Tanta

Inconspicuously and coincidentally placed on Plaza de Perú is Peruvian restaurant Tanta, one of a chain of three (Madrid, Barcelona and Chicago) owned by celebrity chef Gastón Acurio.  For those unaware, Peruvian cuisine is a wonderful carnival-esque fusion of Asian and Latin American flavours.  Tanta captures the best of all worlds in its dishes and brings them together to produce some spectacular plates of food.

I headed there on Friday night with a friend visiting from England looking for something different and exciting and we were not disappointed.  We started off with a "Piqueo Chifero" platter which included some exquisite prawn and pork mince wontons with tamarind sauce; some sweet and sticky chifera wings; pork fillet nestled in a crispy sweet potato noodle-like nest and a xa sui sandwich (roasted pork with a fruity glaze and a red onion and coriander topping).  This starter provided a perfectly balanced and an exciting array of flavours before venturing onto our main course.

Piqueo Chifero

 We had intended on ordering two mains but the waitress pointed out that this would be too much (hence the 5 stars for service) so we decided to share the "Chifero Tapao": an oriental rice dish composed of seasonal vegetables and chicken covered with a langoustine omelette and a sweet tomato dressing.  This may not have been the most Peruvian dish on the menu but after the quality of the food I have every intention of going back to sample the Ceviche and the more traditional dishes. 

Chifero Tapao

Wowed by what we'd eaten so far we indulged ourselves with two original and delicious desserts: the "Volador" and the "Suspiro la Limeña".  The volador was comprised of layers of flaky sweet pastry and thick dulce de leche cut through with a tangy apple purée and accompanied by a strawberry coulis.  The pinnacle of our evening came in the form of the suspiro: several wonderful mouthfuls of dulce de leche creamy mousse-esque pudding topped with whipped cream and cinnamon.  It might not have impressed as much as the volador aesthetically but it more than made up for that in terms of taste and texture.

Volador

Given that we enjoyed a crisp bottle of Spanish white with our meal we really felt that Tanta provided great value for money as well as excellent service and high quality food.  If you're looking for a foodie adventure in Madrid then head to Tanta: they guarantee a "tantalising" experience.

Price: 35€ per person

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

Plaza de Perú, 1 (nearest Metro, Colombia / Pío XII)

Sala de Despiece

Sala de Despiece situated in Calle Ponzano shrewdly imitates your local butchers.  With an emphasis on quality of produce and efficient service, you can soon understand why they don't take reservations and why there's a queue out of the door.

This small restaurant is not the kind of place to go to if you want a relaxing, sit-down meal. However, if you're looking to experience the hustle and bustle of Madrid over a few cañas and some high quality "raciones" then get there early - you won't regret it.

I visited on a Friday night with some colleagues and we were soon astounded by the variety and quality of the dishes on the menu.  Sala de Despiece sources the finest meats and fish depending on the time of year and then carefully selects delicious combinations of flavours to compliment them.  The "Steak Tartare" was served with flatbread crisps and a delicious soy-like sauce; the "Seabass Ceviche" was perfectly dressed with sharp lime and the crisp of small red onion pieces; the "Ribeye Steak Carpaccio" was finely accompanied by a drizzle of olive oil and cracked sea salt and the accompanying salad of "Burrata with Pesto and Cherry Tomatoes" was out of this world.

The staff were dynamic and the iPad-based ordering system was not just a gimmick; this busy restaurant is superbly run and I really admired the efficiency and the attention to detail of the waiters and chefs.  The decor may be spartan (after all, "Sala de Despiece" means "meat factory" and it is trying to emulate that) but don't be fooled; there are some wonderfully innovative plates of food coming out of the kitchen here.

If you're looking for a refreshing twist on the Madrid cañas and tapas experience then this is certainly worth giving a go.

Price: 30€ per person (based on sharing several "raciones" and three small beers or glasses of wine).

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

Calle Ponzano, 11 (nearest Metro, Alonso Cano)

Pipa & Co

From the outside, Pipa & Co looks like quite the place to go for brunch. With its Parisian-esque exterior and desirable location on Paseo de la Habana, I was expecting great things.

The restaurant has no website but I gave them a call to reserve for an 11am brunch on a Saturday.  I needn't have bothered.  The place was empty and the restaurant was nowhere near ready for service.  The staff had arrived late so we were sat waiting to be offered a drink for about 15 minutes (yes, in an empty restaurant).  A real shame given the wonderful decor inside and the promising menu.

In spite of my growing impatience we all chose to start off with smoothies.  My "Pineapple, Banana and Coconut Vitaliser" (4,95€) didn't disappoint but unfortunately the food that followed was similar to the atmosphere - bland and unexciting.  I went for the "Pipa Beef Burger" which was topped with piquillo peppers and pickles accompanied by some limp rocket and a boletus sauce.  My guests opted for the "Ham, Cheese and Guacamole Quesadilla" and "Eggs Benedict" (a classic which any brunch establishment should be able to nail). Everything was severely average and given the prices we paid per dish (12 - 15€) I was bitterly disappointed.

The Pipa & Co owner (who is apparently the son of Ana Botella (the Madrid mayor)) has obviously invested a lot in the "look and feel" but has completely neglected the most important parts of running a restaurant: the food and the staff.  It's very obvious when someone who doesn't have a passion for food opens a place and thinks that some cool interior design is enough to please foodies around the city.

Pipa & Co has so much potential and although it's known more as a dinner place, it won't be getting my business again anytime soon.

Price: 15 - 20€ per person.

Service: ☆
Food: ☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆☆

Paseo de la Habana, 105.