Estefania Ruilope
Updated Monday, January 29, 2024-00:25
January is a
month of resolutions,
and one of the most recurring is to try to eat healthier to counteract Christmas excesses. We take a tour of some of the establishments that take the most care of their proposal, with organic products on daily menus, even focused on
plant-based
food .
ROOTS LAMARCA
Their big bet is
healthy protein and fruit bowls
, sustainable and made with top quality ingredients. As they themselves explain, "we make tasty dishes made with the best raw materials, always seeking to nourish ourselves with more natural, less processed and cooked foods. And, of course, without refined flours or sugars." It is a perfect space to eat healthy at any time of the day, as they serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. For the last two, the star is the
Food in a Bowl
, dishes composed of salads, vegetables and animal and vegetable protein using superfoods (low calorie load and high nutritional content) in their preparation.
Where
: Fernando VI, 10, Local 4. Tel. 91 442 12 29.
MAPLE SISTERS
A charming place in the Salesas neighborhood where they only serve homemade food prepared daily with care and good products. It has a very cozy Nordic style decoration, although its menu is based on
simple Mediterranean cuisine
. As Ana, one of the owners, explains, "the menu changes every day and adapts to seasonal ingredients." As for her signature dish, Ana argues that it doesn't exist, "because we change the menu, but people usually like spoon dishes
in winter
, when it's cold: some lentils or some chickpeas. Also the potato rosti with salmon gravlax, a perfect combination dish to eat during the week. What we do have is an ingredient that we use a lot, which is yogurt. In sauces or straining it to make labneh, because it combines very well."
Where
: Marqués de Monasterio, 6. Tel. 91 870 85 93.
OSOM COFFEE ATELIer
In the Literary neighborhood, this place, known for its delicious coffee, offers tasty and very healthy meals. At noon they have a menu with "dishes", as they themselves define, which are created based on
local and km 0 products
. These are simple, delicious and easy recipes to share, such as humita with blue cheese and miso, or cassava with beets or one of the most popular as they tell us called Tostosom with hummus, avocado, low-temperature egg, berries. goji and sesame. Also some homemade stew for the cold winter days, among which their delicious lentils stand out.
Where
: Calle de Sta. Teresa, 2, Bajo-Local 4. Tel. 626 35 52 68
NEUTRAL HOUSE
Its location in the El Viso area has several recipes created with kilometer 0 products with a clear Mediterranean touch, with a nod to the island of Mallorca. For them the product is more important than anything else and that is why their most popular dishes this season are soups
or creams of the day
, followed by avocado toast, which modifies its breakfast profile by incorporating other ingredients such as poached egg, ham york, turkey breast or smoked salmon, as well as burnt cauliflower, or grilled lettuce.
Where
: Plaza de Cataluña, 2. Tel. 91 781 52 79.
ZINGARA
In the Salesas neighborhood, with a
very retro style that transports you to Paris in 1920
, it is defined as signature cuisine. Chef Maximiliano Rossi focuses on a menu that mixes traditional flavors where vegetarian takes center stage. Among the most popular dishes is burnt avocado on green tahini and hot coconut yogurt bread; grilled hearts with sunflower cream, miso and spiced seeds or beet and yogurt in a salad with Boffard cheese, dill and cashews.
Where
: Pl. de las Salesas, 8. Tel. 652 18 80 63.
SECTION
This space in the heart of the Prosperidad neighborhood is the newest on the list, but it has risen to the podium of the most visited. In addition to standing out for its space, created with sustainable furniture, its kitchen is nourished by small organic producers and the protection of wild ecosystems, prioritizing proximity. That is why the eggs are from a farm in Riofrío, the chickens are pastured in La Vera, the sea bass from Aquanaria or the olive oil from Olivares de Altomira, among other examples. They tell us that his menu focuses on
ingredients without artifice, worked with non-invasive techniques
, led by chef Daniel Justo. Among the most popular to take care of the line are the pan-fried eggplant, or the carrot with
pistachio
crumble .
Where
: Eugenio Salazar, 56. Tel. 620 09 98 81.
IL TAVOLO GREEN
A charming place in the Salamanca neighborhood where, in addition to eating, you can buy vintage furniture and, for a few months, a small selection of clothing. Its owner, Martina, describes it as "a space where our café-restaurant with ecological and sustainable products, antiques, art and fashion coexist." If this place is known for something, it is for cooking
simple, 100% organic dishes
, with seasonal and local ingredients, extracted from nearby and sustainable gardens. "Among the most popular, we have two, black rice with curry, vegetables and free-range chicken and tomato soup with chickpeas and spices," Martina tells us.
Where
: Villalar, 6. Tel. 91 805 15 12.
HAPPYNEST COFFEE
In the Aravaca area, this space offers a decoration so relaxed and cozy that it makes you feel like you are in your living room. His two partners, Joaco Abello and Sofía Saavedra, are specialists in
slowliving
and making healthy food with good products. Sofía herself says that every day of the week they prepare a homemade menu, "in which on Wednesdays they have grilled game with quinoa tabouleh, on Thursdays roast chicken in a wood-fired oven with tomato and lettuce salad, and on Fridays hake and grilled vegetables finished in a wood-fired oven.
Where
: Av. de la Galaxia, 23, Aravaca. Tel. 626 66 88 03.
MAFRENS
In the La Latina area, it is known for offering healthy dishes packed with flavor. From Mafrens they tell us that "we are proud to use organic ingredients and offer
vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options
. We have healthy food in our DNA, and our goal is to provide healthy and delicious options without compromising flavor or quality." Among its most popular dishes is the smoked pastrami sandwich with sun-dried tomato, fresh arugula and mustard, or the burger made with a magical mixture of beets, oats and brown rice that is accompanied by juicy roasted tomato, fresh arugula, and chimichurri. An extra: they are
dog-friendly
.
Where
: Pl. de Cascorro, 12. Tel. 91 250 82 56.
MUDRA PLANT BASED FOOD
It is a 100%
plant-based
restaurant
in the heart of the Salamanca neighborhood focused on healthy gastronomy based on products of plant origin, which also stands out for being minimally processed. Its menu has influences from different cultures, and there is no room for animal protein. As alternatives to take care of yourself, there is the tiradito of candied artichokes with yellow chili and almond emulsion, cherry tomatoes and roasted avocado; the lentil and tofu burger, or the shiitake ceviche with leche de tigre and avocado.
Where
: Recoletos, 13. Tel. 911 90 75 19.