Bistro Bla Bla Bla

Bistro Bla Bla Bla is a funky French restaurant with a twist near Chueca.  I went recently in a big group for a Christmas Party after being wowed by the extensive menu online and hearing a few recommendations in the office.

This intimate bistro provides a great atmosphere and would be perfect for an impressive dinner out or a long brunch at the weekend.  The menu was extensive with a great selection of French delicacies, however, not all of them were executed well enough to live up to their delicious reputations.

Amongst us we ordered several starters to pick at including the "French Onion Soup", the "Hummousse" the "Prawn and Guacamole Wraps" and the "Seabass Ceviche".  I tucked into the classic warm and hearty French Onion Soup which didn't disappoint at all with it's strong kick of white wine and it's melting web of gruyere nestling on a bread crouton.  For me this was the masterpiece of the evening.

We then moved on and almost all of us went for some kind of "steak frites" combination.  Several of us opted for the chateaubriand in pairs which turned out to be a bad choice. With it's 38 euro price tag we expected the normal grandeur of a glorious tenderloin arriving at the table to be carved in front of us but unfortunately it was no way near big enough to serve two people and it was certainly not good enough to justify it's price tag (especially given that you pay extra for fries and salad or veg side orders).

Fortunately, the manageress (after some convincing) gave us some of their "Entrecôte with Café de Paris Sauce" to make amends which was rich and comforting, but again, it was nothing special compared to other entrecôtes I've tried in the city and overall the sizes of all main courses and the level of attention to detail was disappointing.

The desserts however, in true French fashion, were of a high standard with a deliciously torte "Lemon Tart", a non-orthodox "Tarte Tartin" and a "Dulce de Leche mousse".  The accompanying wine list was extensive but again, overpriced compared to many other better restaurants in the city.

With a great location and a funky atmosphere Bistro Bla Bla Bla has a lot of promise, but, to get any rave reviews it's going to have to raise the bar to the standards one would expect of a good quality Parisian bistro.  I'm afraid that the flashy website and the menu were all a bit "bla bla bla".

Price: 40€ per person

Service: ☆☆☆☆
Food: ☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆☆

Calle Prim, 13 (nearest Metro Chueca or Cercanias Recoletos)

www.bistroblablabla.com 

Aroy Thai

Last night I headed to Aroy Thai, a family-run place just off Calle Orense near Nuevos Ministerios.  This charming restaurant offered high quality food at a reasonable price and provides by far the best Thai cuisine I have had so far in Madrid.

To start, we ordered several dishes including the "Satay Chicken Skewers",  "Kanom Gib" (basically Thai dim sum with minced pork and prawn), "Tom Kha Kai" (a coconut milk and chicken soup) and their homemade "Spring Rolls".  All dishes were delicious, light and beautifully presented.

For our main courses we tried their famous "Green Chicken Curry" and the hearty "Beef Massaman".  The Green Curry was wonderfully balanced with a pleasant kick for the palette and the textures of potato, tender beef fillet and crunchy cashew nuts in the Massaman were a real treat.  Accompanied by the traditional "Khao Pad Si Eiw" rice we all thoroughly enjoyed the diverse flavours served to us.

As well as offering great service, Aroy Thai also had an extensive selection of wines and the owner was more than willing to offer advice on which would compliment the flavours of their food as well.

I might not have tried all of the Thai places here in Madrid but I would be surprised if any can match the charm and the comfort of Aroy Thai.

Price: 30€ per person

www.aroythai.es 

Service: ☆☆☆☆☆
Food: ☆☆☆☆☆
Decor: ☆☆☆

Calle Comandante Zorita, 3 (nearest Metro, Cuatro Caminos or Nuevos Ministerios)

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.

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