In bar, please!

Meeting places, full of faithful “parishioners”, that manage to generate, with a close treatment, easy and appetizing menus and good music, an atmosphere of enjoyment and absolute fun. The bars are sophisticated and bring the best of the most international gastronomy to the center of the city. An imposing bar in the neighborhood of Las Salesas that pays homage to the unknown gastronomy of Georgia and revisits the most classic drinks, the spirit of the authentic Japanese izakayas in the bar that everyone is talking about in the neighborhood of Justicia, a tavern with a Nordic air and a grocery store in the center of Malasaña that pays homage to smoked food, the bar with the best gastronomy of Peru that landed from New York City offering original dishes and the best signature cocktails, one of the most sophisticated bars in Madrid with an original formula of the day signed by michelin star chef Dani Garcia.

Which one do you choose?

PERSIMMON’S, THE GEORGIAN BAR

It has just opened its doors in the Madrid neighborhood of Las Salesas and has already become one of the coolest and busiest bars in the city. A warm and sophisticated space, decorated by interior designer Olga Rusakova, which offers an interesting journey into the bowels of Georgian gastronomy and cocktails. Its menu pays tribute to the original (and unknown) Georgian cuisine, with dishes such as its “Gebjalia” (sulguni cheese stuffed with ricotta and mint), the traditional “Khachapuri” on skewers, the Georgian bikini of grilled suckling pig with adjika, carrots and marinated cabbage or Persimmon’s salad, made with baby spinach, mandarin sauce, gorgonzola and persimmons sautéed in honey and adjika. Its liquid proposal turns this place into an authentic signature cocktail bar, one hundred percent artisan, which takes the Georgian distillate “chacha” as the basis for all its creations. This double distillate is made with top quality raw materials such as Hayicha persimmons, feijoa, quince and grapes. A base to which their team of bartenders add natural ingredients prepared on the spot, such as pomegranate, good herb, beet, raspberry or ginger, giving an original twist to the most classic drinks of international cocktails. Our favorite? His “Tamada” with chacha, ginger and lime or his original “Ar gaichacho” with chacha, bourbon, lime and beet.

MATEO HOTEN, THE JAPANESE IZAKAYA

It is the opening in the Justicia neighborhood that everyone is talking about. Mateo Honten, located at number fourteen of San Mateo street, is born with the vocation of becoming an authentic Japanese izakaya in the center of Madrid. A trip to Japan without the need to get on a plane. This project, launched by the renowned Mexican chef Edo Kobayashi, offers visitors an immersive experience in the original Japanese cuisine with great importance of signature cocktails and an original menu of sakes, which combine perfectly with their appetizing bites. Make a reservation at its lively bar and let yourself be surprised by its “omakase” menu, with an interesting selection at the chef’s discretion. You can not leave without taking some of its most emblematic dishes such as the “Iberico katsu sando”, the classic sando made with juicy pork, karashi mayo and sando sauce or its version with tuna, the extensive variety of nigiris, juicy chicken wings dipped in spicy miso or its “Suzuki crudo” with sea bass, yuzukosho, olive oil and yuzu. For dessert? Be sure to ask for their impressive matcha cheesecake. Its low lighting and fun vinyl collection, playing in the background, turn the visit into a sophisticated oasis in the middle of the noise and speed of the city.

ULTRAMARINES EL COSO, THE TAVERN WITH A NORDIC FLAIR

This is the latest opening of the renowned and successful Lamucca group, its fifth location in the capital. Located in the busy Plaza de San Ildefonso, in the Malasaña neighborhood, Ultramarines del Coso is the perfect meeting point to enjoy a long breakfast, lunch or dinner with friends. It has different spaces, a bodeguita with a long bar and grocery store and a low table restaurant inspired by the traditional tascas, this time full of contemporary touches with a marked interior design by the Non.or.and studio. Chef Andy Boman, a Swede born and raised in Africa, has created a very personal menu with Nordic touches that reclaims and pays homage to smoked food. Smoke, therefore, becomes one of the guiding threads of a gastronomic proposal in which you can find dishes such as his smoked salad with salmon, his smoked gildas or his smoked bacon. Travel and world cuisines also mark the rhythm of a menu in which dishes like the Thai ear sam with Nam prik, the lamb skewers with tahini, sumac and flaky bread or the smoked sea bass tiradito with yellow bell pepper, sweet potato and avocado become the protagonists. Our favorite? One of the hits of their menu, the hake burger with jalapeños and kimchi mayonnaise. Two desserts mark the end of the proposal, its hot chocolate mousse with crunchy meringue and raspberries and the original Pavlova of passion fruit and raspberry.

LLAMA IN, THE PERUVIAN BAR

“An encounter between Peru and New York”, is how Llama In defines itself. Located at number two of Conde de Xiquena street, it offers an absolutely contemporary culinary experience that pays homage to the best of Peruvian cuisine with modern touches and original plating. Its interior design, signed by the Plantea studio, is full of ceramic materials, wood paneling and designer furniture pieces. Light plays a fundamental role here. You can sit near one of the acclaimed “baskets” by designer Miquel Milá. In his menu, signed by chef Luis Cornejo, we find dishes as round as his Anticuchos (such as cabbage, chacaca, sainó miso and quinoa furikake), his scallop ceviche, yuzu kosho, pitahaya and nori or squid with fried cassava and togarashi tiger milk. Also its delicious Iberian needle with Peruvian escabeche and sweet potato or desserts as original as its surprising lucuma in different textures served with olive oil or its tres leches. Do not forget to ask for a seat at the bar in front of the kitchen, you will observe the cooking and share space. On the first floor, you will find “Bar Llama”, an interesting cocktail bar that fuses the cosmopolitan sophistication of New York with the essence of Latin America.

DANI BRASSERIE AND ITS FORMULA OF THE DAY

The daily menu is more sophisticated, at least on the seventh and top floor of the photogenic Four Seasons Hotel. Michelin-starred chef Dani García offers at Dani Brasserie, a very elegant restaurant with unbeatable views of the city center, a delicious menu of the day served from Monday to Friday, with starters, main courses and desserts that vary according to the day of the week. A proposal that celebrates the first anniversary of the emblematic “Dani’s Midday” and that presents the original concept “One day, one iconic dish” selecting some of the most emblematic and demanded dishes in the career of the Andalusian chef. Proposals such as his roasted leek, crochet hake, oxtail ravioli, his highly original Nitro Tomato, Caesar salad or his acclaimed Rossini burger, become some of the protagonists. Watch out for their desserts: their “Tout Chocolat” cake, the “Frescos Andalusí” (with orange, orange blossom, mint, Moorish tea and pistachio), the Suzette crêpes or the Tipsy Cake (made with butter and Baileys) will become the perfect finishing touch. And don’t forget, you can take it in its sophisticated bar in a more informal and quick way. With the arrival of good weather, also in its spectacular terrace.

Editor: Álex de la Rosa

Álex is a journalist and a reference in the world of gastronomy, creator of the successful blog “Que no me la den con queso”.