Ten restaurants to try before the end of the year

2022 has been an outstanding year in the gastronomic field in Madrid.

The openings of large restaurant groups have shone together with small establishments that have managed to win over a loyal clientele with great value for money.

Japanese, Italian, Spanish, fusion, Mexican cuisine... Sitting at the table can be a delicious journey.

In these lines we collect some proposals to spice up the Christmas holidays.

Celeri puff pastry from Santerra.

santerra

Miguel Carretero's proposal gains in nuances and elegance over time.

The autumn menu, which incorporates 15 new dishes, focuses on

,

that show the maturity and evolution of the chef.

Among the dishes that are incorporated are the flaky celeri with smoked eel and acidulated English cream, the duck foie in a marinade with sautéed boletus and diving knives and the turbot chop with roast chicken sauce, French onions and truffle.

The Cantabrian Sea and the fields of Castilla can be glimpsed in many of its dishes.

The house croquette is still a 'hit', although there is much to enjoy beyond this classic.

You can eat à la carte or choose the tasting menu.

In addition, they have just launched a new service, Cozina by Santerra, more focused on delivery and events.

For Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve they have created separate menus with a price of 160 euros for 2 people, which can be reserved now to pick up or receive at home.

: General Pardiñas, 56. Average price: 45-50 euros/95 tasting menu.

Ugo Chan is Hugo Muñoz's Japanese.

ugo chan

Hugo Muñoz's restaurant soon entered the conversations of gastronomy fans in the capital.

Hardened in the kitchens of Viridiana, among others, his first contact with Japanese cuisine was at Zuma in London.

He would also end up later in Ricardo Sanz's Kabuki.

And a little over a year ago he opened this Japanese restaurant, which undoubtedly breaks many schemes.

The name comes from the nickname that his grandfather gave him when he was little, who had commercial relations with the Japanese country.

This chef defends

, where surprise is guaranteed.

The tripe gyoza, the fried eggs with Japanese migas al pastor, the cuttlefish meatballs, the fish soup in smoked bonito broth or the cod tempura with roasted pepper dashi are some of the dishes that define a concept that has already got

.

The parade of nigiris is impressive: the one with sardines with malagueña alboronía, the one with foie gras and eel... The experience of sitting at the bar is well worth it and the omakase menu option allows you to enjoy a round experience.

The chef likes to control (and see) everything that happens in the room -it has a capacity for 25-30 people- and to have direct feedback from the diners.

: Felix Boix, 6. Average price: 80-120 euros.

The famous Lhardy consommé.

lhardy

The halls of this restaurant can boast of having been privileged witnesses of the history of Madrid.

Whether

, a visit to this classic, now under the tutelage of the Grupo Pescaderías Coruñesas, is always recommended.

In this new stage ,

, the one with the most name in the capital, and its cooked croquettes continue to be essential.

The Galician lobster salpicón and the clams of the lane with Palo Cortado -dishes of the new era- are great options for starters.

They have been wonderfully updated.

The desserts are quite a temptation and it is difficult to choose one;

special mention for the mille-feuille cream with whipped vanilla ganache and its mythical soufflé.

On these dates, it has just incorporated the service to order at home -or pick up at the store itself- some of its most emblematic dishes, such as tripe, pâté en croûte and its mythical stew.

: Carrera de San Jerónimo, 8. Average price: 70-80 euros.

Sweetbreads from Casa Mortero.

Mortar House

This tavern hidden behind the Congress of Deputies has managed to attract attention with a commitment to

.

They embroider dishes such as croquettes, torreznos or gizzards, but also the potatoes to the importance and the salad -with red tuna and piparra-.

In the

, we must also mention the tripe of the house and the pochas with clams.

They have known how to propose

, updating classic dishes and giving a lot of play to half portions, an option that allows you to try and snack more and better.

Desserts deserve a place on the menu, especially their toasted milk flan with extra virgin olive oil.

: Zorrilla, 9. Average price: 35 euros.

Saddle aged beef tenderloin.

saddle

Chef Adolfo Santos has managed to perfectly combine tradition and elegance in his restaurant, which has become one of the capital's gastronomic references.

With a Michelin star and located in the place that Jockey once occupied, his name, which means saddle in English, winks at the historic place in the capital.

.

A few weeks ago, he added new dishes such as the marinated roe deer salad with pickled autumn fruits and Perigourdine vinaigrette and the butternut squash ravioli with taleggio cheese and sage.

The confit cod loin, with snail stew and herb pilpil and scallops of cambados, warm purrusalda and smoked oil add to the fish.

The mature beef sirloin, tournedó, brioche and café de Paris sauce and the veal sweetbreads a la jardinera, seasonal vegetables and caper and tarragon sauce will delight the most carnivorous.

One of the classics that you always have to keep on your radar, its tripe and the veal shank.

By the way, its wine cellar is second to none, with more than 1,400 references.

: Amador de los Ríos, 6. Average price: 90-120 euros.

Pithiviers de coquelet plate in pepitoria from Comparte Bistro.

share

The merger between Andalusia and France never tasted so good.

This bistro in the Chueca neighborhood, which is now celebrating its first anniversary, is led by Mario Sánchez in the kitchen and Charlotte Finkel in the dining room.

His is a

.

A lot of Spanish product as a base that is transformed with techniques, sauces or reductions with a French touch.

The menu is short, between 11-15 dishes, and some starters to eat with your hands (the oyster, the stewed croquette or the cuttlefish fritter, for example).

In addition, there are variations depending on the market product and according to the recommendations of its suppliers.

There are scrumptious dishes that are already 'hits' of the place, such as its steak tartare, croissant, béarnaise, crispy gizzard or tuna à la bordelaise.

The Iberian pluma, black mojo, cauliflower cream or jig squid with gordal olive emulsion have been incorporated into the menu with very good reception.

The Michelin guide has already noticed their good work and has included them in its recommended places.

: Belén, 6. Average price: 60-70 euros.

Umiko's sardine nigiri.

umiko

They are not new to the gastronomy scene in the capital, but their new premises -800 square meters and mural of Okuda San Miguel included- and their recently opened pastry shop (Umikobake) -they have three versions of the very top roscón- a few meters from the restaurant, more than justify their place in these recommendations.

Founded in 2015 by chefs Juan Alcaide and Pablo Álvaro Marcos -they met at Presidente Carmona's Kabuki-, they have managed

, with the Japanese as a base and flavors from Peru, China, Thailand, Mexico and Madrid.

The menu is overwhelming because it is appetizing, so it is better to be advised by the team.

The nigiris feast, unbeatable: the socarrat, the French scallop, the bull... Of the most surprising dishes, the Madrid porra, stuffed with chicken in pepitoria, citrus mayonnaise and spun egg and dry ramen with wok-fried shrimp , sesame sauce and avocado.

The sweet part enjoys great prominence in this space, where the mochis take the cake.

His Pink Panther or Phosmiko move in a moment to the best of childhood.

: Los Madrazo, 6. Average price: 90 euros.

The Omar has just opened at The Thompson Hotel.

The Omar

The La Ancha family does not stop growing.

The Omar is the first of the three gastronomic concepts that he has designed exclusively for the new Hotel Thompson Madrid, located in the heart of the capital.

One of the attractions of the space is that you can have breakfast, lunch, snack or dinner, and this length of time is highly valued.

.

You can start the day with some toast with homemade jam and smoked butter or some eggs, whether in an omelette, poached or Benedictine.

For lunch, a selection of snacks made up of small bites such as tuna from Ondarroa and ponzu de choricero or an oreja brava sandwich;

As for starters, I recommend the sour soup, grilled king krab and zucchini and the young leek tarte Tatin with truffle.

There are also fish, such as Menier sole with black garlic and mushrooms and grilled squid with endives, and meats such as quail baked in a crust of unleavened bread or Iberian pork chop and espelette butter.

The rhubarb paulova with crème anglaise is a finishing touch.

The interior design of the premises is signed by Arquitectura Invisible and is another of its strong points.

: Plaza del Carmen s/n.

Average price a la carte: from 45 euros.

In Totó they have designed a menu for New Year's Eve.

Toto

The list of Italian restaurants in the city continues to include pleasant surprises, such as this place with

.

With chef Emiliano Celli (Taverna Trilussa, Rome) at the helm and with Rafa Nadal as one of the 'godfathers', his gastronomic proposal once again places pasta at the top with traditional recipes made with the highest quality raw materials.

.

Some are really delicious, like the ravioli stuffed with aged veal with toasted butter and sage and their risotto Milanese with ossobuco.

Among the classics, the bolognese is embroidered.

Their good work also stands out in the pizzas: the mortadella with stracciatella and honey is always a hit.

: Paseo de la Castellana, 38. Average price: 65 euros.

Chipotle chicken tinga taco from La Tomata.

the tomato

This small place with high tables located near the Bilbao roundabout and run by a Mexican family has turned its tacos and guacamole into quite a claim.

.

The panuchos of cochinita pibil and spicy onion, the shrimp ceviche aguachile in shrimp sauce and the nachos are three highly recommended starters.

The pumpkin flower and tomato sauce quesadilla is prepared wonderfully, as are the chipotle chicken tinga tacos, suckling pig, Iberian carnitas, onion and cascabel chile sauce, and low-temperature lamb.

The attention is close and attentive, and the prices are very reasonable.

: Eguilaz, 2. Average price: 20 euros

According to the criteria of The Trust Project

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