We were both very excited to visit this restaurant, we had seen it on Netflix and had been recommended it by lots of people when we decided we were going to visit Madrid. The restaurant is very cool and stripped back, looking like the butchers cutting room it is named for; meat hooks hang above the long central counter now holding handbags instead of carcases (much nicer to have swinging above your head). The team has a fine array of tweezers, knives and blow torches to dazzle the diner as they assemble and finish each course whilst telling you all about it.
The food is sophisticated and pared back just like the restaurant, not just small plates but sometimes just a mouthful at a time. The Rolex – egg yolk, foie gras, sauternes and truffle wrapped in blowtorched pancetta was a blow your mind course, so many flavours in one multilayered rich fatty mouthful (gagworthy fatty!). Don’t worry though when it’s a tiny portion the flavour is huge and wonderfully balanced. The best thing for me was to taste everything, even stuff I didn’t think I’d like, what the hell, it’s a mouthful of food, the next one will be along in a moment. Everything on the plate was there for a reason, the Lagarto (it means lizard – not sure what that has to do with the dish) – aubergine, smoked herring, pickled onion and horseradish - the bland aubergine brought to life by the smoky saltiness of the herring then cut through with tang of the pickle and finishing with the heat of the radish. Artichoke with lime, avocado and caviar was crunchy, creamy and comforting, lifted by the lime and caviar to delicious heights.
Dessert was fun and pushed you a bit – green pea ice cream with candyfloss and coffee should not be yummy but there you are (and who doesn’t love a bit of squeaky candyfloss). Cheese flan with chocolate sauce but the cheese is camembert wtf!!
We left feeling delighted with it all, we were cool people who go to cool restaurants, young and hip rather than the fat old farts that we really are.
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