Forgot to answer your question about Barrera and “home cooking” or a classic “casa de comidas”. It has somewhat of a cult following since it appeared in the Madrid episode of “Somebody Please Feed Phil”. The female owner will recite the menu to you. It changes daily. You can only reserve by phone.
Another one of that nature, with an impressive wine list, that chefs love to frequent on Sunday nights, their night off, along with the gastro critics, is ASTURIANOS, also in the Chamberí district. Doña Julia Bombín’s classic Asturian fare, her stews like fabada and her flan for dessert are legendary. Her son is the highly regarded sommelier.
@mikey8811,
Since you asked about García de la Navarra, here´s an Eric Asimov article in The NY Times, mentioning it as well as other Madrid wine bars. I’ve gifted it.
I can second his recommendation of La Caníbal and La Fisna in Lavapiés as well as Angelita in Chueca.
@mikey8811,
If you do decide to try out the very traditional Barrera in Chamberí, these are a few of Ana Barrera’s signature dishes:
ensaladilla rusa
(Russian salad, said to be one of Madrid´s best versions)
merluza rebozada
(breaded hake)
patatas revolconas con torreznos
(garlicky, porky mashed potatoes with smoked pimentón and served with pork bits)
pisto
(Spanish version of ratatouille)
cabrito asado con calabaza o chuletillas de cabrito
(roasted baby goat with pumpkin or baby chops)
Thanks so much for all your replies both here and on the San Sebastian post. It makes me realise how much I missed the old CH.
I managed to make a booking at OSA but will have to cut my trip to Valencia short (bit of a shame). There isn’t really much info about the food or dishes they serve and there is no email address on their site. They do a larger menu in upper case and a smaller one in lower case at EUR 180 and EUR 120 respectively which you have to select on the booking. Not knowing what they are makes it difficult. Any idea? I sent them a DM on their IG and they reply after more than a week saying it is unattended and give me an email address, hello@osarestaurante.com that doesn’t work but they don’t answer my question.
I’ll probably give Garcia de la Navarra a miss but will try Barrera. Except that Barrera requires a phone in booking and I will need to get my hotel to do it once I have finalised the bookings.
I was going to trek to Fismuller for the cheesecake (also Canadio or La Primera) but then you posted that they sell it in the Mallorca branches (I didn’t even realise they had so many). Do they only sell whole cakes or by the slice as well? What are their pastries like compared to La Mallorquina? Also, what are their sandwiches like for breakfast or are there better breakfast options around. I am going to head to Casa Dani for the tortilla and prob also Mercado San Miguel but was told by a friend that it has become touristy and has declined food quality wise. Where is a good place for the calamari bocadillo? I used to go to El Brillante which was near the Reina Sofia. Is that still good?
Also, what do you think of La Tasqueria de Javi Estévez?
@mikey8811,
About OSA, the menu is ingredient-driven.
Smoked trout and red mullet (they have their own smoker), rabbit rillete, Wagyu tongue (presented at the table whole), wild boar head, sausages (porchetta), Daganzo chick peas, eel, (in winter duck or quail)… you’ll probably find some of these on the tasting menus. It really helps if you’re an offal fan.
The menu is presented in trilogies. The only difference between the two menus, the chefs say, is the length.
Here are some photos from a recent review-
There’s an open kitchen, minimalist décor and a huge wine cellar.
The Fismuler cheesecake is sold whole at the many Mallorca branches. There may be a branch near your hotel (??). I like both the new-ish La Mallorquina at the corner of Velázquez and Hermosilla and the two Mallorcas, either the one on Serrano or on Velázquez for breakfast. But there’s also the wonderful Balbisiana on Velázquez with a newer branch on Génova, up from the Plaza Colón near the Plaza de Santa Barbara. These are all in my “hood”.
And for divine pastries and chocolates there’s the beautiful, jewel box of a pastelería, La Duquesita, from 1914, now owned by Oriol Balaguer, at Fernando VI in Salesas. It has a lovely tea salon. This is the prettiest pastelería in Madrid.
I don’t go to the Mercado de San Miguel because of the tourist crowds, but if you do, go early, when it opens.
My local friends prefer La Campana (Calle de Botoneras) and Bar Postas (Calle de Postas) both around the corner from the Plaza Mayor rather than El Brillante for the classic bocadillo de calamares. El Brillante gets more tourists because of its location near Atocha station.
There’s also the brand new Bareto at Atocha 120, closer to El Brillante.
Since I’m not an offal lover, I’ve stayed clear of La Tasquería, but my chef friend loves it. But he tells me that Javi Estevez’s other restaurant, El Lince, has non-offal options and encouraged me to try it.
Thanks so much. I really love offal. So both OSA and La Tasqueria would work really well for me.
Thanks for the La Duquesita recommendation. The pastries do look lovely.
I see they now have a branch of Rocambolesc in Madrid in Mercado San Miguel. I liked the original. Has it translated well there?
Also, I tried making a booking at Juana La Loca but it seems they only accept bookings for a single slot of 1 pm on their website. Do they not take bookings for dinner?
Yes, there is a Rocambolesc in the Mercado de San Miguel. It moved from El Corte Inglés at Serrano 52 when they closed that building.
There’s also a Rocambolesc in El Corte Inglés, 7th floor, on the Castellana in northern Madrid but no need to head up there when the Mercado de San Miguel is most likely much closer to your lodging.
Juana la Loca takes dinner booking for one at 8 pm (I just tried for next month). It is always a zoo, especially on weekends. We tried to get in (foolishly) on a Saturday afternoon and it was 5 deep at the bar. If you can fit it in at 1 pm or at 8 pm I would go. After that, it gets impossibly crowded.
Glad you like offal! I’ll never be an authentic madrileña because I really don´t like callos (tripe)!
I don´t like lengua either, unfortunately.
But I do like riñones al jerez, mollejas de cordero and even criadillas (they serve these during the apartado in the bullring during the Sanfermines).
But no gallinejas y entresijos for me!
I believe you may be able to order just a slice of the Fismuler cheesecake at Mallorca and not have to purchase a whole one (32 euros).
Tthese are the other tartas de queso that make most of the “best cheesecakes in Madrid” list.
Cañadío and its siblings, La Maruca on Velázquez and La Primera on the Gran Vía, and the gourmet jewel of this Cañadío group crown, La Bien Aparecida on Jorge Juan.
Treze, a bistro that we love, on General Pardiñas makes one with Gamoneu cheese from Asturias
La Raquetista and la Taberna y Media, both in the Retiro district. Taberna y Media makes theirs with zamorano cheese (Robert de Niro’s favorite taberna). La Raquetista makes theirs with queso fresco and Idiazábal, topped with raspberries and blackberries.
Cafés Tornasol inside the Mercado de Antón Martín in Lavapiés
OK I was going to go to one Canadio joint and chose La Primera because on top of the cheesecake, it also does the tortilla. Is the rest of the food better at La Bien Aparecida?
I am also going to have the tortilla at Juana La Loca and Casa Dani so maybe the above point is gratuitous and I should perhaps go to La Bien Aparecida if the rest of the menu is better.
Actually my favourite Spanish desserts are Torrijas and Tocino de Cielo. Who does the best versions?
La Bien Aparecida is the most high end, fine dining restaurant of the popular Cañadío group.
It’s not a “drop in” kind of place at all, where you can sit at the bar and have just a dish or two or just a dessert. It’s a more formal gourmet experience with the group’s most lauded chef, José Manuel de Dios.
All of the Cañadío group dining spots serve both, their two famous dishes of tortilla and tarta de queso plus their signature croquetas and rabas (calamares).
With the exception La Bien Aparecida, which is gastronomic, the rest serve comfort food at its very best and are quite consistent.
So I would go to the one closest to your lodging.
Just DON´T go to the other member of the group, Gran Café Santander on Plaza Santa Barbara, where the service is dismal (shame about that).
For tocino de cielo, the bar at Marisquería Rafa on Narváez in the Retiro district.
For torrija, El Riojano on Calle Mayor, but torrija is a classic Holy Week dish. This is a pastelería with tea salon in the back. We go here during Christmas season for their roscón de Reyes.
Other pastry shops where you may find torrijas–Mallorca and La Mallorquina but again, they are a popular Holy Week dessert.
I have been to Marisqueria Rafa for the seafood on previous trips. I cannot just drop in for dessert I presume.
I thought the torrija at Arzabal was good before and they used to serve it outside holy week. I am keen to try El Riojano but you don’t think they will serve it in September right?
That’s right, the torrija at Arzábal is indeed very good.
We drop in to the bar at Rafa for noshing, ordering their famous ensaladilla rusa con ventresca and their salpicón de mariscos, but since it´s so popular with locals, we have to go early, right when it opens at 1:30 for lunch or 8:30 for dinner, as the bar area is quite small.
El Riojano closes in August. I think the torrijas there would be seasonal, but I’m not sure.
That’s really nice cheesecake porn! Especially the runny ones. I was also recommended Álex Cordobés for the different flavours he does but it looks like he only sells whole cakes.
Some look like they have a pastry base which is different.
Too many cheesecakes too few days. Or for that matter torrija, leche frita, tocino de cielo…
