Madrid's Americans

[vserna]

One of the little-known facts about the Madrid restaurant scene is the increasing American presence, a phenomenon that’s been going on for some 20 years and is rather unique in continental Europe. Oh, I don’t mean McDonald’s, Burger King, TGI Friday’s, Tony Roma’s and Pizza Hut (Wendy’s failed and left Spain), but some rather more intriguing culinary offerings. All of them pretty good, sometimes wacky (spaghetti and meatballs, here?), and rather endearing. There seems to be good interaction between American cooks and Madrileños. And Americans living here have a hard time feeling any homesickness...

The precursors were Alfredo (or Fred – no last name used) of Alfredo’s Barbacoa and Dick Stephens, recently retired from his La Gamella restaurant which is now run by another American, Theresa Fedel. (Not to mention the now Spanish-owned Foster’s Hollywood restaurant chain, opened by an American back in 1971.)

Dick Stephens has been in Spain for 40 years and is a former choreographer turned pro cook, first in an unlikely granite villa in one of the smallest, most isolated villages in the Guadarrama mountains, Navalagamella, then (since 1988) in Madrid’s ritzy Calle Alfonso XII on the Retiro park. His chorizo quiche, his correct Caesar salad and his Jack Daniels-laced, hand-cut steak tartare are part of modern Madrid culinary lore. La Gamella, where he remains a consultant, still offers these signature dishes

Alfredo is from the Bronx, but his Stetson, unkempt grey beard and passionate love for Texas and country music make him an honorary cowhand, I guess. He did his military service some 40 years ago at the former American air base outside Madrid and never returned home (except for his frequent visits to Nashville...), marrying a clever Andalusian girl and launching his first hamburger joint, which he never turned into a chain: just two outlets. The whole family (daughters, sons-in-law, grandchildren now...) plus a bevy of Moroccan employees (hence the delicious Arab-style Kefta burger they now serve in addition to the more classic styles) work at the two funky, messy, fun places. Best burgers in continental Europe – period. From good Danish beef. Also steaks, ribs, salad bar, good home-made cheese cake, beers, whiskeys... Pedro Almodóvar was a frequent client when he was younger, poorer and less well-known. Rock bands and American basketball players flock in.

Alfredo has also opened a place, just as funky, called Brooklyn USA – An Italian-American Eatery, which is the only such place I’ve ever seen outside the US. For nostalgics of spaghetti with meatballs and Little Italy-style Italian sausages, which they do in uncannily authentic (i.e., totally un-Italian) style.

Then along came Jamie Downing. After a couple of brief stints at two Asian-fusion restaurants, No-Do and Iroco, he found his groove with his own place, Asia Society – one of the precursors of Madrid’s well-documented Asian craze. The Pan-Asian menu is good, spicy, fun and not too expensive, from tom kha kai spicy chicken soup to nifty home-mixed curries and mango strudel.

One of the American places that didn’t survive was Cornucopia en Descalzas, a romantic restaurant in an almost-untouched 19th-century apartment in old Madrid. But its former cook, the young Matthew Scott, with his bandanna around his head, has continued on his own, opening the modest, bare-bones Gumbo a few months ago. He’s from New Orleans and trained at such places as Bayona. Not much ‘new American’ here, but basic southern stuff: his gumbo is powerful and satisfying, and his fried green tomatoes very refreshing; Spanish gambas are an excellent ingredient for the shrimp rémoulade. Pretty serious cocktails.

Edited March 10, 2004 by vserna (log)

[Paco]

Great Article!

I totally agree with you. Alfredo´s BBQ has the best burgers. The meat just tastes soooooo good. I go there often.

Foster´s Holliwood is a second option, but as a chain, quality varies from joint to joint.

TGI Friday´s is good but a bit pricey.

Anothe place is Woody´s Diner, on Arturo Soria 66, 91 368 14 11, american-texmex, quite authentic diner decoration, but have to admit I haven´t been there in a long time.

By the way, does anyone know where they serve the best brunch in Madrid? I am not an expert, but tasted eggs benedict with salmon in Isabella´s in NY and it was a lifetime experience.

Where is Brooklyn USA?

I tried Asia Society, but as all asian restaurants in madrid, lacks some authenticity in terms of lack of spices and spiciness.

[vserna]

Paco: Find out about it here.

[vserna]

Oh! Repairing an omission. Not a culinary one (pretty indifferent burgers and cheese cake...), but an architectural one: Woody's Diner is (by far) the most striking and largest U.S.-built diner I've ever seen outside the United States. I just reemembered it - drove by last night and had a quick sandwich.

Built in 1951 in New Jersey, it was moved to Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics but never panned out there. It was bought by a Madrid firm and moved here in 1995. In mint condition, it's an unusual construction with two cabs placed parallel to each other, so that there are two dining rooms. It's an orgy of aluminum, plastic and formica with 50's style decoration. The current owners have added an outdoor patio all done in aluminum replicating the diner's style. Now set in the Ciudad Lineal district, Madrid's leafiest area, it's an unexpected sight and, I think, a nice architectural landmark.

I've always loved diners and have driven many a mile on Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware roads just to see some notable ones, and I never thought we'd have a genuine one of our own here!

[butterfly]

Unearthing this ancient thread... Does anyone know if Woody's Diner is still in business? I seem to remember that there was a fire a few years back... did it go to diner heaven?

Also, there's another diner-style burger place that opened up in Malasaña (metro Tribunal). I wasn't terribly impressed, but then burgers aren't really my thing. The decor, however, is clever, creating the illusion of a diner from a matchbox space on the first floor of an apartment building:

Home Burger Bar

Calle del Espíritu Santo 12

Teléfono: +34 915 229 728

www.homeburgerbar.com

[vserna]

Woody's Diner went up in flames a little over a year ago, in January 2006, and never reopened. The place had been sliding for a year or so, and, let's face it, in such circumstances fires always look suspicious. Drove by yesterday - the fence is locked and the scene was a sorry one with seats and tables strewn around the garden. The structure is not damaged beyond rehabilitation, but I wonder if anyone will spend any money on carrying it out...

The Home Burger Bar is a Québecois venture. The burgers aren't bad but they can't touch Alfredo's. (Or the ones at Ferran Adrià's Fast Good, which have actually improved since the place opened.)

Madrid's rich American scene has actually become richer in the three years since I started this thread with the opening of Karen Bell's Memento. She's San Francisco-trained and she does a very nice rendition of Californian-Spanish fusion cuisine. But also, in addition to the Woody's Diner fire, Alfredo had to close his Brooklyn USA last year - it seems the local kids never took to spaghetti and meatballs with the same alacrity as to bacon cheeseburgers! What a shame - the sausages were terrific!

[Culinista]

OK, so where are the Mission burrito, BBQ brisket, pulled pork, and clam chowder?

Who says Americanization is all bad?