'El Classic' Wine Dinner at Madrina Tapas
There are great restaurants in my neighbourhood, but Madrina has been my favourite since it opened in the summer. I went in for a drink with a friend after dinner the first weekend they opened, had the paprika olives and the nori and sesame coated roasted almonds and I was hooked.
So Monday night on my way home from work I saw that they were hosting a wine dinner on Tuesday I was in, I bought a ticket from my phone in the back of my Uber! A little later I convinced my friend Rikki to come to (I say convinced but it really was just a check that she wasn’t busy!).
So last night we headed there for a face off Cataonia vs Madrid - but while I enjoy watching football I was much more invested in the outcome of this!
We started with a glass of Genium Ximenis 2017. It’s a single varietal, aged in Sherry Barrels. I was a little oxidized on the nose, but it was beautiful.
It was paired with a Montadito with Fois Gras, anchovies, fried capers, and a touch of Nori.
The wine cut through the super rich fois gras and deliciously salty anchovy perfectly. I would have expected to pair something so rich with a wine that was a little more acidic, but it worked so nicely.
I should mentioned that Rikki, who came with me, has celiac (she is the owner of the amazing Wild Blue Bakery which I’ve mentioned before). I had let the restaurant know in advance and not only did they accommodate - they prepared individual dishes for her where necessary so she could enjoy the full experience. The Sesame Macaroon filled with Fois Gras that they brought for her was amazing (or at least that’s what she told me, when you only get two bites no one is expected to share!)
They also brought out a selection of cured meats with this course. Again the rich strong flavours balanced out with the wine so nicely.
Then we moved onto the Puerta de Alcala, it was a 100% Tempranillo. It was dry and a little earthy, with some notes of berries. This course came with one of the most deceptively simple dishes I’ve ever had. The Pan Amb Tomaquet. I order this every single time I come.
It shouldn’t be as good as it is. It’s bread, with tomatoes, olive oil, and salt. But the bread is somehow crisp on the outside, cloud like in the centre, and the tomatoes are so bright - with a balance of sweet and acid.
At this point I should mention that the fantastic staff were bringing out generous pours of each wine, and making the rounds and topping up people’s glasses. Unlike some wine dinners I’ve attended where you are lucky to get a 4 oz pour of anything!
They also served their own take on Patas Bravas, the potatoes are cooked Millefeuille style and topped with a sriracha bravas sauce and a wasabi aioli.
The next wine was my favourite of the night a Genium Cellar 2012 Red Crianza. It was a blend of Grenache, Carignan, Merlot, and Syrah. It was deep and complex, with a long finish. I wanted to just curl up inside the glass and live there.
This dish was also paired with two incredible dishes, the Bone Marrow Beef Tartare - which is extraordinary. The first time I ordered it my dinner companion and I were disappointed that we had ordered anything else to come after it. It is so well balanced, the warm rich marrow and the cool slightly acidic bite of the tartare. It makes so much sense in hind sight, but go there - eat it. I promise you won’t be disappointed.
The second dish is the Sous Vide Octopus, served with Curried Hummus. The octopus is perfectly tender, and finished on the grill so it’s got a little char on it giving subtle bitter notes to the dish. The hummus is smooth and creamy, with just enough curry to make the flavour of the octopus really pop. It’s served under a glass cloche full of smoke, which adds the subtlest smoky notes to the whole thing.
We finished the evening with a glass of Juan Rojo 2010 Bodega Matarredonda, a Tempranillo from Toro which had a lovely nose on it, and deep notes of chocolate and blackberry on the palate. This was paired with some dessert croquetas - rice pudding coated in breadcrumbs and carbon, crisp and creamy, a fun cap on a great night.
