Solo de croquettes: your new favorite bar in Madrid
It is clear that the best croquettes (like everything that has to do with good eating) are, or were, those of our grandmothers. Who has not attacked, arriving home late at night, the cold dough, waiting to be empanadas the next day? Whatever the purists say, spoonfuls of bechamel –things from the RAE– is a delicacy.
But if there is something that we like almost as much as the antediluvian croquettes of egg and ham or leftovers from the stew, it is being able to choose between dozens of types to satisfy our croquetera curiosity.
Once that phase that a good friend baptized as "the dictatorship of the boletus croquette" has been overcome, it is time to revisit the classics of Spanish cuisine, beyond the oxtail croquette or baby squid in its ink. It was time.
Croqueteros of the world: this is your temple
“Can you imagine a cachopo croquette?” With this innocent question, Edward Gambero –Partner and co-creator of ** Solo de croquetas ** – planted, without even knowing it, the seed of his new project.
They were traveling in Asturias, eating, of course, cachopo. And croquettes. Because, as he tells us, it doesn't matter where they go: they always ask for them. That is how Gambero, along with Javier del Moral , from Madrid and friends since they were 3 years old and who have been undertaking together since they were 19, extravagant flavors began to be invented for this specialty that is so much ours. And they left there with the idea of setting up a bar with croquette representation from each Autonomous Community.
A few months ago they got down to work and their occurrence is already a reality (and very profitable): 'Solo de croquetas' has on the menu more than 27 different croquettes, all suitable for celiacs, and sells more than 5,000 a week –“a logistical challenge that has exceeded our expectations”, he assures–. There is nothing like coming up.
you will lose count
Our three favorites? Sobrassada with Mahón cheese –we were always very fond of eating Menorca in small bites–, the black pudding with apple and the goat roll with candied peppers.
“If we add the cachopo, the ones that are most successful coincide with your tastes. As for sweets, the undisputed winner is the Oreo with white chocolate, followed closely by the cheesecake”.
Although you can't leave there without trying the rice pudding. It will remind you a lot of the traditional fried milk, typical of central and northern Spain. Did you also know that rice pudding is precisely the first Spanish croquette of which there is written evidence in a recipe ?
because really the origin of the croquettes is French (croquant means “crunchy”) : they were introduced by our neighbors when they invaded us, at the time of Napoleon.
Sobrassada with Mahón cheese, black pudding with apple, goat roll... which one is your favourite?
Faced with such a potpourri of options, and It is normal that some do not gel among the clientele. Gambero himself acknowledges this: “We have had to remove some flavors because they have not been as well received as we expected, as the Galician octopus croquette, which we changed for the Galician empanada croquette", he comments.
"Our menu is always in continuous evolution and we are adding or eliminating according to the opinions of the clients", he continues. When we ask them what will be next (although it may not seem like it, the croquettes go a long way), he tells us that They are working on more international flavors and croquettes with alcohol. But they are still just experiments.
For now, you can start by ordering one of **their 27 different flavors or choose one of their 3 croquette tastings (one of them vegan)** to try almost all of them.
Our advice is that you complete the croquetera experience with the wine pairing that they propose or with any of their alcohol macerates : they call them ' Crocktails' and they already have vodka with red fruits, gin with basil and cucumber, rum with lime, chili pepper and cinnamon or whiskey with almonds and raisins.
27 types of booth croquettes, will you be able to try them all?
Another of his hallmarks is its commitment to also satisfy croquette-loving celiacs: “From our experience in other gastronomic projects, we know that the percentage of clients with food intolerances is increasing.
From the beginning we wanted to create a gluten-free croquette, but after several tests we decided to apply it to all of them. before the opening we do many blind tastings with large groups of friends in which they had to assess each element of the croquettes.
Surprisingly, most chose the gluten-free batter , so we saw it clearly: we decided to make them all like this to also avoid cross-contamination”. Yes indeed: the batter is part of their secret formula and they haven't revealed it to us, but they mainly use cornstarch.
They also don't leave out those who are lactose intolerant or vegans, since they have also created croquettes without cow's milk: the manchego pisto, the Murcian zarangollo or the Rioja stew, the brownie or the vegan white chocolate They are part of their (appetizing) special croquette tasting for vegans.
And in case you are left wanting more (which is very likely), watch out for their ** frozen croquettes at home .**
Ramón Gómez de la Serna already said that “The croquettes should have a bone so that we can keep track of what we eat” . He assumes that here you will lose her.
Address: Calle de Echegaray 5, Madrid See map
Telephone: 618 268 072
Schedule: From Monday to Thursday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.; Friday and Saturday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 7:30 p.m. to 2:00 a.m.; Sundays from 1:30 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. and from 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Half price: €20