The biggest problem living in Madrid is deciding where to eat next (sigh, woe is me). Madrid's tourist board proudly claims that the city has more bars than any other, and where there are drinks, there are tapas.
But tapas isn't all just plates of jamón and tortilla (delicious though these are). The creativity and innovation of Spain's gastronomic revolution has shaken up the humble tapas bar, and they stand up alongside the best restaurants in Madrid. Here are my five favourites.
1) Le Cabrera
Tapas bar upstairs, cocktail bar downstairs, tiny Le Cabrera is one of my favourite places in the city for a drink, and maybe a plate of seared steak and grilled peaches on the side. The gastro-coctelería is a name-dropping exercise of the famous faces of Spanish cuisine: Sergi Arola, one of the country’s top chefs, devised the creative tapas menu served upstairs (a review of his main restaurant is coming soon), while Diego Cabrera, the Argentinean mixologist, is in charge of the cocktails downstairs.
2) Delic
Delic is nestled in my favourite square in Madrid, Plaza de la Paja in La Latina.
Delic's menu is all about comidas del mundo (food from around the world), which makes a change from the usually patriotic Spanish offerings: Argentine empanadas, Peruvian cerviche and Japanese miso line up alongside the best mojitos in the city.
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| The black raspberry caipiroskas aren't bad either. |
3) La Gastromaquia
Hidden down a dark street in Chueca, sandwiched between the sex shops and gay bars, Gastromaquia gets my vote as the best restaurant in Madrid. If you weren't looking for it, you'd walk right past it (you could even walk past it if you were looking for it).
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It doesn't look like much from the outside, but each plate is a tiny slice of creative, innovative tapas heaven. Goat's cheese salad (above left) comes dripping in a basil reduction with a caramelised honey roof, and the tikka masala mussels (above right) almost make you want to pick up the bowl to drink the sauce dry.
4) Juana la Loca
At the south end of the Cava Baja in La Latina, where almost every building seems to be a tapas bar, sits Juana la Loca. It's famous for its tortilla de patata (Spanish omelette), but every dish is a winner. Don't miss the restaurant's self-proclaimed "incredible egg", a soft quail's egg nestled on top of a truffle base.
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| El increíble huevo ("The Incredible Egg")... |
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| Hoisin duck wraps |
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| Beef carpaccio |
5) La Musa
With a branch in Malasaña and another next door to Delic in La Latina, it's hard not to drop into La Musa almost every week. My favourite is La Musa Latina for its lazy outdoor terrace in the plaza, although be prepared to queue for a table when the sun's shining.
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Like Delic, the tapas veer away from traditional Spanish fare, like Japanese dumplings, Caribbean-style barbecued prawns and a pestle and mortar brimming with tomato, avocado and onion, for hungry diners to mash their own guacamole.
So, where next?
