Sirloin taco with chimichurri.
You meet for a few beers in the afternoon, without realizing it, night has fallen, the main food has been barley and those varied tapas... but hunger strikes and with the laughter of the reunion it has suddenly become so late that the kitchens are already closed .
It's midnight, the witching hour, and the options to kill that worm and continue the party are very restricted or very dominated by teenage and university packs. To do?
** Zampa, the new restaurant** (that's what they're called, not a restaurant), in the central and traditional neighborhood of Chamberí, is presented as a solution to those unexpected messes: from Tuesday to Saturday, its kitchen is open until two in the morning.
In fact, on weekends, when it opens at one in the afternoon, you can start with an appetizer and end up there, without realizing it, at five in the morning after having passed through each of its three spaces and three cards.
You start having a quiet dinner...
“We have been very much into bars, very much into the street, leaving work and going for a drink, being in trouble,” acknowledges Darío Perera, one of the five founding partners, one of those us, of those friends that they had had enough of this Madrid full of gastronomy options, full of new proposals and concepts, but in which “you have to spend 50 euros and you don't always eat well”, he says.
“We wanted a place for people like us, who go out frequently and don't want to leave their salary”, he continues. "A place in Madrid where you can eat well until late and continue with drinks until later."
… and you end up drinking until five in the morning.
Zampa opens weekdays at 7pm and closes at two. On weekends it starts at 1pm and stays until five, and its kitchen stays open until two. For all those schedules and those audiences, perhaps different, they have created three spaces: the bar, the area with high tables and the area with low tables. Y three cards: the room (the low tables) , the bar (only for the bar and high tables) and the late dinner one, for the laggards or those who want to dine.
In the first, the room, highlights the meat section that prepares the Argentine chef and grill in sight (special mention to the entrails, of course), although there are also dishes of those so popular today, such as grilled octopus, poached egg with truffled parmentier, steak tartare, artichokes... varied and well thought out to share .
Roast beef sandwich, for a hungry late dinner.
The bar one is faster bites, sandwiches, hot and cold skewers, like the bag of camembert with black pudding or the egg bomb, a special request from Darío, who always had to go eat it whenever he went to Vitoria. "The three menus have many dishes of our personal taste, of things that we have known around there and that we like, and also of dishes that we know that people like today," confirms Perera.
They have called the late dinner one the one with "Kill the worm" is available from midnight to two in the morning ("If we saw that there is demand, perhaps we can expand it," concedes Darío) , and collects the recipes of finger food of the other two, sandwiches, hamburgers, muffins and some more elaborate dishes, such as shredded chicken in its own juices or salmon en papillote.
"The idea was to create balanced menus in which everyone felt welcome and could find something they like," says Perera. “For groups, as a couple, for vegetarians, vegans…”.
Early or late snacks.
And with such long hours, its policy is to "align itself with the state of the venue and the public at all times". If there are more people at the bar and drinks, the lights will go down and the music will go up, although in the room they will still be able to continue dining quietly with light and soft music. “We adapt to the situation and the client”, insist. "Zampa is a place to have fun, to laugh and be at ease, to enjoy life, your free time with peace and love."
One of his star dishes already.
WHY GO
Because you no longer have to kill the worm at dawn with a reheated piece of pizza, or go to bed hungry.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Although perfect for different occasions, the offer for groups It is very well thought out, due to the space itself and the menu with ideal dishes to share. In addition, they organize and prepare the event to measure.
Address: C/ Covarrubias, 24 See map
Telephone: 91 180 63 41
Schedule: From Tuesday to Thursday from 19 to 2H. Friday to Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m.
Additional schedule information: Closed Monday
Half price: €25