Facade of The Fish Man.
Delwar Mozumder, Indian businessman, opened his first restaurant in Madrid in 2008, Fathe Pur. Determined to bring the best cuisine from his country, after that he inaugurated purnima (2014) and Bengaluru (2017). But with his arrival in Spain he also fell in love with the cuisine here and began to think about mergers and "to relate the Spanish product with the Indian cuisine".
It is precisely on his trips to the north, to Cantabria, “a very special place with sea and mountains”, where this idea begins to take shape. “I especially like very much Santander and its gastronomy where the protagonist is always a fresh, natural and quality product”, he explains he. “When I travel and try this cuisine, it is where the idea of merging the two cuisines and experimenting with it comes to me”.
Beef Tikka Masala.
thus was born The Fish Man. “Indian cuisine is full of spices, colors and in Cantabrian cuisine, fresh and quality products predominate. My concept is based on unite the spices of Indian cuisine with the product of the north, where countless different dishes with a unique mixture of flavors arise”, he comments and details examples, such as the Tudanca meatballs cooked with a tikka masala. "The result is a spectacular flavor since the meat is of exquisite quality and the flavor is different when accompanied by korma, coconut, saffron and dried fruits”, he assures. **“A combination that has never been tried before”. **
The R odaballo tandoori , accompanied by spicy rice, is another of the characteristic dishes of this unexpected fusion. As the scorpion fish cake with curry mayonnaise, Santoña smoked sardines in butter naan or the cod croquette with ginger emulsion.
The menu will change each season. "Cooler dishes in summer, hotter in winter, always based on the products that the land offers us each season," continues Mozumder. There are vegetarian options, gluten-free dishes and a variety of recipes that fuse the two cuisines at different levels, for those who want to risk more or who prefer to go to the best known.
Cod croquettes with ginger emulsion.
Thus, there is a Cantabrian menu with squid tails, with hake with clams in green sauce or grilled sea bass; a Indian menu with typical dishes such as butter chicken, veal madras, different naans… And, finally, the fusion menu and a tasting menu in which you can do complete trip from Cantabria to India, with three starters and three mains, such as the tuna tartare with tikka masala or the sautéed sirloin steak with vegetables and red curry. And for dessert, one of the stars of this gastronomic friendship: the quesada pasiega with cheese ice cream.
And why that name? The Fish Man is a legend from the north of Spain, which ended up convincing Mozumder of this merger. “On one of my trips to Cantabria I was told the story of this wonderful mythological being and his journey from the north to the south of Spain and how no one knew anything about him until he appeared in the Bay of Cádiz after being seen for the last time, five years before, submerging in the Miera river”, he relates. "There are several versions of how he got there and survived this long journey, including one where he was sighted in the seas of the Indian Ocean." That's why his logo is a fish head, in homage to The Fish Man, with an original turban from India. And, for this reason, in the decoration of the restaurant they combine the marine details with exotic Indian luxury and the importance of light.
Sobao toast with cinnamon ice cream.
El Hombre Pez was one of those restaurants that opened in Madrid just a few weeks before 2020 took a turn never imagined. But, as for so many others, the break after the quarantine has meant a strong comeback, with all security measures in living room and terrace. “We know that it will be difficult, not only for us but in general in the hospitality industry, in Spain and in the world. But this break has been very good for us to create new things”, explains Delwar Mozumder. “Our chef has been coming up with new recipes and combinations, turning around the way of presenting our dishes and, now, we are convinced that they turn out even better than before, so we are left with this positive part”.
The fish from The Fish Man.
WHY GO
Because you would never have imagined this union and we always need more pleasant surprises.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Terrace and cocktails. Outdoor space on Calle Velázquez, open all day, like its bar with fancy cocktails.
Cantabrian-Indian signature cocktails.
Address: Calle de Velázquez, 102 See map
Telephone: 91 058 80 01
Schedule: Monday to Sunday with two shifts for lunch and dinner on the terrace. Uninterrupted bar hours.
Half price: €40