LE CABRERA

After Poncelet Cheese Bar, it is high time I told you all about another great place I spotted in Madrid, Le Cabrera! Saturday night and there we were, ready to taste the avant-garde tapas of Michelin-starred chef Sergi Arola and head chef Benjamin Bensoussan as well as the notorious cocktails of mixologist Diego Cabrera.

This “gastro-coctelería”, as the Spaniards call it, is conceptually divided in two floors: the bar downstairs, where and the restaurant upstairs. The interior is smart interior, the food gorgeous food and the atmosphere relaxed. We took our seats at the communal high table (the other option being the bar where everything is cooked right in front of you) and ordered a couple of cocktails, which were exactly what we hoped for: strong and delicious!

We asked our waiter,  who was extremely kind and knowledgeable, to recommend a few dishes we should absolutely try – I have to say he did a brilliant job. We started with the pan con tomate, a deconstructed bruchetta and then tried the croquetas de jamón (creamy inside and crusty outside, the way they should be), patatas bravas (a genious reinvention of the traditional recipe), cod fritters (amazing), chicken thighs and last but not least, the bombon de carne (juicy meatballs topped with caramelized foie and truffle cream) aka the true showstopper. Although we were quite full, we still had dessert, which again didn’t dissapoint.

The whole experience was flawless – the food was inventive but still comforting and delicious, prices very reasonable and the service very efficient – we spent three good hours, yet never felt rushed. If you ever find yourselves in Madrid, don’t miss it!

INFO

Address: Calle Doña Bárbara de Braganza, 2, 28004 Madrid, Spain

Telephone: +34 913 199457

*UPDATE Sept 16: Unfortunately, Le Cabrera is now closed.*