La Maruca, a Swanky Cantabrian Restaurant in Barrio Salamanca

My Dad comes to Spain frequently in order to see myself and his close friends, Rafael, Catherine, Alfredo & Ruth. It has been hugely comforting to have such trusted and accessible “real adults” during my time abroad. In addition to being warm, generous, and offering of exceptional council, my Dad’s friends are in the know in regards to Madrid’s ritzier restaurants. I was fortunate to have been invited to tag along to their dinner at La Maruca, an establishment in barrio Salamanca that I certainly would not have discovered under different circumstances.

A large space with a stylish staff and a cozy fireplace by the bar, the location radiates class. Catherine took the initiative to order several appetizers—croquetas de carne cocido, a tartar of smoked salmon & avocado as well as a plate of delicious anchovies with red bell peppers. We drank wine and had a pleasant conversation with a lot of swift code-changing between Spanish & English.

For my main course I ordered pluma de cerdo, a delicious dish of perfectly cooked pork. Rafael ordered pulpo a la plancha, which was presented quite aesthetically. Enrique, my Dad, consumed the albondigas, which he enjoyed greatly. Catherine’s dish was the tajada de merluza. Ruth ordered canelones rellenos de poularda con salsa de foie, another incredibly photogenic plate.

Initially I believed that this restaurant would be well above my pay grade, but that was not the case—each plate cost between 10-14€. This isn’t the first time that the “real adults” have introduced me to a seemingly unapproachable establishment that ultimately turned out to be reasonably priced. I can imagine tactfully utilizing this location in the future in order to put up a front of fanciness while on a date.

Contact info

Where to find La Maruca

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