Susan C.
Yelp
After doing some research, I decided to visit Tragantúa for lunch on a Friday afternoon between visits to the Museo del Prado. It was well worth it.
We arrived at 1:35pm, shortly after opening, and were glad we did, since within 15 minutes the entire place (seating approx 20 people), was full. Among us a mix of locals and foreigners, including individuals, couples, and families.
The server was friendly and although we didn't have reservations, granted us a small table almost immediately. After being seated she asked if we were planning to order the menu del dia, (14,90 Euro--which we were), then pulled out a tablet which showed us the menu options in English. Since our Spanish proficiency was deplorable, we appreciated her effort to explain to us in English the substitutions on the menu and the owner/manager(?) also came out and did the same. He also explained their focus on serving seasonal produce and thus their changing menus.
At 14.90 Euro, the meal includes first course, main course, dessert, bread, and your option of drink (coffee or wine). The options for first course included fried Brie served with fig jam and greens, goat cheese salad (not available but substituted with a grilled chickpea and Mediterranean vegetable dish), green rice with calamari or corn soup with grilled shrimp. Both of the first two choices looked mouth-watering by the looks of the table next to us that ordered them, but we went for the green rice (color by a spinach sauce) and the corn soup. Mmmm...the corn soup was creamy and the grill on the shrimp perfect. You could tasted that slight smokiness of the shrimp. The squid in the rice was probably the most tender cooked squid I have ever eaten in my life--and I'm comparing this right up there to squid sashimi that is raw and super fresh at reputable Japanese sushi places. (And I'm salivating slightly as I write this right now.)
For the mains there was a "Turkish" burger, beef stew with red peppers, grilled sea bass bone-in, and lemon chicken. We ordered the beef and fish.
On first bite of the sea bass you could tell it was well-prepared. The skin retained that perfect thin crisp and the flesh was succulent and tender. It was served with potatoes that must have been seasoned/cooked in some type of broth bc they were delicious. Also on the dish were a few Spanish peppers prepared similarly to how shishito peppers are fried (compared to what I know as tapas back in NYC ). A word to the eater--you have to be careful of the small bones as essentially this is a whole small fish splayed open. The beef stew was amazing--tender, flavorful, hearty with the tiniest spicy zing from the red pepper.
As for dessert, options were caramel flan, hazelnut ice cream, yoghurt with berry emulsion, or seasonal melon and we chose the first two. I've never had a hazelnut ice cream I didn't like, but the flan stood out with it's lovely caramel flavor and egg-y custard consistency. The caramel flavor almost had a slightly burnt flavor (in a really good delicious way) that lingered on your tongue after swallowing. So tasty!!!
What a generous and delightful meal! Aside from the wonderful food itself, the portions were very good-sized and the people so friendly and helpful. If we had more time in Madrid we would definitely visit again.
Thank you La Tragantúa for making this experience I won't forget!