Long trip report: Leon, Galicia, Asturias, Madrid

[Maribel]

ninkat,
Another new place to put on your Madrid dining list is the catalán chef, Ramón Freixa’s new Tradición/Atelier on Calle Velázquez in the Salamanca district.
His Tradición is the upstairs, more traditional dining venue, while his downstairs Atelier serves a tasting menu to only 10 diners seated at a U-shaped table.

With our HO dining partners, on a Sunday in early December, the 4 of us sampled his Tradición, a sophisticated dining room with nicely draped and well spaced tables.

Several of the dishes come from the classic recipes of his parents´ now closed Michelin starred Barcelona restaurant, Freixa Tradició, such as the “Canelones de asado de tres carnes con foie, boletus y trufa”, a wonderful and rich dish. We chose to all share his “Wellington de lubina con salsa de champagne (2pax)” that was quite memorable.
For desert our dining partners opted for his classic “Babá al ron añejo con chantilly” that we envied, while we enjoyed his instagrammable chocolate caviar.
We found the prices quite reasonable for the setting, service and quality.

TRADICIÓN Ramón Freixa

Ramón Freixa Tradición | Macarfi

Ramón Freixa Tradición – Madrid - a MICHELIN Guide Restaurant

[ninkat]

You are right and I need to start planning!

[Maribel]

@ninkat
Yes, indeed, start packing!

[Maribel]

For @dostrovs, @ninkat and others
Just one more to add to your Madrid dining list, where my “dining club” friends (12 chefs and gourmet lovers) and I had a wonderful lunch last Saturday—

Hermanos García de la Navarra on Calle Montalbán, just steps from Retiro Park.
The owners are brothers, Pedro and Luis de la Navarra, the chef and the sommelier, who take great pride in their seasonal offerings, especially their treatment of Navarran vegetables, plus their fabulous wine cellar, one of the city’s best, with 2,000 different labels. And for game lovers, this, along with Santerra and Treze, is your place.

We pre-ordered a set menu which began with hand cut jamón de bellota, followed by tirabeques (snow peas) lightly sauteed, pisto (ratatouille) topped with a poached egg, a classic house dish, then merluza (hake with saffron sauce), rabo (extremely tender oxtail stew), the menu finished off with their famous cheese cart (15-20 cheeses selected daily) and a molten chocolate cake.

We opted for Luis’s wine pairings plus an extra Conde de Haro Brut rosé from Bodegas Muga to toast to the New Year.

Hermanos García de la Navarra, a classic but sophisticated casa de comidas and vinoteca isn’t usually on the radar of those visiting Madrid, but should be for out-of-town food lovers.
Plus, for vegetarians, here one can create a seasonal all vegetable menu–Navarran borage, artichokes, cardoons, tomatoes, wild mushrooms, red peppers, snow or tear peas, ratatouille, Swiss chard, chickpea stew, a vegetable medley (menestra), etc.. And it’s handily located just around the corner from the Palacio de Cibeles.

One Repsol sun, well deserved.

[Maribel]

Just a Madrid update for those (like erica1) who have enjoyed the contemporary Galician fare at the once Michelin starred, and still with 2 Repsol suns LÚA in the Chamberí district.
The chef, Manuel Domínguez, will close his restaurant on Jan. 31 to embark on other projects.
This came as a surprise.

Also, tomorrow, Jan 16, is “International Croquette Day”.
For those planning a trip to Madrid, some of the best croquetas can be found at:

The new BECHAMEL brought by the Michelin starred chef, Juan Monteagudo, of Ababol in Albacete. He won the “best croqueta” award from Madrid Fusion in 2023.

The family-run LA ANCHA (with siblings Las Tortillas de Gabino, Armando, Club Financiero), which only serves ham croquettes, one serving of 6 for 14 euros.

The one Michelin-starred SANTERRA, our personal favorite, by Manchego chef Miguel Carretero, who won the “best croquette” award twice at Madrid Fusion. It’s super creamy and laced with Iberian ham from Joselito.

The three establishments of ARZÁBAL (newest one in the remodeled Bernabeu fútbol stadium), this one made with sheep’s milk (oveja latxa).

Last year’s winner at Madrid Fusion, another favorite, QUINQUÉ, by chef Carlos Griffo, who makes his with Iberian ham from Sánchez Romero.

In the Salamanca district, on Ortega & Gasset, the Andalusian COLÓSIMO, and sibling, MENUDEO across the street, serving their croquetas de puchero.

In all of the CAÑADÍO from Santander establishments: Cañadío Madrid, Gran Café Santander, La Maruca, in addition to their famous tortilla, one can enjoy their equally famous croquetas. In the first, they serve croquetas de chorizo de Potes, in the second, croquetas de lacón con huevo cocido and at the 4 La Marucas (open for breakfast), croquetas de cocido.

One that we always enjoy after a visit to the Museo Thyssen, a very popular with locals, updated casa de comidas, CASA MORTERO, whose croquettes can be ordered in full or half portions.

Finally, where to enjoy an oxtail croquette or croqueta rabo de toro: at CASA ORELLANA, another favorite with an Andalusian twist in the hip Salesas district.

There are many, many more here that serve this hugely popular item, but the ones above are some of my favorites that annually make the list of “best croquettes in Madrid”.

[ssinny95]

Back to Asturias for a moment, has anyone eaten at Molín de Mingo recently? I saw a number of reviews from people who said that they loved the restaurant in the past, but returned recently and were disappointed that the quality of the food and the experience had declined. Some of the complaints revolved around them switching to a tasting menu. Others talked about rushed or bad service. Mostly good reviews, but wondering if there’s any truth to the more negative ones.

[Maribel]

ssinny95,
We skipped El Molín de Mingo this past August because we wanted to return to the Manzano family’s new-ish hotel/restaurant Narbasu for our Sunday lunch and “finish off” our Nacho Manzano & family dining experiences. It´s a totally remake of the former Palacio de Rubianes and has received a Michelin green star for sustainability.

The hotel rooms (saw them all on a former visit) are simply gorgeous, the meals very satisfying and the mountain setting sublime. But it makes a much better “getaway” place for a night or two rather than for touring. All the staff thanked us profusely for making the trek on those bumpy roads!

BTW, venturing to Narbasu deep, deep in the hills of the Sierra del Sueve is even more of a “road adventure” than getting to M de M! (don’t ever try this using Siri as your guide from Cangas de Onís, who will send you on the most challenging route!-better to follow the hotel’s own instructions!)

I think most of the complains about El M de M have been about that…their having switched to the tasting menu and not being able to order one’s favorite dishes a la carte. The tasting menu changes constantly and diners may not always find their favorites included, but I believe they may be able to add them as extras in advance.
The reviews in Spanish on www.thefork.es have been as solid as ever.

A recent X post from a Madrid gastronome that I follow:

“El Molín de Mingo, Peruyes. Croquetas de jamón y de compango, bonito en escabeche, fabes con calamares y manitas, torto de maíz con queso afuega’l pitu, cabrito guisado, arroz con pitu y arroz con leche. Uno de los restaurantes con más encanto y toda una referencia en Asturias.”.
This was followed up by other gastrofans that I follow on X, including a member of the Academia Madrileña de Gastronomia. So, Spaniards, at least the food lovers I follow, still love it.

Here’s a 2025 photo of the iconic pitu de caleya

We’re headed to western Asturias in May for the oyster festival in Castropol, then back in August, first Cangas del Narcea and then to the middle coast, probably around Ribadesella or Villaviciosa so as to attend the Sunday morning market in Cangas de Onís, then back to El Molin de Mingo.

[Ziggy]

I would probably come back just for the Pitu. But switching to a tasting menu feels so wrong for such a place. Is the Pitu guaranteed to be on it at least?

[Maribel]

Good question, Ziggy, but I would surely imagine so. All the photos from my fellow gastro friends on X who have visited in 2025 have posted the photo of their Pitu. I can’t imagine Dulce and her mother not pitting the Pitu, their claim to fame, on every tasting menu.

One could also call them ahead to make sure: 985 922 263

BTW, at Narbasu we opted for the 5-course Menú Tradicional, which did include Nacho’s famous croquettes and the Pitu as the meat course and was priced at a very reasonable 55 euros.

The “easiest” way to reach Narbasu (Palacio de Rubianes) is to start from Arriondas and take the
Carr. de Robledo Y Cereceda/PI-11. That drive through the Sierra del Sueve takes 18 minutes.

[Maribel]

I meant “serving the Pitu”, Don´t know how they would “pit it”. .

[ssinny95]

It looks like Narbasu isn’t all that far from El Gran Sueño, where we are staying for several nights. It sounds like this could be a good option, instead of Molín de Mingo. I always prefer when there are a la carte options.

[tigerjohn]

The new menu format for Mingo looks more like a French style “formule” with two or three courses rather than a tasting menu. Not sure if that format allows for choice. Might be worth contacting them because it’s well worth it if the quality remains the same.

[Maribel]

@ssinnyt95,
I just looked at the drive between El Gran Sueño and Narbasu Hotel Restaurante Palacio de Rubianes, and although a bumpy road, it´s only around a 25-minute ride, so no further, actually less than from El Gran Sueño to beyond Peruyes to reach El M de M.

And yes, there are a la carte options and wines are reasonably priced.
With our menu we kept it simple and had a local white wine, Palacio de Nevares of the local alvarín grape. On our long, twisting Siri- induced detour to the hotel from Cangas de Onís, we passed right by the winery.

I forgot to take photos of our tasting menu, but here´s the setting

These are the 2 menús now at El Molin de Mingo, “un viaje corto” and “un viaje largo”

Viaje Corto – El molín de mingo

Viaje Largo – El molín de mingo

I see that the “plato principal” of both would be Pitu.
As the “entrante” I’m just not a big fan of bacalao, even al pil pil, but I haven’t yet had their version.

[erica1]

The short menu has rice with pitu. I do wish they had not gone tasting menu only.

[Maribel]

And the second “viaje largo” includes Pitu. That menu, with the restaurant’s gargantuan portions would be far too filling for me, especially after the first meat course, the wild boar (jabalí) , then comes the pitu, also served in a portion that could easily feed 4 (been there, done that!). They asked if we wanted a “táper” to take it back home but we had to decline because that day we were changing hotels.

The trouble with the long menu is that it can’t be shared with another diner or other diners, and for some, it would just be too much.

I agree that it’s a shame they omitted the a la carte option.

An explanation of the first menu: the “short trip”:

the starter, “entrante” or in English, the first light course, are Nacho’s famous croquettes.
An “entrante” is not an “aperitivo”, which is the Spanish term for the complimentary (or not) amuse-bouche that proceeds the actual meal.

the second starter, or in English 2nd first course, is the cod made “pil pil” style, or Basque style, slowly cooked in olive oil with garlic and chili peppers (it’s an art form)

the first main dish are the baby limas with cuttlefish and pig’s trotter

the second main dish is the star–the pitu de caleya with rice, as featured in the above photo
then, finally, the dessert

[Maribel]

My husband’s photos of our Narbasu lunch

[ssinny95]

My general problems with tasting menus are that we prefer to share and taste multiple dishes; there is always a dish with ingredients that I really dislike, but I’m paying for it; and I am not a dessert eater, but I am paying for it. It kind of irks me that more and more restaurants (at home and abroad), are moving to this format. Though I do understand why it’s an attractive proposition for the restaurants.

[Maribel]

@ssinny95
You and your husband are doing this exactly as most Spaniards do. They almost ALWAYS share! At least they always share a number of starters, always set in the middle to the table, and everyone grabs a fork and digs in! I do this all the time with my “dining club” here in Madrid and with my family. We order a group of starters, the waiter places them in the middle of the table and everyone shares. That’s the Spanish way. At our favorite tabernas in the Retiro district, our waiters just automatically assume that we will share everything. It seems strange to them that we would order separate main courses. Everything is meant to be shared.
And that includes dessert, as we notice that groups of 3-4 diners very often share a dessert. I can’t even remember when my husband and I ordered separate desserts.

I agree and at Madrid Fusion this past month, the theme this year was “the client takes control”. However, in many restaurants, that doesn’t work, especially the Michelin starred and Repsol sunned, as they continue to function with a tasting menu only, or several.

At night, my husband and I can rarely manage a long tasting menu.
At lunch on special occasions and with friends we make an exception, as we will tomorrow for Valentine’s Day, the special menu at Barbudo, since most Madrid restaurants are serving a special Menú de San Valentín, as one would expect.

[Ziggy]

When we dine in NYC, its always strange when we look around and notice we are the odd couple that shares every dish. Even with our friends. Everyone loves sharing when we suggest it, but when we all order our own mains, they never share between themselves. Feels natural only to us.
And we always get a kick when a waiter tells us about their unique sharing concept.

I rather manufacture my own tasting menu. Comes out much cheaper too.

[Maribel]

@Ziggy
We’ve “mastered” or at least “learned” the art of sharing via our friends and family here. It just seems very, very odd to them that people don’t share. And even when each of us orders our own main courses, we always pass them around, around the table, for our fellow diners to taste them. Everyone samples what every one else has ordered as a main if it’s not a huge main dish to share.

I was the other night with my fellow “dining club” members, and after we had enjoyed an aperitif at Taberna la Dolores (ALWAYS have your aperitivo in a different place from your main meal), then moved onto a more formal pre-booked 3 months in advance lunch at Vinoteca la Navarra. Then we moved on to Berria at the Plaza de la Independencia for wines, then on to Chueca for an extremely informal, impromptu 10 pm dinner at Vinoteca Vides, (bursting at the seams) where we just let the organizer order a bunch of tapas to share, placed in the center of our table, and each of us grabbed a fork and we all proceeded to dip in.
That’s become our way. If I had insisted on ordering a plate of my own, my fellow diners would have looked at me if I were from Mars. And it would have been perceived as somewhat “rude”.