Gracias Padre, a new Mexican restaurant you’ll be very thankful for

Anyways, I digress. What I’m attempting to explain is that gratitude simply means pausing and appreciating what you have and giving thanks. To this end, there’s no place easier to feel grateful for than Gracias Padre; an almost box-fresh Mexican restaurant that just graced Calle Ortega y Gasset with its presence a mere month ago.

It’s impossible to miss. A riot of colour that wouldn’t be out of place on a Holi run, the decor packs a similar punch to the frozen margaritas that are on offer. I dined on a Friday night and it was heaving. So much so that word of mouth is clearly taking hold for GP quicker than you can say “tequila, it makes me happy.”

Now I love Mexican food. Like, full blown love it. I love Indian food, I love Italian food, heck, I’m even genuinely starting to like Japanese food (I can’t drop the L word just yet, it’s still early days). But my full-blown love affair with decent Mexican food started in Tulum three years ago and upon my return, I’ve spent time, money and energy on dinners where I’ve wound up bitterly disappointed when I’ve been served up a plate of a beige-looking stodge.

There’s no such issue at Gracias Padre where the food was light, clean and fresh, not your typical description of Mexican fare, yet everything I ate was delicious and not overtly calorific. *Slight disclaimer, I did try a corn on the cob that was dipped in butter (and mayo) then rolled in parmesan.

Every sublime mouthful was well worth the need for my Saturday spin class. The fish tacos had the perfect amount of crunch and flaky softness, while the tinga de pollo melted in your mouth.

Mexican food isn’t hard to find in Madrid, with chains popping up everywhere, you can’t miss an opportunity for a burrito, much like it’s hard to miss a bearded bloke in Malasaña. What deserves praise however, is authentic Mexican food, cooked with love. The type of tacos that take you back to that beach in Tulum and remind you why you’d give your right arm for a decent marg after a tough working week.

Much like online dating, finding a true gem of a place to eat is often a numbers game. You’ve gotta rack up the dates and sift through the duds. Fret not, no need for you to conduct your own research. In this instance I’ve done the hard work for you. Gracias Padre is hands down the best Mexican food I’ve had on this side of the pond – and I’ve tried a lot of tacos.