Ask food (a.k.a delivery) at home was the medicine reserved to appease hard-earned hangovers the night before. That or the excuse to quell those intense cravings only resolved based on guilty pleasures and, of course, extensively caloric.**
Pizzas from large franchises or battle Chinese food** was what we knew as delivery... and it wasn't even called that until recently, it was enough to call it "food delivery" or "food to go" . But, like everything that has happened to us lately, nothing is the same in this section of the gastronomic universe, which has led restaurants to change , from one day to the next and at full speed, its offer and formats to adapt them to our homes.
Wood ear salad.
The Don Lay restaurant, in the Barrio de Salamanca and a legendary restaurant in the capital for 18 years, when it opened in Paseo de Extremadura, joins this cause with Don Lay Home, its new delivery and take away service.
It was last summer when this Madrid legend, run by Nieves Ye -also owner of the Wan Run Asian food factory and distributor-, reopened its doors after four years of closure, so It hasn't even been a year since he started talking about his Chinese haute cuisine with dishes such as its already famous lacquered duck or extensive dim sum menu.
"The nice thing about having a restaurant is to see if the customers are well, if they enjoy the food and the atmosphere... greet them" , Nieves tells us when we ask her if this transition to the new sales and customer service modality has been difficult for her. "It is not that it is difficult or easy, this is not exactly our dream but we have done it with great care," she continues.
For it, They chose the dishes that are most suitable for being transported –in ecological packaging– putting together a much shorter menu than what they usually offer, but equally effective, with dishes like the refreshing "wood ear" mushroom salad with garlic, cilantro and spicy sauce; its delicate (and handmade) dim sum boletus and pork hakao; or steamed stuffed with succulent Cantonese pork.
Venere wild rice, one of the dishes available in Don Lay's new "to go" or "at home" format.
In the rice section, the impeccable sautéed black rice with vegetables, prawns and pork . Cantonese eggplant in sauce also makes a star appearance, along with meats like spicy kung pao chicken. Its acclaimed lacquered duck has not managed to enter the letter , leaving it as an incentive for when they reopen.
They also have more than a dozen wine references , from Jerez to Champagne passing through Galicia, Germany or El Bierzo and they will give away a bottle of Bodegas Cvne to all those who pick up their orders directly at the premises.
"We believe that the first or second week of June, obviously it will be as soon as they leave us. When we do, we will make sure to have the premises completely disinfected. We will also take advantage and launch several new, healthy and delicious dishes, by then", he tells us happily. Nieves when we asked about the opening.
Meanwhile, waiting is made easier by your own drivers , as well as his presence on platforms such as Uber Eats and Glovo.
Don Lay
Address: Calle Castelló, 117 See map
Telephone: Orders on the phone 910 916 319, both to pick up and to order at home. They have their own delivery guys but you will also find them at Uber Eats.
Schedule: Delivery and Take Away: Thursday to Sunday from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 8:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.