heathrow and twice daily from London City. Earn up to 1,571 BA Miles. Eligible fares only. Visit ba.com.
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