Taberna Madrid Madriz | Classic Tapas Reviewed

Let's talk tapas. 

Pro VFM - for the location. Actually, in fact, pretty good VFM full stop.
Con Don't expect finesse. Although that's not really a con, most of the time.

Per Person €€ Food ★★★☆ Service ★★★★☆ VFM ★★★★★

Practicalities

Website https://www.restaurantesmadridmadriz.es/
Access Downstairs eating area is step free, but with high tables. Toilets upstairs.

Dietary You'll need to ask.


Pictures
On Google Images

Details

Hopes? We're after the classics.
Reality? Absolutely on target.
First Impressions? It's 8pm. Downstairs, Taberna Madrid Madriz is already full. Upstairs is half reserved, but we're first in so that'll do. Decor is down to Earth. Monochrome photos and Mahou.
USP? There are no pretensions or attempts at irony or cleverness. At all. In Malasaña, this is not to be underestimated. And the menu del dia/cena is on offer well into the evening.
The offer in three words? Spain on plates.
Service? Spot on. Friendly, amused. Anticipated requests before we actually made them.
On tap? What do you expect?

Friend friendly? Well. It's the full-on traditional Madrid - and wider Spain - tapas thing at Taberna Madrid Madriz. You'll need to navigate a bit, but there are options.

Rating for dating? For sure. Although it will get a bit lively, perhaps.
Tip? Yes.
Change one thing? Serviettes on the table? Struggling to think of anything else.
Revisitability? Absolutely a given. It's got reliability on its side. It's somewhere to take visitors, so they know what's disappeared from most of the rest of Malasaña.

Food

Taberna Madrid Madriz is as classic as it gets. Whether that's your cup of tea or not, it's probably all you need to know. So it's practically unreviewable. There are no mysteries or surprises, aside maybe from the excellent price for the portions on offer. Take a friend. Take visitors. Give them a chance to contrast how things were and how things are.

Patatas Mixtas

Salmorejo

Patatas mixtas is a very decent plate of freshly deep fried spuds, with a very creamy garlic and mild 

pepper sauces. An absolute classic, to be honest. We would add the patatas ali oli are equally hardcore, but traditionally different - they're served cold with the traditional crushed garlic mayonaise.  Salmorejo Full disclosure; February's not quite the season, really, but it's been a long time since Summer (remember that?) and, with your eyes shut and several large beers to dull the senses to the gathering gloom outside, you can just about pretend. The colour is pinker - I don't think it's the lighting - than I might have expected, the texture a tad rougher than the smooth versions I am used to. But you don't realise how much garlic's going on here until you go back to the patatas and the mayo's lost half its oomph. Vampire slayers, this is your dish.

Lacon a la gallega

Cazón Adobado

Lacon a la Gallega Crushed potatoes, thinly sliced lacon, Proper winter comfort eating, this. A good choice if you don't, or won't, eat octopus, Our server anticipated we were after some extra oil for this was a highlight of the visit. Cazón Adobado Well marinaded, this deep fried fish dish still benefitted from that splash of lemon juice to add more acidity. The huge tomato slices served a similar purpose. 

Pudding!

As we'd already ordered two dishes off the preposterously good value menu del dia/cena, Pudding, as dessert, came by right. Look, you can't really review it. It's an egg pudding. It's an acquired taste, but love it. Although this was more flan like, and less spongey than my ideal version.