A warm welcome awaits…
We’re getting the band back together!
I’ll hold my hands up, I’m a tapas guy. Hopping from bar-to-bar brings me great joy, particularly when I'm in Madrid - my spiritual home. Sitting at a table for a meal makes me feel like I might miss out on something…what if somewhere else is better? With tapas I can control that fear, if in doubt, I move on.
However, an unassuming place in Madrid has become an entry in my little black book. Courtesy of fellow Spanish Wine Collective member, Phil Mugford, this cosy place has featured on every trip of the last few months and delivers every time.
Heading down Calle de la Cava Baja in Madrid you may be thinking there’s nothing new to be discovered, but wait, head down the adjacent Calle del Almendro and you’ll come across a gem called Cedrón.
Enter this intimate bistro and Gustavo greets you like an old friend and that warmth continues throughout the night. The setting is just perfect for a cold Madrid evening, but equally as good in sweltering July!
Image courtesy of Cedrón
The menu is small and perfectly formed. Almost as if they have personalised it for you. The go-to dishes for me are the mushrooms, just wow! And the meats are fantastic - Entraña is my personal favourite! After all, Gustavo is from Argentina!
One of the best features of Cedrón is the wine list. Whether by-the-glass or the bottle, the list explores a lot of Spain (even beyond Rioja 😉). Interestingly, it spans beyond Spain too, which is not always the case. In my opinion it is one of the best places to drink in the City. And certainly the view of others given its popularity! This is no accident however, given Gustavo’s credibility as a sommelier. He was previously at Pic, one of France’s finest restaurants!
To kick off a glass of Pet Nat sparkling always does the trick…easing us in. The last few times, we’ve enjoyed the Colomé Torrontés, but this time Gustavo came to us with another Salta Torrontés from Finca Las Nubes. The presentation was very much like a classic on-trade house option, but don’t let that put you off as the juice in the bottle was fantastic. The wine had real class…Riesling like.
For our red choice, we went to the North West of Spain for the beautifully juicy and dependable As Xaras from Fedellos do Couto. We’re in safe hands!
As ever, a chupito follows, maybe two...even a cheeky cocktail…Hanky Panky anyone?
Anyway we best be off, it’s gone 2am. Home we go!