El Columpio (8.5/10)

El Columpioelcolumpiopicmonkey-collage

  • Address: 28010, Calle de Caracas, 10, 28010 Madrid
  • Atmosphere: I LOVED this restaurant for their design. Seriously….#housedesigngoals     Warm lights, black steel, mirrors, distressed wood, hanging plants and turquoise accents.  A great place for a romantic dinner or for a night out with friends.  Also, it was big, so plenty of room!
  • Type of food:  Your typical gastro bar.  A mix of meats and fishes, pizza, burgers, pasta, rice, and lots of twists on traditional Spanish fare.  The menu is short, so it makes it easy to choose.  HERE is the menu.
  • What we ordered:  Taco de ternera con salsa chipotle (beef tacos with chipotle salsa) and a half portion of alcachofa a la plancha con romescu (grilled artichoke hearts with romesco) and pargo al horno con patata panadera y vinagreta de manzana (oven-baked white fish with breaded potatoes and an apple vinaigrette).  The meal also comes with bread and a huuuuuuuuuuuuuuge bucket of french butter.  I’m not kidding, they put a bucket on your table.  My favorite dish was the artichoke hearts by far.  They were tender and perfectly salted.  The tacos and fish were both good dishes, but nothing to write home about in my opinion.  Loved that butter, though 😉
  • Tips:  Make a reservation.  The restaurant is large, but it was completely full.  ALSO.  Be sure to ask for a table in the main dining area, as they have this “middle” area kind of in the hallway.  We were originally seated there, but asked to move.
  • Would I recommend it?:  Yes, absolutely.
  • Would I go back?:  Yes.  I’m not kidding, I loved the decor enough to just hang out in there 😉

Rating: 8.5/10 for food, 10/10 for atmosphere.