Provencal facade in a traditional neighborhood.
A French bistro in a traditional neighborhood. This is how Le Bistroman is summed up in very broad strokes. A classic of Gallic cuisine in a classic setting in Madrid. Near Opera, in the heart of Madrid de los Austrias. It may be because in Madrid we lacked a quality French proposal, it may be that it draws attention from its very green façade, it may be that we want to eat quietly and well, but Le Bistroman Atelier, the project of hotelier Miguel Ángel García Marinelli and chef Stéphane del Río It has made a hole in just a few weeks.
Marinelli, already known in the city because he was one of those responsible for making Asian cuisine really known to us, at Café Saigón, Dragon, the Chinese at Villa Magna, fulfills with Le Bistroman “a vital dream or goal”, he says. "I always wanted to open a French bistro in Madrid."
L'onglet de veal or the queen's bite.
After several years managing Le Bistroman in Marbella, where he also runs Hot Bao, he decides to bring the name and part of the concept to Madrid. "We have kept the same name so that both benefit, but in Madrid we have the Atelier version, smaller, more careful, and a gastronomic kitchen”, bill.
That sophisticated twist, to a large extent, was marked by the place itself. "It conditioned us to do something finer, it has capacity for 40 diners, the one in Marbella, 80, here it is on the street... It has inspired us to do something more sophisticated.” explains Marinelli, born in Spain, because his parents were here on vacation, but educated and trained in France and a new Spanish resident for 25 years.
The bouillabaisse, rescuing timeless recipes.
The sophistication is felt as you cross the threshold of the premises. “Warm, Provençal and quality” were the three guidelines given to the interior designer Javier Erlanz, who translated it into exposed brick, green velvets, welcoming light.
Marinelli himself took charge of the table: linen tablecloth, silver cutlery, Limoges crockery, Riedel glassware… “I wanted a quality table, comfortable, it is what the client touches, and with what he is in contact, it is what transmits the quality in accordance with the high gastronomic offer”, he justifies.
And in the culinary proposal, although he was always clear that it would be “a rather radical French cuisine”, he also had to see the premises. "We always wanted to be French, but being a small place, it invited us to another level of sophistication of the menu, of complexity, to make a more category cuisine, a shorter, seasonal menu".
Cozy elegance of Provence.
Stéphane del Río, also Franco-Spanish, is the one who has written this letter full of great recipes from the Gallic kitchens. They call it radical, because they mix almost nothing, it's all very French. they play in “a conservative league, but complex to execute”, explains Marinelli, who, in addition, feed mainly from French producers ("90% comes from there," he says). “All the wines are French, the vermouth is French, the bread and butter we bring from France”, list him.
Where is a good croissant...
In addition, he was also clear that he wanted to follow a trend. “My family from France is from the Nice area, I wanted a very Provençal influence” , he clarifies. “We have classic Burgundian dishes, like scargots (with butter and herbs) or something more Norman with butter; but let's say that there is a trend, and especially in summer because it lends itself more, to a more Mediterranean cuisine from France”.
Among the Provençal dishes: they have the pissaladiere, “which is a pizza, made with grilled sardine pasta coca, with anchovies and black olives and candied onion”; now you have courgette flowers stuffed with cod brandade; a nisarda or niçoise salad with tuna marinated in basil, a vegetable pie with marinated sardines; the queen's onglet or morsel; the bouillabaisse, "very Marseille". "Let's say the letter is French, but it leans towards the south of France”, he summarizes.
Stéphane del Río doing the magic.
And so it will continue, although they have many recipes in the chamber that will come out following three golden rules that have been marked. "That the product is of the highest quality, seasonal and that it is a French recipe”.
This is how Marinellí fulfills his dream, which has an even better ending: “This is the first part, the second would be to open a Spanish restaurant in Paris…”.
The Niçoise salad, another classic from the south of France.
WHY GO
For the pissaladiere, for the bouillabaisse, l'onglet and for the desserts, the strawberries from Majarama, the Tarte Tatin...
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
The wine list: 60 references, all French, between bubbles, reds, whites, rosés, sweets and even vermouth. The country pate as an appetizer they prepare it in the kitchen.
Baba au rhum!
The cuisine.
Address: Calle Amnesty, 10 See map
Telephone: 91 447 27 13
Schedule: Every day from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Half price: €60