RavioXO arrives, David Muñoz's tribute to universal pasta and dumplings

It's been 15 years now -and it seems as if it were yesterday- since a young David (today, Dabiz for his multiple 'fans') Muñoz arrived from London to open a humble little place there by Bravo Murillo, the first DiverXO, which has been without doubt his only opening that has not been surrounded by tremendous expectation: nobody knew the cook who had just soaked up Chinese cuisine at Hakkasan.

Of course, the press discovered it very soon, and the clientele flocked.

Since then, each of his new initiatives - he has shown both entrepreneurial spirit and culinary talent - has provoked a following 'crescendo', and on Monday the 16th comes the opening of RavioXO in a climate of genuine fascination.

The successive StreetXO bars, from that initial and modest one in El Corte Inglés in Callao, DiverXO's moves to places with a growing range, the GoXO home delivery service, the 'food trucks' with hot dogs and hamburgers different from everything... and now what is presented as a more affordable little brother, but

, from DiverXO.

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This chronicler, along with several other groups of amateurs and professionals, had the good fortune to get a first idea of ​​the restaurant, its philosophy and its results on the plate during

.

So let's start with the good news: the cuisine is of extraordinary originality and gastronomic value, as can be expected from Muñoz.

But you have to give another, something worse: have some patience, that

.

Of course, for now they are not reserving all the tables, to facilitate the filming of the impressive cast in the kitchen and in the room, including Chinese and Italian chefs.

In July all tables will probably be offered.

As the name suggests, somewhere between rabioso and ravioli, the common thread of RavioXO is going to be

, as the former would say: that of some strips of Italian noodles or the thin Chinese dough that wraps a 'dumpling', come together and combine with ingredients and dressings from around the world.

A general tribute, then, to that pasta that has obsessed David since the day of his first 'dumpling' of 'Spanish toltilla' and that he has developed to infinity.

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Did pasta come to Italy from China with Marco Polo, or is that a legend and in reality the Italians already made their own?

Today it doesn't matter: the symbiosis is total in this new house, with Spanish and American elements as well.

The parade includes developments of old dishes, such as that

, with a crunchy 'lace', which refines an offer from 2009. Impressive in intensity -without losing delicacy- is the

, served on its shell in the manner of the 'chilli crab' and with a shell of Roman hake.

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It is impossible to detail each dish -small bites, usually by hand-, but it is possible to highlight some amazing ones, like that

with an unprecedented accompaniment: partridge, sea urchin, jalapeños and flying fish roe ( tobikō).

And it is pure harmony.

And they even offer chacal corn pasta, a Mexican tribute in that steamed quesadilla and popcorn (a small rib of corn) with huitlacoche mushrooms, miso butter and mozzarella.

And let's not mention the steamed muffin with trumpets of death...

Finally, if a dish symbolizes this cuisine more than any other, it gives its key, it could be the

: some 'tortellini in brodo' stuffed with mortadella and shiitake mushrooms and served in a sour-spicy broth.

Comforting, yes.

As a dessert, the 'three thousand millefeuilles', caramelized puff pastry with Japanese plum cream.

These sessions, served

decided on the spot by the chef, as the Japanese call it-, also included a series of new cocktails accompanying the dishes.

This cocktail-food harmony is becoming fashionable all over the world, but we are much less convinced by the sweetness of almost all of them, and we will remain faithful to wine on future visits.

Of course, as an aperitif or after dessert, the cocktail is welcome: its version of the Negroni is excellent.

The prices are going to be a secret until opening day, but according to our traditional calculation system in Metropolis (a moderately priced bottle of wine for every two people),

.

Address

: Gourmet Experience, ground floor of the Bronze Building of El Corte Inglés de Castellana, with direct entrance from Orense.

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