We really are spoilt in Spain. From the glorious blue skies to the culture of napping not being frowned upon, we really do enjoy the good life. So when it rains, I have to admit that I’ve become one of those people who hunkers down and reaches for the remote and Netflix.
However, this last Saturday, in spite of the torrential rain and the fact that my hair was starting to look more and more like Rod Stewart’s (I’ll thank the humidity for that) I donned my gladrags and kept my dinner date at NuBel – the quite frankly stunning setting that’s part of the Reina Sofia museum on the south side of the city.
So before a mere morsel had passed my lips, the first thing that floored me on arrival was the space. Lofty and chic, yet deceptively cosy, NuBel is kind of like entering a club, albeit, one without the sticky carpets and two for one drinks that littered my youth. There was a DJ playing dance classics that I remembered from the days where I didn’t turn into a pumpkin if I stayed out past midnight; and the whole ‘vibe’ was one of people ready to party (just not on an empty stomach).
So having taken our seats for dinner (pretty pink velvet ones in case you’re interested) we plumped for some cocktails, a pisco sour for me and a ‘hard drink’ for my pal – I can attest, it was indeed strong, absinthe will do that I guess.
We perused the menu and our waiter, Angel, suggested that we try a range of the mini plates so that we could salivate over a spectrum of flavours. I think we ordered ten in total and each little bite was as delicious as the last. I loved the mange tout falafel with feta, while my amiga lapped to the snow crab cocktail. The mains were every bit as delectable as the desserts. I don’t have the sweetest tooth but my deconstructed lemon meringue pie was so good that I was not one for sharing.
However, food aside, what I really loved about NuBel was the atmosphere. So often these days I go for dinner and feel ready to be rolled home, the lure of my pyjamas too great to resist. NuBel manages to straddle the line of being a restaurant/club perfectly – the music will have your toe tapping away and ready to ditch the dessert in favour of the dance floor.
For art aficionados, the proximity to renowned works from the likes of Picasso, adds that little extra pizazz that a regular restaurant would find hard to rival.
All photos from NuBel
NuBel
- Facebook, Website & Instagram: @nubelmadrid
- Address: Museo Reina Sofía, Calle de Argumosa, 43
- Metro: Atocha
- Phone: 915 30 17 61
