Madrid Food Gems

I lamented my Madrid food experiences in my last post. As you read, the food outlook was not entirely negative. There were other restaurants I found either through food blogs, Yelp, and pure happenstance. Here are the ones with photographic evidence.

Let me introduce you to Moz Heart in the Mercado de San Miguel. They have numerous rolls and toasts featuring mozzarella and burrata. Rolls were 1/8" thick mozzarella wrapped around various ingredients like salty cured meats. The toasts were topped with creamy burrata topped with olive oil and some black pepper. I bought the salmon topped burrata and the jamon/mozzarella/arugula roll for €3.50 each. They seemed expensive to a friend, but such quality mozzarella and burrata is hard to get in Colorado (exceptions at Osteria Marco and the Denver Truffle). 

I first tried the salmon, but it proved very sweet. That's not quite right. It was rich to the point of sweetness, so I moved to the mozzarella roll. I tore the cheese and noted its texture, density, and elasticity. It was a delicious flavor combination.

One day's obsession was ice cream. I found several food blogs listing Madrid's best ice cream places. I made a specific Google Map for this hunt. Some places no longer exist and others, well, I couldn't find them. My favorite ice cream, pictured above, was pure happenstance.


I discovered Alboraya when looking for another ice cream place. They had just opened that morning and I walked in to peer at their selections. Horchata! Sold. And then Turron. Ice cream selected for 2.70. The Horchata featured chufa's distinct flavor quite well. The Turron had the ground almond taste that I'm accustomed to. I was pleased with both flavors, the density, and their lasting impression on my palate. Superb flavors local to Spain! To my poor Denverites drinking Mexican Horchata or eating Sweet Action's mexican horchata flavored ice cream, there's no comparison. Chufa trumps all.

My first weekend back in Madrid, I had nothing to do. I had eaten so well in New York City, Asheville, and Rochester. I was craving cocktails and great food, so I went to Yelp and found Le Cabrera. I literally ran out the door once I read the reviews. As I perused the menu while snacking on complimentary herb and paprika dusted chips, I came upon the Claymore, a cocktail featuring Pisco, Islay Scotch, Green Chartreuse, and creole bitters. Herbal frothiness topped my chilled silver glass. Apparently, it did contain egg white. Once I got through the foam, I was greeted with the earthy bitterness and smokiness from the Scotch. Delicious.

Let me introduce you to the other reason why I came here. One reviewer's ecstatic post about their edible Bloody Mary. It was an excellent edible rendition of a Bloody Mary. Crisp celery, black pepper dust, slightly bitter sauce, yummy sliceable tomatoes. Great recommendation.

DF Bar Tortería Mexicana was another pleasant surprise. I was en route from Anton Martin to Puerta del Sol after a private lesson. I was hungry and on the prowl for something cheap and not kebab. This place was packed with locals and I remembered tortas as being a delicious messy Mexican sandwich. Ever read Denver on a Spit? You should.

I selected what sounded the most authentic to this non-Spanish speaker, the Cuauhtemoc features nopal y huevo. I never had cactus until visiting Madrid and the taste was growing on me. Thanks, Taqueria mi Ciudad. As I waited, they started me with jalapeno and cilantro chips. Crunching away, I watched my sandwich being grilled beans, avocado, tomato, and cheese filling the remainder. Delicious. I wish I could have gone back there. Interesting note: Several of the Taqueria mi Ciudad guys wear DF shirts.

Fat Boy Burrito was my best find. Yep, I discovered a brand new restaurant in Madrid! I found Fat Boy when wondering between Chueca and Tribunal seeking vintage shops. I took a photo of their outside and hunted for information online. I finally found information via their Facebook and discovered they opened two days before I visited.

They have a basic menu featuring 5 different styles of a burrito, three tacos, or a bowl (the 3 bases). You get to choose your base and your meat (pollo a la brasa, carnitas, pollo pibil, ternera Fat Boy). Prices range from $4.50 to $5.20. They have a second menu featuring salsa, chips with guacamole, a chocolate tart, and bebidas including Jarritos.

I chose the moderno burrito with the ignacios (chips with guacamole). I first tasted apple when tasting this burrito. I'm not sure why since I expected mango or some habanero. Eventually, I got into the delicious pollo pibil with its orange char and earthy taste, onyx black beans, and padron fritos. The chips were great also especially paired with the foamy guacamole.

Other notes: the staff wear cool buffalo plaid shirts, have such precision when piecing the burrito together, great interior colors, friendly service (+ English), great chilled out music with stellar beats. Go here.

That wraps up Madrid. There were a few other restaurants I discovered, but I didn't have my camera with me. My Madrid food advice: find a Madrid foodie whether it's a friend or a local's blog. There are many restaurants that serve typical Spanish cuisine, but much of this is underwhelming. This is why you need someone passionate about food.

Nightjar - London, England

Welcome to the Nightjar, one of London's finest speakeasy-style drinking establishments located a 7 minute walk away from my friends' apartment. I recommend calling and reserving seats. Depending on the day and time there may or may not be a doorperson checking your name against a list. 

Regardless, you'll be greeted downstairs. Notice the brick walls, dim lighting, antique devices. An antiquated charm fills the air.

Booth seating beneath swooping art deco birds?

Table seating facing the piano? Live music occurs a few days a week.

Bar seating underneath the tin plated ceiling?

We came for drinks, so without further ado let's begin. We were seated at the the farthest edged table facing the piano. We were waiting for 3 other friends, but we were on time and ready to begin. As I glanced through their menu, I was filled with questions. What is this liqueur? Why is this cocktail named as it is? Is this infusion for real? And I kept glancing back at the bar. Noting my wagging head, my friend just told me to begone. 

Even the little breads with chutney relish couldn't keep me from the bar. I asked a server if I could sit at the bar. Since I was in another country, I thought it best to ask. They asked a bartender and I moved seats. 

Switching seats did have benefits such as the those two matching delicacies of bacon and jelly. Please notice the playing card labeled "Moby Dick". This cocktail features whaleskin infusion, one item that struck my curiosity. You can also buy the Nightjar card deck for £4. They get their whaleskin infusion from Japan. 

Here are some quick Nightjar notes: 

1. It's difficult to understand some of the bartenders. 

2. Questions are brusquely answered by the bartenders.

3. The bartenders don't want pictures taken at their bar station.

Overall, this doesn't add to a fun experience sitting at the bar. Because questions are hurriedly answered, it was hard to fully understand them through their accents. I understand they have a job to do, but I enjoy this interaction as part of my cocktail experience. Not only am I there to enjoy my drinks and socialize with friends, I want to learn something new and capture these memories in detail.

This is why I headed back to my original table with my Arabic spiced rum drink, The Arrack Julab. Garnished with turkish delight and rose petals it was a headily spiced drink. Now it was a table of 5 which meant much cocktail sampling and pictures. I will try to label the following pictures appropriately, but some might slip through the cracks.

The Moby Dick

Mediterranean Shrub

Switchel

Bloody Mary

Millionaire

Bees Knees

Coalition

Ginza Cocktail

 Amadeus Flip

Chocolate Cocktail

The Nightjar

129 City Road

London

EC1V 1JB

Williams and Graham - the customer is #1

I've followed Williams and Graham's progress from afar, first hearing about it through the Westword and other online mutterings. Sean Kenyon, former Squeaky Bean bar manager, was involved in the SB replacement, The Occidental, and Williams and Graham. Unfortunately, due to lease negotiations, The Occidental never opened, and WG's opening was delayed due to restaurant bar licenses. And so I left for my extended Europe and Australia trip without experiencing either. I was relegated to long-distance voyeurism via online publications. That's never satisfactory.

And now....? Well, Williams and Graham is my hangout. One week you show up there with a friend on Sunday and have a great experience. So great you have to return again and again and again and make reservations for another day.

Williams and Graham is tucked into the corner of Tejon and 32nd Avenue. It's distinctively on the corner, but with their minimal door signage, I accidentally passed it this Sunday. I weaved back around and entered their library front. Did you know that you can trade a hardcover book for one of their hardcovers? They may not be willing to part with some books, but the bartering opportunity exists.

Wednesday through Sunday are their busiest evenings, though one bartender will admit that Wednesday is hit and miss. I definitely recommend a reservation or calling ahead. Be prepared for a 1.5 hour wait. Fortunately, the host will call you in case you're at a nearby restaurant or at home. Consider it a fifteen minute warning.

Once allowed in, typically escorted by Todd Colehour (WG co-owner), you'll be beckoned through the concealed door past a dimly lit corridor into the bar area.

This view is from the back. WG offers bar seating, standing room only at the bookshelves, booths, and tucked away high seats on a raised platform toward the bar's right. Maximum capacity is 80 people. Even though this bar gets packed, conversation is relatively muted. I've enjoyed the bar, a booth, and standing room only settings and have been able to have decent conversations consistently. They don't have rules, so I respect their clientele's class. There is light music in the backroom. Also, at some point each evening scratchy blues will be played.

 Here we have co-owner, Sean Kenyon, a third generation bartender. He is an amazing source of information and has a remarkable memory. I say this because he remembered a drink he concocted for a friend based on a butterscotch drink request. He came back with a Flip comprised of Leopold Bros Three Pins Alpine Liqueur, Noci Amaro (walnut based), egg white, and perhaps another ingredient. Anyway, his attention to detail is shared with his staff. Once you meet your server or bartender, they introduce themselves and get your names. So they manage to remember your name, recall last night's special cocktail, have encyclopedic knowledge of spirits, are able to point you to drinks appropriate to your taste, and are equipped to handle problems proactively. There is much to enjoy.

 Here we have the Rob Roy, a drink featured in their Scotch Whiskey section. Their cocktail menu is separated first by house cocktails and then by spirit. The spirit sections include brand name, its respective location (USA, Ireland, Indonesia, etc), and cocktails that features these particular spirits. You can substitute spirits as I did for the Last Word (swapped Spring44 Gin for Leopold Bros Navy Strength Gin) or even go off menu if you have a special hankering. Sometimes you may be guided back to their menu.

And sometimes you might be very intrigued about an interesting bottle on a bar's top shelf. For instance, here is the 1605 Chartreuse (created to commemorate the return of a mysterious manuscript concerning an elixir of long life to the Carthusian monks). It's part of Sean Kenyon's collection and is $25 for that taste. It's well worth the experience.

For contrast, you can enjoy the Green Chartreuse VEP for $15. This picture highlights both its louching and Jason's fine beard.

Olivea working her magic on a fiery apple smelling drink. She worked very well with my friend and I, nailing requests and suggestions.

Hunting for top shelf Chartreuse spirits.

They let me keep the 1605 bottle since we emptied it. I'm searching for the last few herbal drops.

The secret cubbyhole for passing notes between the house front and bar. If you can't see it now, click the picture for a larger view.

Other notes: Be wary of the toilets. Their lids have difficulty staying up, so it might be less dangerous if you sit. The bacon beignets sound like a fantasy. There is a distinct lack of bacon flavor. The paired blackberry sage reduction is fantastic, though.

Williams and Graham
www.williamsandgraham.com
 3160 Tejon Street
Denver, Colorado 80211
303.997.8886

Manifesto - Kansas City

To Kansas City and its cocktail gems. I've moved on from my martini happy hours at Union Station to Manifesto. I browsed the KC Yelp's Best Of lists and came upon Manifesto. The rating, the reviews all had me hooked. 4.5 I rate it, 5 I name it because I want out-of-towners to visit as I did.

My 3 month Portugal stay left me craving for cocktails and I was waiting until June 17 for satisfaction. This was when I would enter the cocktail haven of Denver/Boulder, Colorado. Never fear, Manifesto is here. June 9 delivered satisfaction in Rieger backroom fashion.

Reservations are definitely recommended, so text 816.536.1325 and include your preferred time and party number. They responded mid-afternoon and were quite prompt and accommodating when my party number changed from 2 to 5. I headed to 1924 Main, an address occupied by Rieger's. Their hostess took me to the back and we went downstairs past rock hewn walls and framed photographs. Please also note the rules stated on the website and menus (mind your manners).

 Manifesto staff did not ask for our reservation confirmation so we seated ourselves promptly in a booth. Thursday nights aren't as popular which is great. There was a large group seated with an obnoxiously loud grating voiced woman, but the detailed menu drew my attention in and drowned her out.

As we listened to the loud music, we glanced through the menu featuring 29 drinks segregated by spirit (gin, vodka, rum, tequila, brandy, bitters). Note: extra menus at the booths would be appreciated along with additional lighting. One candle did not prove sufficient especially amongst 3 different palates.

Our waitress was slightly off kilter and a bit imbalanced due to the loud group. She regained her footing, apologized, and offered free shots (more on that later). We started by ordering the Shatto Blanc, Smokin' Choke, and Jackson County Democratic Club Cocktail.

The Shatto Blanc - Tito's vodka, Shatto Root Beer Milk, Yellow Chartreuse, Angostura Bitters. You could taste the slight sweetness then the vodka and chartreuse washes over with slight bitterness. Cheers to a cocktail featuring a local product.

Jackson County Democratic Club Cocktail - Rittenhouse Rye, Luxxardo, Yellow Chartreuse Lemon, Angostura Orange Bitters. Citrus with herbal notes.

Smokin' Choke - Applewood Smoked Four Roses, Cynar, Maple Syrup, Peychaud's Bitters. Slightly sweet with bitterness. Had a smoky coat with large ice block.

This bar advertises 48 seats. The seating options range from booth to bar, to high table seating. The lighting is dim. The water is served at room temperature without ice. The menu shows the glass presentation and whether or not the drink is shaken or stirred (SH versus ST). Beau/Bo (sp?) came over so we quizzed him about potential drinks. We wanted to know about the ginger profile of their syrup and whether the flavor is featured in select drinks. We inquired about the strawberry cordial and whether it would be too sweet. We asked what local liqueurs he would recommend. All the thorough responses led to: we make it in-house, we take pride in our work, it features these spices, it's in the forefront here, background here, etc. He was amazingly thorough and I appreciate that in a bartender.

Tempest - Goslings Dark Rum, Lime, Ginger Syrup, Five Pepper Infused Tequila. Ginger advertised at the forefront and delivered. Sweet citrus with ginger spice. Also comes with house made ginger candy (ask about the process. It's interesting).

La Palabra - Milagro Silver, Strawberry Cordial, Green Chartreuse, Lime. Spicy hot, can definitely smell the tequila.

Farewell to Arms - Fernet Branca, Falernum, Lime. Their Falernum is a house infused rum. A basil leaf tops the glass. Slightly sweet with warm spices including ginger. Fellow diners agreed it tasted of dark chocolate.

Port Fonda (unpictured) - Milagro Silver, Cucumber, Tomatillo, Cilantro, Serrano Peppers, Salt, Lime. Cooling cucumber in beginning then spicy pepper finish. Recommend as Manifesto's healthiest drink similar to the Green Machine.

In the midst of these drinks, our waitress asked us if we were ready for our free shots. She apologized earlier for our delays. I wondered why she waited until now and not sooner to deliver them as were into our second drinks. Was she trying to choose the timing and not us? While there, I quizzed her again about the maraschino cherries. They don't have the Italian variety and definitely don't carry the faux sugary preserved ones. They have their own whiskey infused cherries that are mainly featured in Manhattans (tart, sweet, whiskey). She graciously provided 6 for us to sample. Made me wish I ordered a Manhattan.

The house shot I think is called Stay Moist since it's close to their Stay Wet drink, but without the egg white. The shot tasted of lime, and hit with some spicy notes. Slightly tingly mouthfeel on occasions. Red chili as part of the infusion helped with that flavor profile.

Spring Menu (not readily apparent it's clickable on their site)

$11 drinks. I will probably be back here during the July 4th weekend. Well done, Manifesto. Your cocktails are liberated. I'm telling all my Colorado friends about you.

Notes: The proper entrance is in the alleyway. There is a doorbell you can ring. Also, their staff reads Yelp reviews and remembered my brother from our visit together, so I'll include the following. Manifesto, I truly enjoyed my experience here. I thought our waitress was great. She kept checking in with us, but admitted she was frantically busy with that large group. Even then, she gave us time to answer a couple questions before we ordered. I appreciate her being up front with us. The bumps we experienced were mild and did not detract from our overall experience.