Praise be to the smoke that gives us such juicy meats
Six years ago they opened Mad Café, with “ quality American cuisine ”. Next came Mad Grill, more burgers and ribs, crispy chicken, potato salad. Now they only had to take one more step in the t Yankee carnivorous radiation , the definitive step: the barbecues. Ignacio Lliso, Martin Garcia and Juan Bottle they grew up in American schools, between the United States and Spain. Loving its culture, but above all its gastronomic culture. That's why they set up Mad Café and Mad Grill and they did so well that they were offered to set up franchises. "But we didn't want to set up a chain," says Juan Botella at the door of the restaurant that they did want to set up, Jimbo Smokehouse . A smoke barbecue place, where the first class meat is cooked very slowly between specific woods.
Here we have come for the meat
"Three years ago I took a trip through all the typical southern barbecues, the one in Kansas, Texas...", continues Juan Botella. And Jimbo ended up coming out of there. “ Texas barbecue, we only use onion and garlic powder, and it is the most complicated because it is not cooked with sauces, so if it goes wrong there is nothing to cover it ”. But you don't need the sauces. Only if you want to add some spice, on the large communal wooden tables there are boats with the three types of sauce that they make there too.
Three sauces with own recipe
Although it is best to eat it without wetting it to appreciate all the nuances of the wood between the that has been done very slowly . “For the pork we use more fruit woods , from cherry trees to pear trees, for the cow, others drier, harder, like oak, which is the most typical”.
At the entrance, behind an iron gate, which they have designed themselves Like the rest of the place, the smell of smoke invades you and whets your appetite. But watch out, you won't get out of there going up in smoke. That is the secret of a good barbecue.
The letter behind bars
In their menu, they offer the typical cuts of the United States: the brisket, marinated with spices; the pulled pork , marinated with brown sugar and spices; and the pork ribs seasoned with chili powder and spices and slathered in homemade barbecue sauce . "But we don't want to make an exact copy of what we do there either," explains Juan Botella. “We add our ideas, that's why the idea is to change the cuts and meats. Add Spanish cuts that we love, like the secret. And we will add hunting when the time is right”.
“ The good thing is that with smoke you can do everything . We hot smoke all meats, but we also cold smoke which is more typical of the Nordic countries,” he continues. And so do the fish. Like the sardine sandwich that is currently on the menu . Or the cheeses.
Texas beef
Nor have they neglected a fundamental part of any barbecue: the the sides or accompaniments . And here yes, they have put typical American: pickles (or sweet and sour gherkins), coleslaw, potato, mac n'cheese, baked beans, corn on the cob...
In Jimbo there are no reservations , you arrive you sit down, you get up and order food on one side or drink on the other. “We have 10 faucets of beer , two will always be from our own brewery and the rest will change,” he says. And, in addition, there are bottles and glasses. "Our idea is that people have a good time, sit where they want, eat, drink and do what they want, as long as they want, that they have a good time without being told what to do". At their indoor tables or on the terrace that they will have in the months of good weather.
And in closing…” Donut ice cream and s'more ”. The mythical toasted clouds, like in American movies.
craft beer
IN DATA
Address: Plaza Descubridor Diego de Ordás, 4 (Next to Santa Engracia, 120 - Metro Ríos Rosas)
Telephone: 910 00 55 40
Schedule: from Sunday to Thursday 13:00-00:00; friday and saturday 13:00-1:00
reservations are not allowed
Follow @irenecrespo\_
And for dessert... donut ice cream