Santo Bakehouse: You knead this place in your life
The Atkins diet has a lot to answer for. It essentially demonised bread, and that is not okay. Carbs were out, and carne was in. But let’s be real, what is life without eating carbs? Not one worth living if you ask me. And with this logic, off I went in search of some banging bread at Santo Bakehouse, the recently opened bakery on Calle Espíritu Santo, hence the name.
Santo Bakehouse is owned by the most warm and welcoming pair, George and Valerie. George hails from Bristol in the UK and not to perpetuate the self-deprecating nature of Brits, but he was so modest about what quickly became his very obvious talents as a baker.
It was only when Valerie was talking about their past, that it come to light that George was a participant on the hugely popular British show, Masterchef. Suffice to say, what he doesn’t know about pastry and sourdough starters isn’t really worth knowing.
Valerie’s background is in education, but when the pair met by chance when George was visiting a friend, they bonded over their mutual love of everyone’s favourite carbohydrate, and the rest, as they say, is history.
With their combined expertise and energy, they have formed the ultimate dream team at Santo. Having found the ideal location in Malasaña to make their bread baking dreams a reality, they survived the (sometimes arduous task) of renovating premises, tackling red tape and jumping through numerous Spanish bureaucratic hoops. But having come out the other side, what they’re left with is a little haven of artisan bread and pastries that would give a Parisian a run for their money.
As I inhaled a pain au chocolat, whilst simultaneously firing questions at the couple, I discovered that supporting organic suppliers is of the upmost importance to them. Yes, the price is undoubtedly going to be higher than the standard baguette that perhaps you’re used to picking up from your local supermercado, but there’s a good reason why. The ingredients used are top-notch quality, often from local producers and we all know that the same cannot be said of pan bimbo.
Perhaps most excitingly of all was the discovery (as a fellow Brit) that they sell sausage rolls. I repeat, they sell sausage rolls. Since I’m unlikely to be in the vicinity of a good-old Gregg’s anytime soon (please don’t judge my guilty pleasure), Santo’s sausages rolls are a work of art. Buttery, flakey pastry, coupled with some well-seasoned sausage is the kind of indulgent treat that would have me queuing round the block.
In an era where we all seem to be moving at breakneck speed, and before we’ve even enjoyed what’s right in front of us (as we’re almost always ‘onto the next’ fix), there is a lot to be said for people who are honing their craft and pouring not just flour, but a whole lot of love into what they’re putting out into the world.
If, like me, the bread basket is your Achilles heel in life, I urge you to pay Santo a visit because frankly, you ‘knead’ this place in your life.
Roll Me Up leads the pack in Madrid’s cinnamon roll craze
It seems like each year, Madrileños become fixated on a different dessert from a faraway land. There was the arrival of huge homemade cookies a few years ago, then for a while it was pancakes, then specialty (vegan) donuts, ice cream served in fish-shaped cones, waffles shaped like vulvas….
This year, the buzz seems to be about cinnamon rolls. The hippest Malasaña bakeries and cafes have started to offer these homemade treats that are most commonly found in the US and Northern Europe.
But as with anything, some do it better than others. In this case—in my humble opinion—the winner is Roll Me Up. So new on the scene they don’t have a physical location yet. This small family company operates through Instagram and WhatsApp, taking orders the day before.
For me, it didn’t take much more than scrolling through their (very aesthetic) photos to know deep in my bones that these rolls were going to be mouthwateringly amazing.
So I got in touch with one of the owners, Daniela, to get the scoop on their story, their products, and their plans for the future.
Roll Me Up’s story
Lenin and Daniela are a couple from Venezuela who started their business in the middle of the pandemic (brave, right?). Lenin is an accountant and Daniela, an architect—and they have continued working in those roles (pun intended) as they’ve grown the business as a side hustle. Lenin has loved baking his whole life, and has been making cinnamon rolls for his family since he was young.
So they form a perfect team: Lenin in the kitchen, and Daniel working with customers and handling the design aspect of the company.
Their products
Roll Me Up started in summer with just six flavors, and has since expanded to 11 delicious options:
Classic
Choco coco
Pistachio (my fav)
Crispy cookie (Lotus creme)
Choco nut
Sweet pecan (up there with pistachio)
Lemon shot
Black Oreo
Nutella
PB&J
Chips Ahoy
I also had the exclusive privilege of trying a brand spanking new, not-yet-announced product: the vegan roll. This ended up being one of my favorites! I wouldn’t have known it was vegan if they hadn’t told me. The icing is so creamy and the dough tastes pretty much the same to me!
My box of 9 mini cinnamon rolls. My top picks: pistachio, crispy cookie, and Nutella!
Something that really stood out to me about the products was the packaging—100% zero-wasteboxes (made from the husk of cane sugar). Even the little reminder about the rolls being great heated up for 20 seconds in the microwave (can verify this is true) is stamped onto the box rather than included in a sticker or card. The whole process is totally plastic free, and can be tossed into the organic bin.
Their plans for the future
Daniela and Lenin know what they’re doing. Unlike a lot of small bakeries who start their businesses the day they open a physical shop, Roll Me Up is playing it safe. Their business operates strictly virtually for now, using WhatsApp Business to communicate with customers and arrange deliveries.
Daniela tells me that they plan to build a strong customer base before opening a physical shop towards the end of next year (they also need the time to plan their wedding, which is next summer! We stan!). As for the products, they say they plan to continue experimenting, trying out some savory flavors and more gourmet options.
Roll Me Up’s info
Now more than ever, we should support small businesses! Here’s how you can order cinnamon rolls from Roll Me Up:
Follow them: @rollmeup.es and check out the options
Against all odds: How 4 new small businesses in Madrid are staying afloat
Small businesses in Madrid are more at risk than ever of having to shut their doors. And perhaps the most unlucky of all are the ones that opened up just a short time before the lockdown—some only a week before.
Despite having the odds against them, these four newly-opened businesses are putting on a brave face and determined to keep their shops open and their dreams alive. Here are their stories on how they’ve managed to stay afloat throughout the lockdown and how they’re continuing to fight the good fight. They also offer sage advice for other businesses on how to survive a global pandemic.
1. Naji Specialty Coffee
After working in the hospitality industry for 20 years—mainly in cafes as a barista—Naji Alasildreamed of one day owning his own coffee shop. After spending months searching for the perfect place and doing extensive renovations, his dream came true when he opened Naji Specialty Coffee in the charming central neighborhood of Chamberí in January 2020.
Naji quickly grew popular with people flocking to the beautifully adorned shop to sip on delicious coffee and unique concoctions, such as lime espresso and Naji’s famous pistachio latte.
Naji was only open for 40 days when Madrid went into lockdown. Obviously, this was a devastating blow after all of the time, money, and effort Naji spent to open up his dream cafe. However, he didn’t lose hope.
“Of course I was sad that we went into lockdown straight away after I had opened. Nevertheless I was very happy that I managed to open the cafe prior to the lockdown—at least I saw my dream realised. And I knew once the lockdown [was] lifted, my customers would come back. I just kept a very positive outlook altogether.”
As soon as businesses could start operating again, Naji jumped into full swing, serving takeaway coffee from 9am-9pm most days. He was one of the first coffee shops to reopen on a full-time schedule because he wanted to make up for time lost during the lockdown. Slowly but surely he’s rebuilding the momentum he had before the lockdown began.
Undoubtedly, his positive attitude and hustle were his biggest tools for getting through the lockdown and helping see Naji Specialty Coffee through to the new world.
His advice for small businesses?
Prioritize your customers and their safety, be patient, take each day as it comes, and never give up no matter the obstacle at hand (even a global pandemic!)
Canadian business partners Shawn and Arthur had successfully been running a North American-style coffee and dessert shop in Alicante for five years when they decided to pack up and head for the big city. They moved to Madrid, rebranded their business from Canada Cupcake Café to Tidbit, and opened shop in Fall 2019.
They began acquiring a loyal customer base who would come to enjoy their array of delicious treats—largely vegan—including cookies, cakes, ice cream, brownies, and cinnamon rolls as well as specialty coffee and teas. Their reputation for being one of Madrid’s best suppliers of treats (vegan and regular) was swiftly growing, and then COVID-19 brought momentum to a halt.
Arthur and Shawn were greatly concerned about their business and the economy in general, but tried to focus on moving forward instead of on fear. They shifted their focus to the takeaway part of the business and polished their online ordering system to accommodate the lack of walk-ins due to the lockdown. They also offered their products through popular takeaway services such as UberEats and Deliveroo, and in the later quarantine phases began to start up takeaway service.
Now that Madrid is no longer under lockdown, businesses are slowly coming back to life and Tidbit has once again opened its doors for customers to pop in for a treat in their tiny but cozy interior or call ahead for pick-up or an eco-friendly bike delivery.
Shawn and Arthur hope the love and support for small businesses only gets stronger, especially now when these shops that make our cities so special need it more than ever.
Their advice to other businesses during these trying times?
“Plan ahead, be aware of the time needed to recover, focus on the offer and demand in your area. This is the ‘chair swap’ game, when all businesses close, relocate or rebrand.”
After finding success opening her first restaurant in Barcelona two years ago, Evgeniya Sukhacheva decided to branch out and open the second location of her trendy brunch spot, EatMyTrip, in Madrid. Evgeniya announced the opening of the second location in the beginning of March 2020—days before coronavirus sent Madrid and Barcelona into an indefinite lockdown.
Like many people, Evgeniya initially thought that the media was blowing the situation out of proportion and that normal life would soon resume. However, when it became apparent that the situation was serious and that the city would be locked down for a while, Evgeniya and her husband started to think of creative ways they could keep their business afloat.
The first idea they came up with was to start an online shop with delivery options for their Barcelona location which already had a following. Then they shifted to takeaway options before being allowed to reopen with limited capacity, a smaller menu, and a two-person staff (just them). Now, EatMyTrip’s employees who were under ERTE (furlough) are slowly being incorporated back into the Barcelona business while Evgeniya is trying to figure out how they’ll be able to open Madrid location and get it off the ground, (while also focusing on paying the rent, bills, and the loans for both locations).
Although the Madrid location remains closed indefinitely, Evgeniya hopes to be able to open it one day soon. In the meantime, the Barcelona location (C. del Consell de Cent, 378) is back to 70% capacity with more customers returning everyday.
Despite all of the adversities, Evgeniya remains positive and offers wisdom for other businesses in similar situations:
“Nothing lasts forever. We can plan something, but life can change everything. It’s [best to] take everything as it is, and try to smile at it, otherwise you will go mad. If you already created a successful business you’ll be able to do it again in the future. Just don’t lose yourself, and don’t forget about your health—it’s the most important thing.”
Tamara Cohen—originally from Philadelphia, USA—moved to Madrid in 2015 to teach English. She soon settled into a side gig baking hard-to-find American treats such as pumpkin pies and bagels and selling them to fellow expatriates before opening up an online shop to the public. Her small shop, Bruja’s Bakery, quickly became the go-to place for American treats—especially bagels, which are hard to find abroad (and of good quality).
After making the spontaneous leap from English teacher to expert at-home bagel maker, she finally turned her side hustle into a full-time business with the opening of Mazál Bagels & Café in the central neighborhood of Chamberí in January 2020.
The opening of Mazál was highly anticipated and instantly a hit. The cozy brick-interior eatery would fill up fast with people eager to dive into a bagel brunch complete with mimosas and coffee, as well as delicious challah, cookies, and cakes. However, when lockdown fell over Madrid in early March, Mazál was forced to shut its doors and think of a plan B.
Like many people, Tamara initially didn’t think the situation was that serious or would last long. But as the situation quickly became grave, she became worried about her ability to pay the bills and stay above water.
Mazál was closed for a few days before they jumped into action and hired a delivery driver and started taking orders over social media, which became their saving grace. Their delivery driver, Juan Pablo, was with them for over three months, and proved integral to Mazál’s survival in lockdown, covering over 3300 km doing deliveries during the three months.
Tamara says that before all of this, Mazál was primarily focused on growing as fast as possible, which meant doing as much as they could at once. However, priorities have since shifted—Mazál has now drastically simplified what they do which has helped them to stay organized and reach more people.
Although these circumstances have been anything but ideal for a new business, Tamara has remained positive, upbeat, and grateful:
“This is a strange time for everyone. At times, it’s hard not to think that things might be ‘weird’ like this for a very, very long time. But if we have learned anything, it’s to remember that things are weird for everyone and to take it one day at a time. You’re doing great, we are all doing great, and we will get through it together. And thank you to [everyone] from the bottom of our hearts for [the support].”
A positive attitude, gratitude, and resilience are undoubtedly a recipe for success.
James’ ongoing guide to killing time at home in Madrid
Step zero. Chill. There’s nothing better than drinking a few beers or having some wine with your besties – your cats, maybe dogs, and occasionally, a few humans (inspired by Niki). Once you’ve got this down, you’re ready to start my personal ongoing guide to killing time in Madrid while supporting local business at the same time. Let’s go!
Treat yourself to good food and drinks
1. Get local beer delivered to your home
My go-to beer is from Madrid’s local brewery Cervezas La Virgen. It’s definitely more expensive than my also-beloved Mahou, but also a lot better. Check out their Jamonera beer and the classic Lager. Thanks for the inspiration, Helen.
2. Learn from the real food experts, Devour Tours
Back in 2015, we went on one of Devour’s awesome tours (Huertas neighborhood food and market tour) and Lauren Aloise and James Blick’s team have been just killing it ever since then.
Today, they’re also offering tons of online food experiences where their local tour guides tell you how to make their city’s classic dishes over Zoom. And you get to cook with them in real time. I just took the “Cook Pasta Like a Roman with Abbie” where I learned how to make two Italian sauces. Here’s a glimpse of the end result – I was way too hungry to set up better pics but wow, they were good.
I also want to give a shout-out to my good friend Melissa who lives in Lisbon. She’s giving an online tour called Discover Portugal’s History Through 10 Dishes. I haven’t taken it yet but knowing her, I can only expect an absolutely kick-ass experience full of passion (inspired by Melissa, claro).
3. Make your own bread
Lots of my friends have taken up bread-making these past few months and sharing mouthwatering photos with me. So I started making my own recently, too. Although I’m far from becoming an expert on this, here’s an easy way to start:
Take two cups of flour: I mix strong bread flour – ask for harina de fuerza at Spanish supermarkets – and wheat flour.
Add two teaspoons of yeast (I guess it won’t be the end of the world if you can’t find it, but your bread won’t rise as much), olive oil (one spoon is fine!), sugar and salt (plus a little pepper if you’re like me).
Mix it with one cup of beer (I made it once with La Jamonera mentioned above, and it rocked my world). You can also mix it with water, which is… meh.
Let it rise for a couple hours in a bowl covered with dry cloth. Then deflate the air (check this technique out) and let it rise again.
Last step: put your dough in a pot (make sure you add some flour so the dough doesn’t stick to the bottom) and make a cut in the dough with a knife. Then cover it and put it in your oven at 225º C for 45 minutes. After that, take the cover off and keep it in the oven for 10 more minutes.
Perhaps “easy” wasn’t the right word. But trust me, it seems more difficult than it actually is (I made it after all!). Let it cool for a bit and you’re good to go (inspired by Carmen and Joss).
4. Add even more great carbs to your diet (why not??) by making your own pizza from scratch
To make my own pizza dough, I followed Jaime Oliver’s 5-min recipe (I used beer instead of water, because beer simply makes everything better). I also added my family’s Bolognese sauce recipe – meat, onions, soy and “Worcestershire” sauce (or “salsa perrins” for my Spaniards out there who also find that to be the most frightening word to pronounce in English). Feel free to add whatever else works for you (arugula is also great, inspired by Jake).
Burn those extra kilos at home
Get moving with Stacy Quick (Mustard Fitness)‘s home workouts. I briefly met this guy a few years ago, and I can only say the dude is legit. Stacy contacted me a few days ago with his free home workouts and they’re bananas!
Put some art in your life
1. Practice your (new?) favorite instrument
I’ve been having regular piano and violin classes online with my private teachers. But if you’re looking to start from scratch or learn a new instrument on your own, Fender is offering a free trial period. I normally use Ultimate Guitar to learn my favorite songs, yet the Fender app is useful when it comes to picking up a new instrument (inspired by Meag and Bea).
2. Join my local choir!
Singers in Madrid, join me and my choir buddies at the Coralavapies (Lavapiés Choir), a non-profit organization founded by Osvaldo Ciccioli in 2003. Me and my ridiculous friend Kyler found out about them a couple months ago. Ever since, we’ve been singing mostly Spanish folk songs, every Wednesday night. Followed by drinks, of course (inspired by Kyler).
Mad Improv is a local English-speaking theater group that usually performs in theaters around the city and holds really fun workshops. Now they’re offering online classes. For more info contact Steve Loader (inspired by Daphne).
4. Get your dance groove on every day at 6pm
My friend Martín, who happens to be a professional DJ (and teaches people how to mix), has been broadcasting live DJ sessions daily at 6pm, Madrid time. Watch big Helen and small Helen get their groove on (you’ll understand when you join the party).
Thanks for reading. Can’t wait to hug you all again.
Fighting back for this amazing city – support Madrid’s local businesses and community
We’re gradually reclaiming the streets — but something’s missing. From the traditional taverns of Huertas to the high-end cocktail bars of Chueca, many of our favorite hangouts remain shuttered from sight.
We can finally see some socially distanced light at the end of what has been an unprecedented tunnel, but the sad truth is that many small businesses just can’t keep their doors open much longer. Those alfresco cañas might (almost) be within touching distance, but strict capacity regulations mean our local haunts won’t be able to survive on in-house activity alone.
So the question is, what can we do to stop our favorite tapas bars disappearing from the Madrid landscape?
For starters (no pun intended!), ordering takeout a couple of nights a week is a great way to help keep the cash flowing. And with most places having hooked up with the likes of Deliveroo and UberEats, you won’t even need to run the face-masked gauntlet.
But if you think ordering in your usual Friday night ración of patatas bravas might be a little too much for your emotions to handle right now (cue memories of balmy nights on outdoor terraces with friends flooding back), then check out the Cuando Volvamos scheme.
This ingenious, non-profit initiative is the brainchild of a group of experts from the business design company Igeneris. Here, you can purchase all manner of activities and products from small businesses across the city that can be used (or collected) once things get back to normal.
And the good news is we’re not just talking food here (let’s be honest: lockdown hasn’t done our waistlines any favors). There’s everything from driving lessons to furniture restoration courses available.
We reckon the platform also makes for a great source of original, altruistic birthday presents. After all, who’d say no to a massage once all this is over? You could say, they’re the very definition of gifts that keep on giving.
Of course, it’s not just small businesses that need our support, it’s our community too. The sad reality is that ordering takeout couldn’t be further from the minds of so many people in Madrid right now.
Dragones de Lavapiés is just one food bank that has sprung up since the pandemic took hold. What was once a local football club for migrant children, is now a precious lifeline for endless counts of vulnerable families in the neighborhood.
With demand showing no signs of waning and charities pushed to the limit, these places desperately need our help more than ever. Let’s be honest: if we can afford a chai latte to-go, then what’s a couple of bags of rice?
So, let’s dig deep. With Madrid’s official food bank having set up an online donations page, you don’t even have to risk an extra trip to the store. It’s time for us all to pull together.
Contact Jorge (+34 695 973 652) from Dragones de Lavapiés to find out more about volunteering opportunities, or make a donation via bank transfer (ES9000730100510503058640).
Know of any other ways to support Madrid’s local businesses and community? Get in touch with daphne@veracontent.com
Eat Out Madrid’s top 5 places for takeaway and delivery right now
It’s been over 60 days since we’ve been able to go out and enjoy sitting and eating in our favourite places in Madrid. We’ve all gone through (or maybe you’re still going through) the phase of cooking up a storm in the kitchen. I don’t know about you… but I’m at a point where I’ve lost all the motivation, plus I’m so messy in the kitchen.
I’m Valentina, Founder of Eat Out Madrid, an online community of over 6,700 food lovers on the search to find the best places to eat and drink in the capital. I started building the community back in August 2016 when I moved to Madrid. After feeling overwhelmed by all the choices around me, I thought – who better to ask than the expat community who are already here?
Almost four years later, we’ve grown immensely with people from all nationalities, some not even based in Madrid but may have plans in the future to visit or even those who used to live here wanting to stay connected with the incredible food and drink scene it has to offer.
Now of course, under lockdown and with the current restrictions, we haven’t been able to support those restaurants we know and love by visiting them in person. But there is a light at the end of the tunnel.Many places have implemented delivery or continued to do so either through one of the many delivery apps or with their own service, and this has literally saved me, especially on the tough days.
Eat Out Madrid has always been fueled by its members sharing their recommendations and favourite places and now this couldn’t be more important. We’ve even been compiling a document to share the best delivery places, as well as how they deliver and their delivery areas to support each other.
I, of course, have my favourites too, so here are five of my go-to places for takeaway and delivery in Madrid right now:
1. Mazál Bagels
If you’re craving some New York-style bagels, hand rolled and baked fresh each day, you have to try Mazál. They have so many different types to choose from (I love the everything bagels) and you can even order bagel sandwiches – cutting out any time in the kitchen. If you want a cheeky treat after, be sure to order some of their chocolate chip cookies. They even sell a selection of America food products, too.
Note: you need to order them in advance to be picked up (you can’t just walk in and take them on the spot).
In the mood for a taste of Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore or Malaysia? Then Asian Army has you covered with an array of Southeast Asian dishes to keep that hunger at bay. They’re currently operating out of a location in Legázpi (not their restaurant in Mercado Anton Martín) and even have a special “Hari Raya Eid” hamper for those celebrating at home this month.
Address: Calle de Santa Isabel, 5 inside Mercado Anton Martin, Planta Baja, puesto 7-11
Phone: 680 54 39 42
3. Pizzeria La Especial
Hot, fresh, tasty pizza… This is our local pizzeria and it’s been our go-to Friday/Saturday night #cbf dinner. It’s a stand-alone place with 3 or 4 employees and the co-owner delivers most of their pizzas. If you order through their website, you can get 15% off your first order.
Situated near Legázpi, this small café specializes in vegan donuts or “halos” as they call them. And they add two new flavours each week. You can even purchase their donut holes covered in cinnamon (they might even throw a few in with your order if you’re lucky). If you’re a super fan like me, purchase their merchandise too to support them even more.
From fresh pasta to their wood-oven pizzas, if you’re looking for the authentic taste of Italy, this is your place. My favourite is the Tagliatelle Bolognese – I’ve tried replicating this at home and nothing comes close!
By Valentina Ruffoni (LinkedIn), founder of Eat Out Madrid
Join Valentina’s online communities Eat Out Madrid & Eat In Madrid, to take part in the conversation about the city’s best food and drink options, and support local businesses while at it!
Want to recommend any other delivery and takeout options in Madrid? Get in touch with us!
5 best places to order vegan and vegetarian takeout in Madrid
If you cast your mind back to pre-lockdown Madrid, pollution alerts on public transport, the brown cloud, and fiery political debates on the future of Madrid Central were as much part of everyday life as la hora del vermut. Let’s be honest though: a lot’s changed since then.
It’s hard (sometimes impossible) to find positives in this “new normal.” But aside from the politicians and medical staff, there’s someone else who’s pretty grateful we’re all staying safe at home – Mother Nature. The city’s air is the cleanest it’s been in decades and as a result, life’s returning to our green areas. If that sounds like something worth celebrating, then why not hang up your apron for the evening and order some takeout?
We know, that doesn’t exactly sound like eco-friendly advice. However, as the city’s once burgeoning vegan and vegetarian restaurant scene fights for survival, with owners desperately clambering to adhere to new hygiene laws in order to keep their doors open, there’s no need to beat yourself up about (slightly) increasing your carbon footprint.
After all, if we want these sustainable eateries to remain part of Madrid’s cosmopolitan culinary revolution, then they need our support now more than ever. So, if you’ve tried out enough new recipes to last a lifetime and you’re craving some fresh falafel, here’s a round-up of the best vegan and vegetarian eateries offering home delivery during lockdown (and beyond)!
If saving the planet’s pretty high on your list of priorities (shouldn’t it be on everyone’s?), then order something tasty from Bunny’s Deli. Not only is all of their packaging completely compostable, this family-run business is fully powered by renewable energy.
The Vegan Burger is one of the Salamanca barrio’s up-and-coming haunts. Though it may not be quite as “trendy” as some of its neighbors, it’s certainly popular with young madrileños eager to jump on the vegan bandwagon. And with burgers this good, who can blame them?
For all of us in Madrid right now, the delights of the coast seem far from reach. But don’t despair – there’s a glimmer of hope in sight! This rustic corner of Malasaña is offering nutritious, coastal-inspired menus del día straight to your door from Monday to Friday. It’s the perfect midday pick-me-up when you’re working from home.
Had your summer backpacking adventure put on hold? With food this good delivered to your doorstep, you’ll (almost) feel like you’re there. They have a wide range of spice levels to suit all tastes and their peshwari naan bread always hits the spot.
If you’ve overdone it on the junk food and you’re feeling a little “out of whack,” Plantarse will help get your body back on track. Its plant-based delights are designed to offer inner peace through healthy living – and we all need some of that right now. The best bit: the majority of this delivery-only kitchen’s ingredients are locally sourced.
Where are you ordering takeout during lockdown? Let us know!
La Ración: Supplying Madrid with Spanish comfort foods during the lockdown
Food is a source of pleasure for many right now. It’s a privilege to be able to bring a little bit of joy into people’s lives.
For those craving Spanish bar food like fresh tortilla de patata, croquetas and empanadas during the lockdown, look no further than La Ración. The delivery-only restaurant was started by friends of mine, Iñigo Vega and Miguel Moreno, last year. While I don’t usually order much take-out, the lockdown seemed like a good chance to give their food a try. And it was well worth it.
La Ración offers delivery of freshly-made Spanish specialties across central Madrid. While the menu is minimalistic with just a few items, I was impressed by the customizability of the tortilla de patata (Spanish omelette). I ordered mine “juicy” (jugosa) and with added onion. There was also the ability to add several other ingredients, such as red pepper, cheese, chorizo sausage, and Spanish ham.
I wasn’t disappointed with the results, the tortilla arrived warm, and seemed fresh out of the pan, nothing to do with store-bought, pre-made tortilla. As you can see in the photos, the egg was “juicy” as requested! I also really enjoyed the ham croquetas, which had a great texture and fresh, homemade taste. I also tried the tiramisu, which was creamy and delicious, although very light – I ate it in a couple of bites!
“Tortilla de patata is going to be the new pizza”
The food sector has been one of the hardest hit by the state of alarm caused by COVID-19 that has put Madrid’s 3 million residents into lockdown. Strict hygienic protocols were put into effect overnight, meaning restaurant owners had to quickly adapt, or shut their doors.
Iñigo and Miguel’s business – which they launched just last year – had an advantage, since they were already focused on selling via online delivery platforms such as Deliveroo, as well as directly through their own website, laracion.menu.
I asked Iñigo about his experience adapting to the current environment, and he said that at first he wasn’t sure what the impact of the lockdown would be.
“There was a lot of fear at first, and business dropped,” he said. At the same time, he had to invest in following all the protocols: getting masks, gloves and disinfecting gels to use daily in their kitchen.
However, about a week into the lockdown, orders started to increase.
“People have gotten tired of cooking and since they can’t go out they are turning to delivery,” he said. “There is a huge demand for traditional food like: croquetas, tortilla de patata, so we were in a really good position with our concept.”
Questions over whether it’s safe to order delivery, have since been quelled through informative news articles. La Ración has gone above and beyond what’s required by law, and they include a list of the measures they take on each delivery.
Now, they are seeing a trend of people buying food for others as a special surprise. “We see a lot of people making orders for their parents,” Iñigo said. “Food is a source of pleasure for many right now. It’s a privilege to be able to bring a little bit of joy into people’s lives.”
With the lockdown extended until at least April 26, these trends seem likely to continue in the near term. And, with many people eating more take-out than ever these days, many could continue to order from their favorite restaurants, even in the longer term.
That’s the hope of business owners like Iñigo who have made a strong bet on delivery. “Tortilla de patata is going to be the new pizza,” he said.
Personally, I’ve ordered more take-out in the last few weeks than in the entire year prior. So, he might be onto something! Although, after this lockdown, one of the first things I’ll do is head to my favorite neighborhood bar and enjoy Spanish bar food in its natural habitat.
An Aladdin’s cave of goodies that will perk up any Madrileño during lockdown
If you’re like me, one of the things you’re likely to love about Madrid is the lack of chains. Don’t get me wrong, they’re creeping in. Brands such as ‘Five Guys’ appearing on Plaza Santa Ana do prompt an eye roll, but in comparison to countries such as the UK and the US, Madrid exists comparatively chain free.
As we’re in full-on lockdown, I’m missing one of my favourite pastimes, which is to simply stroll around various barrios to see what small business gems I can find. I always buy my weekly flowers at Botanyco without fail. I buy my bread at the local bakery, and it’s a given that all fruit and veg is purchased from the grocers next door to my flat. So I was pretty thrilled when I discovered via the ‘gram that Mercado Acre was still open and offering free home deliveries.
Mercado Acre is an Aladdin’s cave of goodies that will perk up any Madrileño during lockdown. It’s an organic store selling homemade bread, nuts, fruit, every type of grain/flour/rice/pastas that you can imagine, and frankly, whilst in the midst of a global pandemic, I don’t think there’s ever been a better time to invest your money in eating well and eating healthily.
But what really made my Sunday (when in all honesty I was struggling after our lockdown being extended) was that they sell plants. With a new green friend purchased and now fully ensconced in my piso, it felt great to bring something living into the flat and being able to support a small, local business.
If you don’t live nearby and can’t walk there yourself, the beauty is that you can order online. The store itself is gorgeous, but you can console yourself by making your home more lovely (it can’t just be me that’s in nesting overload). They stock vases, plant pots and dried flowers, so if you’ve Marie Kondo’d your place, I’m sure you can find something online that would definitely help to spark joy.
There’s a well-known British supermarket whose slogan is ‘every little helps’ – and in this instance it’s true. Support small business if and when you can and before long, hopefully we’ll all be back out discovering them for ourselves, en route to the nearest sun-drenched plaza.
If you’d like to get involved and share a compelling story from this ongoing chapter of history, reach out to Daphne Binioris (daphne@veracontent.com ) and Daniel Catalan (a96039@aup.edu)
Order pizza from Lab 84 and take the sting out of lockdown
Every time you order in from a small business, they do a little happy dance
Madrileños are social creatures, there is no doubt about this. The concept of a complete lockdown (which is currently what we’re all living through) is all the more difficult in a city that lives it life out on the streets. From sipping cañas, to munching pinchos, to swigging copas, we love to go OUT. Out to eat, out to drink, out to dance. It goes without saying that being a social butterfly simply isn’t an option right now (as an aside, how well the city is respecting social isolation is actually incredible). But if you’re craving a break in the monotony of cook, eat, clean, repeat, there are still small businesses who are able to deliver as I discovered.
Last week as a treat for not killing each other in our tiny flat, myself and my boyfriend ordered pizza from Lab 84. We tend to always go out for pizza, our favourite regular place being NAP (just off Plaza Olavide) and we’re both chomping at the bit to try out Mister Pizza 01 on Ponzano when normality is restored – oven pizzas are a poor substitute for the the real thing from a wood-fired oven. Unfortunately neither of the aforementioned options are delivering currently, so we took a chance on Lab 84 via Uber Eats (it’s also available on Deliveroo & JustEat!) and didn’t disappoint.
We ordered one each as we were lucky enough to have a discount code (40% off at the time of writing this) so we splurged on a veggie option and a meaty treat. The veg option was great, topped with mushrooms, roasted peppers, courgette, spinach and tomatoes. My pizza came with gloriously spiced chorizo, mozzarella and red peppers. Obviously nothing really replicates the joy of going out for dins, but at least it gave us a night off cooking and all we had to fight over was who would do the washing up.
The biggest reason why I encourage everyone to order in if they can (I know that people are already feeling the pinch and may have their own reservations about deliveries) is that when you do a small business will do a little happy dance. These are scarily uncertain times and if I can do my own tiny bit to keep them afloat during this time, I will. And while these crazy times which have us clambering for human interaction, we finished chowing on down (let our food digest) and then got right on with a Bodycoach workout, how times have changed
