One of the most famous dishes in Spanish cuisine is paella, and while it is typical of the Levante region, the capital is home to a number of restaurants that can compete with the best paellas in Valencia. Here we take a look at these Madrid restaurants.
In the region around Valencia they call the lightly browned (or burnt) part of the rice “socarrat”, the traditional part of authentic Valencian paella that lends its name to this Madrid restaurant. Behind the venture are Rafa and Jordi, two Valencians whose aim is to allow us to enjoy authentic paella without leaving Madrid. They also offer a home-delivery service. Their menu includes more than 16 versions of paella featuring ingredients from land and sea. Our favourites, aside from the better-known paella Valenciana or arroz del senyoret (lord’s rice), are paella de Castellón (chicken, pork ribs, artichokes, green beans, lime beans and rosemary sprigs) or arroz del Túria (cuttlefish, squid, artichoke, peeled prawns and seafood stock).
La Barraca was opened in 1935 by the Solís family, who wanted to bring a little slice of their homeland with them to the capital city. The menu offers a wide variety of rice dishes and paellas made with premium quality produce, the star ingredient being bomba rice with the Valencia Denomination of Origin. Although they offer traditional dishes such as paella Valenciana, arroz senyoret and fideuà marinera, we recommend you try other lesser-known dishes such as their baked rice with cocido (a traditional Madrid stew), rice with chicken, wild mushrooms and truffles or rice with leeks and prawns.
Mar Mía is a restaurant that defines itself as an Urban Beach Bar (Chiringuito). The kitchen opens throughout the afternoon and evening, where chef Rafa Zafra’s Mediterranean-style barbecue competes with the fabulous rice dishes of Luis Rodríguez (of Casa Elías Xinorlet) for the limelight. The menu features three types of 2- or 4-portion paella-style dishes: rice with rabbit and snails, rice with vegetables or honeyed rice with red prawns.
Three suggestions for enjoying one of the most popular dishes in Spanish gastronomy. Did you know about them?
