After a long trajectory including a “chef of the year award”, 2 Michelin stars at Sant Pau Tokio, Michelin stars at Club Allard, Madrid and Tierra in Valdepalacios, Catalán chef José Carlos Fuentes returned in May of ‘25 to open his own project.
Barbudo sits on Príncipe de Vergara in the Barrio de Salamanca.
Here he is accompanied by the maître, sommelier and world class mixologist Juan Lizárraga, who worked in tandem with him at the now closed Señor Pepe.
Barbudo consists of an upstairs Bar-Budo with an interesting wines + champagnes-by-the-glass and tapas menu (bikini de rabo de toro con queso comté y rúcula, brioche de steak tartar de picaña madurada, Brittany oysters), and downstairs, after passing a painted greeting of Papa Hemingway, one finds an elegant, serene dining room, with well dressed tables, comfortable seating, soft lighting and background music.
Downstairs the chef pulls out his heavy artillery!
There is much we liked here of his rich, filling dishes (prepared with lots of soul and lots of chupchup):
first: 3 separate complimentary welcome dishes (aperitivos) cheese filled balls topped with anchovy slices, garlic soup with a grape and smoked sardine, plus a small platter of salchichón, then
starters of broken eggs with Huelva Iberian ham & a medley of 3 wild mushrooms over a Robuchon potato purée,
the mains: venison meatballs and creamy octopus and cuttlefish rice (Diamante from Molino Roca), along with excellent, crusty Vienna la Baguette warm bread and Patio de Viana (Jaén) picual EVOO plus the coffee service comes with ample petit fours. Unfortunately we couldn’t find room for the chef’s signature dessert, his pedacito de cielo, a torrija de brioche (pain perdu) with Ruavieja liquer ice cream.
The best of all: every table receives the personal greeting and warm smile from the chef at the end of the meal.
All of this for a very reasonable price of 60/person.
Barbudo’s motto: “Barriga feliz, alma feliz” (Happy belly, happy soul).
Closed Sunday dinner and all day Monday.
