2014 is coming to an end and it’s time to look back on our favourite restaurants we’ve shared with you throughout the year. From world premieres to old favourites, we’ve featured a lot of great restaurants this year. These are the ones that have left us more than satisfied and represent our 2014.
Julio (Yong Ping Zhang), of Pekingese origin, is the owner, chef and creative mind behind the restaurant beside Plaza de los Mostenses that goes unnoticed because of its typical, nondescript appearance. Here they serve oriental food, in the gastronomical style of places like Thailand, Japan, Malasia, Singapore, Hong Kong and Korea. There’s no menu – you have to put all your trust in Julio. He’ll ask if you like spicy food, if you’re vegetarian, what you love and hate and within moments he has a menu in mind just for you.
Photo: Diego Exteberría
This is not your average Chinese restaurant. This, ladies and gentlemen, is one of the best Chinese restaurants that deserves your respect and confidence. We won’t exaggerate and say it’s the only one who deserves this, but it is definitely one of the few. It’s in the Conde Duque neighbourhood and apart from serving good – and cheap – Chinese food, they also give us a live lesson on the perfect use of the La Mian technique of making noodles. All you have to do is look behind the bar at 1pm or 9pm to watch how they make their incredibly fresh noodles that will soon be at your table. The “king” manages the ball of flour to stretch, turn and divide the dough into long and fine strips that turn into your dish of the day.
Photo: Marcos Ortiz
At San Lorenzo del Escorial is where we find the story of Daniel Ochoa and Luis Moreno, two young chefs who, after passing through kitchens in Spain and France and studying in the prestigious school of Luis Aduriz (Mugaritz), decided to build their own restaurant (literally – they built it themselves). A simple kitchen where creativity and technique thrive, where you can see their honest French background and tradition allows the products to shine. It has won them nothing less than the title of 2014 Revelation Restaurant at the most important gastronomic event in Spain, Madrid Fusion.
Photo: Gabardino
Balls of juicy meat, oven baked, without frying and with little fat, is what has become the latest trend among those interested in “alternative” gastronomy. The high quality ingredients are an important part of their success, and the strong relationship between Bolero and their butcher allows them to choose their own meat, with the exact amount of fat to meat ratio that gives them one of the best pork and beef meatballs you’ll ever taste. The chicken is 100% breast meat, and for the vegans they create a good dose of protein with soy, quinoa, couscous and shitake. Top each order with whatever sauce you like – “grandmother’s” made with vegetables and tomatoes, cream of mushroom or the Asian with coconut milk and peanuts. It won’t take you long to try all the combos, so they also have a weekly special to keep you coming back for something new.
Photo: Marcos Ortiz
From the heart of Lavapies since 2005 comes Badila, a restaurant with contemporary food that has defended the idea that a different kind of menu of the day is possible. Homemade food, made with care, imagination and a desire to please. Among their firsts and seconds you’ll find classic recipes. There are dishes that you can always count on being there, like the broken eggs with ham, the russian salad or the escalopines al Cabrales. On the other hand there are recipes that combine everything Miguel has tried, seen and read about over the years. Simple, imaginative, honest recipes without pretension. Cod stuffed peppers, beans with foie and watercress salad with smoked chicken are just some of the examples of what you’ll find here.
Photo: Gabardino
Chef Roberto Ruíz and his partner Martín Eccius make dishes that are the “turbo” version of their original. Their tacos al pastor are made with Iberian Bellota ham, the Galician beef is matured for 90 days, the skirt steak is made with Wagyu and the enchiladas are made with duck meat. The tortillas are a true luxury that are made daily from the Nixtamal recipe that’s over 1000 years old. María Fernández, Roberto’s wife, makes 350-400 tortillas every day by hand. The roasted marrow would make a great choice for your last meal if you’re on death row. It’s an authentic pleasure to spoon out the fat, wrap it in a tortilla, sprinkle it with lemon juice and salt and decorate it even more with red onion, sprouts and a spicy sauce. This is to die in peace and at ease.
A month ago, Punto Mx earned their first Michelin star.
To enter Alfredo’s is to cross into the Old Wild West. Flags, country music, rodeo … all the memorabilia you can imagine hangs from the walls and ceiling. Dining alone here isn’t a problem as you’ll be entertained all evening by every decorative detail. Everything was purchased by Alfredo during his constant visits to the United States. Here they eat tenderloin burgers, without adding anything else. Pure and absolute meat, when ordered rare it melts in your mouth because there’s no flour or additives that could interfere with the flavour. Their Brooklyn is a true triumph – with olive oil, oregano and mozzarella, it’s a tribute to Italian Americans of this neighbourhood; with Philadelphia cheese and grilled onions or with cheese, bacon and barbecue sauce.
Photo: Marcos Ortiz
When you hear “pop up” or “traveling” alongside “restaurant”, a sense of panic hits you. There’s not enough time to get to know the place, try all the food, and as they don’t take reservations it soon becomes mission impossible. It’s a foodie’s worst nightmare. That is exactly what’s in the expert minds of Better along with Alejandra Ansón, a true connoisseur and expert on the best tables. The project is called The Table and it brings to the capital six different restaurants, each one for a month in the same space: Hotel Urso, the new five star boutique hotel in the centre of Madrid. To begin their journey they’ve chosen Abastos 2.0, which brings to Madrid their philosophy of a kitchen that is, in the words of Iago Pazos and Marcos Cerqueiro, “simple, natural, normal and with common sense”. Now they are featuring El Cenador de Amós, next comes Etxebarri… and so on up to six.
Photo: Diego Díez
Chef Paco Morales, who earned a Michelin star for his restaurant in the Hotel Ferrero in Valencia, is the advisor to Al Trapo, the restaurant of Hotel de Las Letras, on Gran Vía Madrileña. A perfect setting to develop the concept the chef defends with passion, “casual fine dining”. Can you convert an average restaurant lunch or dinner into an experience for the senses? We think so. The menu is the first surprise. It’s not divided into traditional categories, but rather divided into categories based on flavors and technical difficulty like “to eat with your hands and finger licking” and “so far so close”.
Photo: Gabardino
The food at Sudestada includes dishes like the salad made with Iberian ear, toasted cauliflower, sherry vinaigrette and shiso leaves; Kimchi Maison with Chinese cabbage, mussels and Mexican chiles; or Picanha made with beef aged for 100 days, tomatoes and rice. Don’t miss their famous and intense curries. The combination of flavours is delightful and only suitable for, according to Estanislao, “those who like to eat.” The food can be shared and eaten with your hands, chopsticks, a spoon or a fork, and the dishes can be adjusted to your liking. Much more than a tasting menu; sometimes the dishes are served together so you can try a bit of everything, mixing and tasting, for a joy of a dining experience.
Photo: Rosa Veloso
Text: Paula Móvil
Translation: Annie MacDonald