The do of chest —almost literally— to conquer Madrid: Mar Mia, the buoyant bet of the Hotel Ocean Drive in the very Plaza de Ópera It has all the ingredients for the encores to multiply.
It has the scene, on a bright and open first floor; but Above all, it counts on the artificers, restaurateurs of race, whose names —some better known than others— have already resonated in Madrid for a long time.
As if they were the Three Tenors, but this time from the hospitality industry and not belcantistas, Charles Bosch (known for Manero, Alicante and Madrid, and for El Portal), Rafa Zafra (ex-Bulli and driving force behind Casa Jondal and Estimar —Barcelona and Madrid—) and Louis Rodriguez, the artist behind the rice dishes at Casa Elías, in the Alicante district of Xinorlet, are preparing to launch gastronomic arias to make Madrid fall in love.
A luck of Pavarotti, Domingo and Carreras —although I am not sure of the order of the factors or who is who— who have turned the capital upside down with what they do best: provide food and make it fun.
Rafael Zafra, king of caviar and fish, resort to its raw, its embers and its fried foods; Carlos Bosch —responsible for this union— pulls salted fish and Manero snacks, including its wine list, and Rodriguez puts two rice dishes in dance (for now) with signs of growing.
With the faith of conquering the Madrilenian and wait like rain in May for the tourist, somewhat orphaned both of a culinary proposal in the Plaza de Ópera, central and somewhat beaten, but now recovered for the gastro cause, the three hoteliers promote a fun Madrid, non-stop and where natives and travelers fit.
The Mediterranean beach bar in the center of Madrid
If we add Rafa Zafra’s red prawn, Luis Rodríguez’s snail and rabbit rice, and Carlos Bosch’s salting and oenological display, added to the latter’s mastery of creating fun environments beyond the culinary, we have the meaning of Mar Mia, which it could well be an afternoon in the Alicante sun.
A trio that does not intend to sing only in Madrid, but was born with the intention of become the gastronomic brand of Ocean Drive hotels. Still filming and with just a few months running, Carlos Bosch himself acknowledges that “there are things to polish, but it’s about making it clear that Mar Mía is a sum of forces, not egos.”
After having conquered Madrid with Manero and with the guarantee that Zafra supposes in the capital, which does the same with Estimar, the third in harmony of this Mediterranean trio is Luis Rodríguez, the only one who had no experience in the capital, but whose rice dishes promise strong emotions. So much so that the funds for his paellas and rice dishes leave from Alicante so that everything is exactly the same as in Xinorlet.
All for one, one for all
They could well be the Three Tenors, but they could also be The Three Musketeers, although in this case the role of D’Artagnan falls to Marc Rahola —founder of the Ocean Drive brand—, and who has relied on the virtues of Bosch as organizer of this deployment where, he insists, “it is the same voice, we are not each one separately”.
Thus appears a cocktail bar menu, Mediterranean grills and fish, lots of fish that “aims to be fun and enjoyable”, and always from the point of view of “Mar Mía, not each one separately”. The reality is that Bosch’s speech, a good connoisseur of Madrid, has a loyal public that cares about the product, quality and having a good time, the same wickerwork that is replicated in Mar Mía.
Lacor – 63621 – Paellera Steel Pro Iron 20 cms.
Oysters, red shrimp (including the famous ElBulli carpaccio), king prawns, shrimps, caviar, fried Andalusian cut and grill, perfect for fish, they are those ‘Proust cupcakes’ with which the Madrilenian will not miss the coast when they pass through Mar Mía.
Although there are not only nautical siren songs, but also feet on the ground, such as Luis Rodríguez’s rice dishes, some meat details at the expense of chops and grill or, halfway between the coast and the interior, the Manero salted fish and roe.
To water it down, the collection of wines that, supplier after supplier, the Alicante hotelier has been recruiting for the Manero cause, getting great winemakers label this own brand in which all the sticks fit. Ribera, Rioja, Rueda, Ribeiro, Jerez, champagne, cava… Virtually everything that can fit into a bottle will have a Manero label.
practical data
Where: Plaza de Isabel II, 7, 28013 Madrid.
Half price: 65 euros.
Bookings: 965 14 44 44 and on their website.
Schedules: Monday to Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
Pictures | my sea
In DAP | 25 restaurants where you can eat the best rice dishes in Alicante (beach and inland)
In DAP | The most popular rice dishes in Valencian cuisine: from paella to senyoret, passing through baked rice