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Dreams do come true

Once upon a time, there was a Spaniard who had a dream. He dreamt of opening a tiny little restaurant just around the way from the famous Gran Via in Madrid - more specifically, in the trendy Malasaña district before it was trendy - for family, friends, and locals to enjoy the best Spanish cuisine in the best ambiance. He would name it La Tasquita de Enfrente.

Then one day about a half a century later, the son, Juanjo López, and his wife Mercedes picked up where his father left off, leaving their day jobs to continue the family tradition of making exceptional tapas to the delight of loyal patrons in a welcoming, cozy, and intimate atmosphere.

Every night, the restaurant's casual setting, 8 tables, 25 seats, and a long bar are packed with regulars as well as those who’ve heard the tale of the man with a dream and come from faraway lands to see if it was true - so yes, a reservation is absolutely required. The walls are a mix of red, yellow, and stone, both rustic and quirky, decorated with a peculiar selection of ties in a frame - a reminder of Juanjo’s past in the corporate world, but also a reminder that change can be very good.

The first was, of course, a career change, swapping the tie for and the apron, the office's bland decor for the works of artist friends, stacks of travel and cooking books, returning to the kitchen of his childhood. And it proved to be every bit as successful (if not more!), as it’s become the talk of the foodie cults in Madrid - the internationally-renowned chef José Andrés even claimed that he “does cooking like that of the gods”; that’s really saying something.

The second change is in the kitchen. Chef Juanjo has indeed strayed away from the traveled path of his father, but just enough to create completely original plates by adding a modern touch to traditional recipes.

The last, but certainly not the least, is on the menu, which changes with the seasons just as we like. Always a delicious surprise, whether it’s the menú de degustación or the menú de Juanjo, you’ll come to face to face, or rather, fork to mouth with scrumptious delicacies, like his famous Russian Salad - potato, olives, tuna belly straight off the market, and homemade mayo. He’s reputed for using the freshest products from local markets and the finest ingredients, such as caviar, sea urchins, smoked eel, black butter, and truffles, making dinner here the culinary journey of your dreams, ending in nothing short of satisfaction.

Perhaps this talent, precision, and exigence are genetic, but if anything is to be learned from the La Tasquita de Enfrente, it’s that a family that dreams together, stays together.

Contact our real estate agency BARNES Madrid

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