There is nothing that you like more in Madrid than a 'lifetime tavern' like DisTinto.
If there is a sugarcane street in Madrid that is Jesus Street. We refer to cañera in the literal sense, to the place where to go to drink a good pint of beer, well thrown with its foam that remains trapped in the mustaches.
** Los Gatos, Cervantes ** (Plaza Jesús, 7) or The Dolores Tavern _(Plaza Jesús, 4) _ have always been in the 'birreros' rankings of the people of Madrid.
The news is that now, among them, Less than two months ago, an attractive black sheep has emerged: DisTinto, which, as you have already guessed with your sharp intuition (wink, wink, nudge, nudge), is specialized in wines.
In terms of wines, let yourself be advised by Ángel and Iván, owners of DisTinto.
Its owners are Ángel and Iván and they bring with them the credentials of many years in the industry, a lot of work and many merits under their arms. The oldest of them is having run Il Bambino, that restaurant in Vallecas that continues to be the most secret address for wine lovers and where they go punctually to look for the very latest gins, the most remote rums or whiskeys from the new Malt distillery... Always at moderate prices.
WINES
Master distillers, approved sherry trainers, mixologists, sommeliers... whatever they put in your Angel and Iván glass it will not be by chance. "Here we wanted to make a modern tavern focused on quality wine and differentiate ourselves from the rest of the locals in the area," explains Iván.
“In DisTinto you can find many appellations of origin, many wines (around 300), national and international varieties, from the Sherry... What we want is that they cannot be obtained in large areas so that the client comes to try new things, from small wineries, something special”.
The good news is that they won't shake your pocket here either, because the prices of drinks are between €2.5 and €5; champagne is around €7 and sherry between €3 and €10.
DisTinto offers piparras in season and there are always individual tortillas on the menu.
FOODS
To accompany comes the second part of the name: Tavern. I mean, the food. Everything here is based on tapas and portions to share, at the bar and at the table: “A classic gastronomy of a lifetime, but with a bit of Japanese fusion and always with very good raw materials”, in the words of Iván.
Among the most recommended options of DisTinto: the red tuna tartar on lime with chipotle mayonnaise marinated in sesame soybean oil, the fried rabbit chops, the roasted squid on a layer of sticky rice (Murcian cauldron type) or the sardines in their point of salt.
In season, special proposals are included, such as piparras, and the menu always includes individual omelettes (onion, truffle and mushroom, cod...), slightly curdled and just right, and some nods to the Madrid tradition in dishes such as ear rolls with brava sauce.
If you have a sweet tooth, try the Forbidden Garden, a dessert that, in addition to being pretty (presented in a fishbowl), works on the palate: base of sweet milk mousse, chocolate ground and nuts and Greek yogurt ice cream accompanied by edible flowers.
Among the specialties of DisTinto are the roasted squid on a layer of sticky rice or the sardines in their point of salt.
WHAT'S MORE...
And yes, they also have beer here, and some very interesting ones, such as the one that is aged in Oloroso barrels in Jerez or the Armonía craft beer, made with Tempranillo.
There is also no lack of vermouth or delicious preserves: razor clams, mussels, ventresca, cockles… from Ramón Franco and Espinaler (sauce included).
And although, at first, they did not plan to do any cocktails (especially when in this area we have great cocktail temples such as Salmón Guru , El decadente and el nuevo Santos ), you can start the meal with some classics, a Negroni, an American..., and finish with a 'very small' sample of the Il Bambino collection: for now 20 gins, 15 rums and a good handful of whiskeys, tequilas...
You won't find the wines served at DisTinto in large stores.
Address: Duque de Medinaceli, 12, Madrid See map
Schedule: From 12 to 24h; weekends from 12 to 1h.
Half price: €30