The last open secret of the Madrid neighborhood
They brought us the port to Madrid and such audacity, added of course to the year that they have been making us enjoy with their traveling and seafood cuisine , has been worth Loco Antonelli's Tavern The distinction Bib Gourmand of the ** Michelin Guide Spain and Portugal 2020 .**
“Since 1581” pray the poster Loco Antonelli's Tavern , in the heart of Chamberí, a few meters from the Plaza de Olavide. And no, they haven't been there since 1581 nor have they gone that crazy. The date is one more nod to that "crazy" who was asked to borrow the name: Juan Bautista Antonelli, the enlightened man who imagined a Madrid with a port.
“El Loco Antonelli was an Italian engineer hired by Philip II to build some canals that went from the Atlantic to Manzanares, widen the Tagus and build a port in Madrid to bring merchandise and gold by water, because the railway did not yet exist and very little arrived by road”, he explains. the chef Sergio Mange Reyes that the madness of the 16th century has been taken very seriously.
Fish and seafood, of course, are the kings
“This is our tribute to its history and that is why we say that we are the first seafood tavern in the port of Madrid”.
Fish and seafood, of course, are the kings in La taberna del Loco Antonelli, which began as a stall in the La Chispería market in Chamberí. ** A project between the chef of Mexican origin Sergio Mange Reyes and the cooker 3dePulpo. His proposal in the market grew by word of mouth until he realized that they needed a larger space, more kitchen and a place where his unique personality would be transmitted in dishes and decoration.
“The concept is port cuisine, very traveler which is mainly dedicated to seasonal fish of very good quality, always trying to bring a very good product at a reasonable price”, Sergio tells. They save the white tablecloths and the luxuries of classic fish restaurants to invest everything in good products and creativity.
"We don't like to talk about fusion, we talk about mixing cultures," he explains. “As we are port cuisine, as soon you can have a dish from Singapore as well as from the south of Mexico, from Galicia, the Canary Islands, the Basque Country, Cádiz…”.
His creations change according to what the sea brings
And he goes a little further in his creations that can change every day, depending on what the sea brings, like when you are in port. “We have dishes that They mix traditional Madrid cuisine with seafood, like the hake cheeks with tripe sauce and fried egg, or like the hake bravas, or the hake with white beans, snout and leg of veal”.
Although every day you can find new dishes on his menu, there are some that will always be there, which are classics by Sergio and Loco Antonelli, such as his bravas potatoes, veal cheeks with crab foam and curry (because yes, there is also part of the land in appetizers and main dishes) , the ceviche (“An immovable”) and, of course, octopus dishes (“Like octopus with potato foam or with red mojo”) and of hake, “because it is a fish that you find all year round”. And it is always first class hake that Sergio chooses piece by piece.
“We fight every day with suppliers so that what comes through the door is always the best. The hake only comes from the Port of Pasajes, in the Basque Country. It is one of our star products”, he explains. One of the dishes that is always on the menu is his reinterpretation of the classic Orio hake, turning the refried garlic, chilli, oil and vinegar into a meringue. “It is a traditional cuisine that has been reinvented a bit or taken to our times.”
WHY GO
Because it has become a favorite of the residents of Chamberí. They wouldn't even want us to tell so that it would continue to be his secret. But…
Traditional cuisine a little reinvented or brought to our times
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Two important. On the one hand, your uninterrupted schedule. Although the kitchen is only open for lunch and dinner, the bar directed by Rubén Lorenzo It is open with beers, good selection of wines, cocktails and snacks.
For another, the decoration of the premises: designed by Flavia Castano, with hand drawn drawings Jair Leal and all kinds of souvenirs that have been brought back from trips and antique shops, no detail is free or just an accessory.
*Article published on 10/23/2018 and updated with the 2020 Michelin Guide.
No detail is free or just an accessory
Address: Calle de Olid, 15 See map
Telephone: 91 277 74 89
Schedule: From Tuesday to Saturday from 11:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Sunday from 12:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Closed Monday.
Half price: €35-40