"Whoever has magic, does not need tricks." It sounds like a cliché (because it is), but it is one of those recurrent phrases that come to mind when you step on a corner as special as The Santoria .
**Do not doubt your orientation or fight with Google Maps ** and enter without fear in that small wine cellar of the Lope de Vega Street : the cocktail bar you are looking for is found behind the black velvet curtain What is inside.
"I get sick of being here putting two ice cubes into the rum cola" Nathy Peluso
All that white light that has received you upon entering will be transformed into dim light, background music and pictures of virgins and saints , a combination that will inevitably cause you to let out some kind of exclamation (“wow!” was mine) .
Mariano Amor and Bernardo Bongiovanni Novinic are to blame for this kitschy decor , two porteños who met in Buenos Aires and decided to bring their knowledge of mixology and **their good vibes to Madrid** last August.
“I went to ** Paris ** and once there I started talking to Mariano about this project. In January we took a trip in which we visited different cities in Spain: ** Bilbao , San Sebastián , Santander , Barcelona and Madrid .** The first idea was Bilbao, but we really liked the Madrid atmosphere ”, confesses Bernardo.
“One day we passed by a hawaiian bar and we saw that people had an affinity with this type of themed and colorful aesthetics. We wanted something more fun and that's how we came up with the idea of The Santoria ”, he points out.
Mariano comes from the world of fashion, but both have experience as mixologists. And even though It is the first time that they give life to their own business , that they form a perfect tandem is indisputable. “We are very different faces of the same project but we complement each other very well ”, he points out.
You won't be able to stop looking at the walls
"As usual, if a bartender creates a cocktail bar, he does it for a specialized public . For this reason, we wanted to give it a different air and play with the card ”, explains Mariano to Traveler.es.
“Interior design is also part of the magic. We sought to create a place where whoever enters can escape from the world. People friendly, dim lighting, interesting and different decoration, background music...”, says Mariano.
A sweet cocktail? the path opener
He even suggests that they can put the song you like, and, I don't know why, at that moment I have a clear idea of the perfect soundtrack for this peculiar scenario: ** 'Alabame' by Argentina's Nathy Peluso.**
“We are Latinos and we have been thinking about what represents us culturally. superstition, santeria -Afro-American religion, typical of countries like Cuba , which received Yoruba slaves in colonial times - and also Christianity” Mariano explains to Traveler.es.
because to a bar You don't just go to "drink rich", but every detail must be taken care of to get a "transformative experience" , which in La Santoría begins as soon as you enter, when its mystical aura surrounds you, and ends when you choose your cocktail.
“You suffer but how you enjoy it”, reads the letter. And inside? concoctions that they are pure holy water , or at least that's what they claim, since each one is designed to to solve a problem or to make a wish come true.
"Love spells"
"The potions are all real, Latin people use them in their day to day **(in oils, candles, soaps)** to eliminate bad energies”, Mariano tells us. “Santeria is festive , you do not ask the figure on the altar to exempt you from your guilt, on the contrary, you celebrate with her ”, he points out.
Come to me, Overcome everything, Amansa handsome, Seven powers... You will not be able to opt for one so easily, that is why the creators of it recommend some: “Guardian Angel, Moon Water, Sete ondos and Attracts Luck are the news of this last week. But, without a doubt, **the star is the Road Opener (€8)**”, they explain.
What are the ingredients of the latter? Vodka, red fruits, ginger, lime and honey. Although, of course, its remedy is also a decisive factor when choosing to taste this soft and fruity broth (served in a small goblet) : It will help you find open doors in everything you long for.
**To purify the soul, don't hesitate to ask for Florida Water (€8)**, an intense and powerful spiritual cleanser, with floral notes and presented in a glass bottle.
And for those who suffer from lovesickness, **Stay with me (€8) **, for example, helps to enhance the couple's passion. The components to fuel the passion? Rum, coconut, Sherry wine, lime and gold.
On the other hand, they also have proposals for abstainers, such as Just for me (€6), "so that he wants me more than he already wants me" , a cocktail made with spiced horchata, chamomile and orange; o **Moon water (€6) **, a concoction of aloe vera, lime, mint and soda that promotes rapprochement.
Florida water to purify the spirit
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
To celebrate the Christmas , Mariano and Bernardo have created a temporary letter based on those christmas movies that evoke our childhood.
If you need to sweeten your palate, **Only at home (€10) ** is a good option: vodka, nougat, roses and sponge cake cream. For those who prefer more citrus flavors, **Grinch (8€) ** is a safe bet. His recipe? Gin, mint, aloe vera, lime and ginger.
And if you are looking to try something totally different, taste Nightmare before Christmas (8€), spicy and fruity . A contrast that they have achieved by mixing whiskey, mango and spices.
On the other hand, when they have been fully installed, they intend to organize monthly events , like a DJ+tarot session, which, as revealed to us will take place in January.
cozy to rage
WHY GO
From the experience to the taste of the cocktails, passing through a close service. The question would be: why not go?
In ** La Santoría ** they look at details as banal as wearing a moon hanging from your neck: "I want you to tell me the story, just yesterday we made a cocktail that we baptized as Agua de luna", Mariano told me as soon as I entered.
Bernardo and Mariano, creators of La Santoría
There are places where you feel at home , and this is one of them. Will it be the decoration? The energies? Who knows, what is certain is that Mariano and Bernardo exude sympathy, and that always sinks in.
Drink a beer, a cocktail, a soft drink, a wine or whatever you like. “The important thing is that you are comfortable and that you have fun” , conclude the owners of La Santoría . Amen.
Blessed Santoria!