Cocina Del Desierto

Last week I ventured out with a girlfriend looking for somewhere to chill out and enjoy delicious inexpensive food - this intimate Moroccan restaurant tucked away in a side street off Gran Via in Chueca ticked all the boxes.

Cocina del Desierto is on the small side but this just adds to the wonderful atmosphere already created by the traditional decor and the smells of fragrant spices wafting through the place.  To get the full experience, I recommend calling up to a week before to reserve a floor dining spot on the cushions in the area by the bar rather than in the more orthodox table and chairs area.

We order several dishes between us, including the "Chicken, Caramelized Onion and Sultana Couscous", the "Houmous and Warm Pitta" and the "Sabila" (lightly spiced layers of Butternut Squash, Onion and Minced Beef).  To accompany, we opted for the sweet tea which further complimented the wonderful array of flavors served to us.

The low lighting and Arabic music come together perfectly creating a charming atmosphere making this the ideal place for an intimate evening with friends or your partner.  Put it this way, this place doesn't even have a website and it doesn't really need one given that it's always full of happy customers.

Price: 10-20€ per person.

Service: ☆☆☆☆
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆☆☆

Calle de Barbieri 1

Ten Con Ten

Ten Con Ten, is currently one of Madrid's most talked about restaurants.  Nestled in the city's exclusive Barrio Salamanca, this chic location is perfect for that special occasion.  The different zones of the restaurant have different themes, some more rustic and some more luxurious.  There are also exclusive private dining areas towards the back. The vibrant and expansive front bar fills up quickly and offers a slice of the Ten Con Ten experience to those who couldn't get a table, the dilemma facing many of Madrid's yuppies.

I took my parents on my Dad's birthday and we certainly weren't disappointed.  The aperativo of pumpkin soup and a selection of homemade breads set the tone for the evening before we moved on to a sharing starter of "Panko Prawns". The flaky crispy breadcrumbs combined with the sweet curry sauce made for a simple but delicious dish and there was plenty for two or even three people.

For my main course, I went for the "Suckling Pig with Braised Caramelised Apple".  The tender pork, the simultaneous sourness and sweetness of the apple and the rich reduction underneath the meat came together into a truly spectacular plate of food.  Mum went for the "Lobster Tagliatelle" which was tasty albeit a bit stingy on the lobster.  Dad opted for the "Fillet Steak with Truffle Sauce" and was not disappointed.

Dessert however, was where trendy Ten Con Ten fell down.  As an ice cream connoisseur, I went for the "Pistachio ice cream" which lacked any nuttiness or texture and actually tasted quite artificial.  We asked a more senior waiter if it was homemade and he replied that it was homemade by a supplier, which had me giggling.  Rather than accepting my dissatisfaction gracefully he was somewhat gruff and it was disappointing that the service didn't match up to the quality of the food we had enjoyed throughout the evening.  

I'm no wine expert, but the wine list was extensive and the in-house sommelier was knowledgable and charming and recommended a 2007 Ribera del Duero which complimented our choices to perfection.  The wines are also very reasonably priced (well, compared to the UK anyway).

After my evening at Ten Con Ten I fully understand why everyone thinks it's the place to be seen at.  The food is sumptuous, the atmosphere is second to none and given the quality of the food we ate (apart from the ice cream) it's not over the top price-wise.


Price: 50-60€ per person.

Service: ☆☆☆
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆☆☆

www.restaurantetenconten.com

Sagarexte

Pinchos (small pieces of bread with something exciting on with a thick cocktail stick holding it together) have become one of my hobbies in Madrid.  When you're not quite hungry enough for a full meal here in Spain, a pincho bar is the place to go.

If you can deal with the hustle and bustle of the experience then it's well worth visiting Sagarexte, in Madrid's Chamberí area.  This Basque restaurant, renowned for it's cider and cod, rolls out the most exciting array of pinchos you can imagine. Roquefort, almond and raisin ; battered cod ; crab salad topped with langoustine ; tortilla and sweet pepper ; salmon and cream cheese ; brie with raspberry jam; cod croqueta ; piquillo pepper stuffed with bechamel and cod - just to name a few of the forever evolving range. The selection is fantastic and the wonderful thing is that you can actually try a bit of everything - that's what makes the experience so unique.

As a warning, you're best to get there early (7pm) because once it's busy getting served is pretty tough (especially if you can't hold your own against the keen queue-jumping locals).  You'll also need to have your wits about you if you want to get the fresh hot pinchos.  Keep an eye on the kitchen window and you shouldn't miss out.  There is some seating available outside but you'll end up yoyo-ing in and out to work out which pinchos you want with your next caña anyway.

Yummy food and great cider, but not for the faint-hearted.    


Price: 12€ per person (based on a two drinks and four pinchos).

Service: ☆☆
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
Decor: ☆☆

www.sagaretxe.com 

Las Tortillas de Gabino

Lots of Spanish people will lecture you about the art of the tortilla (the omelette: one of the country's flagship dishes) but no place demonstrates it better than Las Tortillas de Gabino, a small but charming restaurant 5 minutes walk away from the Rubén Darío metro station.

The rustic but comfortable decor creates an intimate location for dinner or lunch and the staff were friendly and attentive.  I visited with a friend for a post-work late lunch and was astonished by the dazzling execution of what I had previously thought to be simple dishes.

To start we tried the "Burrata Salad", a special recommended to us by the waiter.  The deliciously creamy cheese came alongside crunchy baby carrots, sweet tomatoes, roquette lettuce and the topper of radish crisps gave the dish the extra texture it required.  The dish was balanced, unusual and light.

The restaurant took basic to brilliant with our next nibbles, "Croquetas de Jamón" and "Foie Bonbons".  The croquettes melted in your mouth and the faint trace of truffle was an original take on a Spanish classic.  Our bonbons were rushed out to us straight from the fryer and we were advised to eat them in one mouthful.  The small parcels provided a warm explosion of flavour and the balsamic twist really complimented the rich foie taste.


For our main course we ordered two omelettes, the "Velazqueña" and the "Spinach and Prawn Tortilla".  Again, we saw urgency in the staff as they rushed them out fresh from the pan and served them on to our plates alongside some warm chapatas and the obligatory alioli (garlic mayonnaise).  The Velazqueña was the best tortilla I have ever tried (and I've tried a lot), gooey in the middle with the subtle sweetness of the onions cutting through the potato and egg mixture - absolutely exquisite.  The Spinach and Prawn omelette was a little confused, although the dash of lemon juice worked nicely I'm not sure the sultanas fitted into the dish.

Our dessert of frozen yoghurt with fig jam was a comforting way to end a splendid meal and the offer of a complimentary pacharán (a traditional Spanish liqueur) didn't go unrecognised. A real treat, good atmosphere and honest food.

Price: 34€ per person.

Service: ☆☆☆☆
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆☆

www.lastortillasdegabino.com