chinese food in Madrid

[butterfly]

Over the past 15 years that I have been visiting Madrid, I've noticed an explosion of Chinese spots.

Over the past few weeks, I've had a chance to try a few restaurants and was surprised by how good they were. The food bears none of the unpleasant features of Americanized chinese food--syrupy sweet heavy sauces, excessive grease, and obscene portions.

So far my favorite place has been a little hole in the wall on Calle Silva. It's in the block just north of Gran Via (there's a McDonalds on the corner). It's on the left side about a third of the way down the block. They have some really interesting tofu dishes with more heat than I've ever experienced anywhere on the Iberian peninsula. They use scotch bonnet peppers liberally. The dumplings seemed to be made from rice-based flour and were very light and flavorful. From what I could tell, they seemed to be catering to an exclusively Chinese clientele.

Does anyone know anything about the origins of the Chinese community in Madrid? Any other leads on good spots to check out?

P.S. In addition to the Chinese grocery under Plaza de Espana, I found another on Calle San Bernardo. It's right off Gran Via. You go south at the corner with Hotel Emperador and it's on the right side inside an arcade of shops. They had a slightly different selection from Extremo Oriente.

Edited July 19, 2004 by butterfly (log)

[Rogelio]

Butterfly, I was on the Calle Silva's chinese about three weeks ago and my experience was far away from yours. My friend's ex-boss is chinese and used to eat there daily so we went to try the real thing. The friends who took us said that they have changed the owner, so maybe it used to be better.

The place looks interesting always plenty of chinese people eating noodle soups. But after trying to be understood by the waiter we opted for duck toungues, they were canned and very cartilaginous like pigs ears and then chicken with prawns and cashews, and an icecream for dessert, with two Sin Tao beers it was about six euros. IMHO very bad QPR. It's been on of the worst meals I've had lately. Just my luck.

I rather go to China Crown, maybe less authentic but more ejoyable.

[butterfly]

Can't say I've enjoyed duck tongue, even in the places where it has been reputed to be good. Perhaps it's just my cultural bias, but I find it jarring to have a tongue be so crunchy...

Perhaps it's best to stick to the noodle soups, dumplings and tofu dishes at the Calle Silva spot...

Where is China Crown?

[Rogelio]

China Crown is in Infanta Mercedes, between Metro stations Tetuan and Cuzco. In Northern Madrid.

[Bux]

Here in NYC, there are Chinese restaurants that are very reliable for noodle soups and even dumplings, but border on dreadful when it comes to other dishes. Sometimes it's more important to know how to use a restaurant than just to know if it's good or bad. This is one of the big arguments against rating restaurants by the numbers. Sometimes a restaurant specializes in one dish, or one type of dish and that where you want to go when you want that dish and where you don't want to go when you want anything else.

Not about Chinese food, but Mrs. B recommended the lobster with rice at a restaurant in Barcelona to a collegue. The collegue returned and said she wasn't very pleased with the paella she ordered there. Mrs. B responded by saying that she told her to get the arroz caldoso. Once we dined at a very crowded restaurant in a beach resort in France. I assumed the crowds were validation of the food. I was wrong and rather unhappy with what I ordered, but it wasn't until then that I realized almost no one was eating prepared fish. All that people were eating were raw oysters and clams.

[vserna]

There was a discussion on eGullet a few months back, prompted by an enthusiastic (slightly overenthusiastic?) Ken Hom article in the Financial Times on Madrid's expanding Asian restaurant scene:

http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=35860

Of later developments, I'd say that two impressive new places are the Asia Gallery at the Westin Palace Hotel and the whimsical, airy Hakkasan (yes, its owners, who also own China Crown, are friends of the owner of London's Hakkasan), in which three chefs operate simultaneously: one is Chinese, the second a sushi chef and the third a Peruvian, who brings the pan-Pacific feel to the menu with some terrific cebiches and other seafood dishes.

But these are expensive places (about 40 euros at Asia Gallery). Going back to the budget Chinese, I'd re-state here that the noodles are terrific at the hole-in-the-wall in the Plaza de España underground car park. And, among the many mid-priced places, the old standby ChinaKing has relaunched itself rather smartly after adding dim sum, sushi and some Thai dishes to its basic Cantonese menu. There are set-price menus starting at around 8 euros.

The Chinese community in Spain, which is rather old, is growing very fast now and they have practically taken over large chunks of old Madrid, in butterfly's neighborhood, where they trade in a million different Asian products. (How old is it? Well, 'Manolita' Chen's fabled Chinese Theatre troupe began touring Spain in the 1940s. There are very few older precedents: Spain has practically no historic ties with China, unlike Britain or the United States. Now a younger Chen sibling, Danny Chen, is one of the new moguls of the Asian restaurant scene in Madrid with his Tao chain. Not to be confused with the other Chens, who are unrelated although they come from the same part of China - Roger Chen owns the Zen chain and runs the Asia Gallery.)

[Bux]

I'd find the appearance of sushi and pan-Asian foods in Chinese restaurants peculiar if the same thing weren't happening here in NY. I still find it peculiar in NY. Much of it has to do not with cornering the market for Caucasian diners, but meeting the demand and taste of the local ethnic Chinese population, or perhaps of the local ethnic Asian population. NY's Chinatown if not exactly an Asian melting pot, has long had markets carrying products from all over Asia. Even the larger supermarkets in Chinatown have take out sushi. They also sell milk, cheese and sliced bread.

[Rogelio]

Here in NYC, there are Chinese restaurants that are very reliable for noodle soups and even dumplings, but border on dreadful when it comes to other dishes. Sometimes it's more important to know how to use a restaurant than just to know if it's good or bad. This is one of the big arguments against rating restaurants by the numbers. Sometimes a restaurant specializes in one dish, or one type of dish and that where you want to go when you want that dish and where you don't want to go when you want anything else.

.

You're absolutely right Bux, but the main problem was the misunderstanding with the waiter, when we asked him for sugestions he didn't knew what to answer so we opted for the trial/error and we fail.

But don't know if I'll give it another chance

[Bux]

... the main problem was the misunderstanding with the waiter, when we asked him for sugestions he didn't knew what to answer

This is often a problem with "ethnic" restaurants. In NY Chinese restaurants, or at least those in Chinatown, one can never be sure what, if any help, one can get from a waiter unless one is familiar with the restaurant. Some waiters speak very little English and communication may be limited to pointing at the menu. Others may or may not speak much English but are convinced, often by their own experiences with Caucasian diners, that we won't like certain dishes and warn us about them and sometimes almost flatly refuse to take our order unless we insist. Other waiters however, have dealt with enough adventurous gastronomes to get involved and enthusiastically suggest certain less common dishes. It helps to develop a relationship over time.

[vserna]

Even the larger supermarkets in Chinatown have take out sushi.

Heck, even convenience stores in Spain carry sushi trays nowadays.

[butterfly]

Just wanted to add another recommendation for a Chinese grocery store... I was walking around Lavapies (checking out vserna's rec--Foodland on Amparo--great spot for Indian ingredients and spices).

On the way back, I noticed a place on Embajadores, just north of the Fabrica de Tabacos on the right side. At first I thought it was just chinese housewares, because there are rice steamers and other kitchen appliances in the window. When I went in, I found a very big Chinese grocery. Much bigger than the other two mentioned above. But not nearly as pan-Asian....almost exclusively Chinese, with more produce and housewares. Looked like a good place to buy a wok. Also seemed a bit cheaper with more selection of a lot of items.

Next time I'll go, I'll try to figure out the exact address and name...

Edited July 25, 2004 by butterfly (log)

[Paco]

My wife is korean, and we found that in c/ General Margallo, between Bravo Murillo and Orense, Tetuan subway stop, you have 3-5 chinese stores, some selling all kind of asian spices... even la tank with ive fish.... Actually very very close to China Crown.

I think Sake is a great chinese and asian restaurant. The 3-dish duck there is great.

Another very good and out of the ordinary asian restaurant is Mekong, on Velazquez street, but a bit more expensive.

Paco

[pedro]

Thanks for the tips, Paco. Is there any Korean restaurant that you would recommend? If there're any, I'd say we all would appreciate a help with the dishes...

[Paco]

No problem Pedro,

We would recommend Korea, on C/ Cristobal Bordiu 59 tef. 91 554 2034, towards the end of the street, near the Ministry.

Recommended dishes: Bulgoki, Kalbi and bibimbab (done on a hot clay pot in front of you). Yu-Ke -Yang (spicy beef soup), Chae (noodle made of sweet potato mixed with vegetable and beef)

All these are very authentic yet not "strange". I say this because some korean dishes can be really spicy and have a strong smell.

Side dishes: Tofu dish, vegetable tempura (excellent and different from Japanese tempura), kimchi (if you dare the small and hotness). In Kprea you order a main dish and it comes with many "free of charge" side dishes, but in Spain each one is priced individually.

Korea (the country) does not have the "dessert culture" we can see in Spain, so in this restaurant fruit is probably the best thing.

I haven´t tried the restaurant, but my wife has, quite a few times, and it beats other better known restaurants such as: Hangan, Kaya, etc.

I hope this will help a bit,

Paco