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Now that the cold days and the cold (the real cold) are with us, few things are more appealing than to tone body and spirit by dipping the spoon into one of those traditional stew recipes that are the protagonists of the Spanish gastronomic list. It is time for formulas elaborated with calm, care and love. And, therefore, of one of the most demanded dishes at this time of the year: cocido madrileño. In the Falling Leaves restaurant, one of the new openings in Madrid, they know it. And that’s why its chef, Juan Luis Dastis (Harrods, Opium, Pachá, Café del Mar…), pays a special tribute to this stew every Friday, to start the weekend in the best possible way.
Cooked over a slow fire and served in three turns, as the canons dictate, his proposal stands out for the raw material with which it is prepared. And also because the chef from Madrid is inspired by the stew that his grandmother from Peñafiel (alas, grandmothers…) used to prepare for him every Sunday: first the soup is served, then the chickpeas (beware, they are milky, from the south of Spain) accompanied by vegetables and sautéed cabbage and, finally, the meats, which (by the way) include charcoal-grilled marrow with a tomato, cumin, garlic and oil mashed potatoes. Everything, inherited from its predecessor. To repeat, repeat and repeat.
Falling Leaves, the capital’s new dinner show
But that’s not all there is to it (it wasn’t all about stew, although it could be). Because the restaurant, located in Bingo Roma and accessible only to adults, also offers a wide range of possibilities for events and celebrations.
With more than 900 square meters and capacity for 350 people, Falling Leaves has two distinct areas (one with high tables, where the bar takes center stage; another with low tables, with the lounge as the epicenter) and a unique musical program (thanks, in large part, to the prestigious producer Eugenio Gurumetea): Thursdays with jazz, Fridays with flamenco and dance and Saturdays with versions of songs of yesterday and today.
In short, a dinner show (like those that already triumph in other European capitals) that has the wood oven and the grill as its backbone, executive menu throughout the week for 14 euros, stew on Fridays and brunch on Sundays. The choice is yours.
