Colombian by birth, trained as a cook mainly in Franceand in its classic cuisine, Mario Vallès is one of the best representatives that we have in Spain of this academic and refined cuisine French inspired to which he applies current concepts.
This is the line he set in his first restaurant, Hortensio, opened ten years ago and finally closed in 2023. He kept a second one open, Daffodila much more informal Central European brewery. And now he’s taken over this new restaurant, Claudio’s courtwhich occupies the space of Unique hotel where Ramón Freixa stayed for so many years before moving to his new place. Space accessible directly from the street, without having to cross the hotel, and which includes the indoor dining room and which beautiful garden How fun it is when the good weather comes.
The idea of Mario and the hotel’s owner, Pau Guardans, is to use it as a place to snack or have a cocktail at any time of the day. In fact, the restaurant has uninterrupted cooking all afternoon.
The tastefully decorated interior dining room is pleasant and cozy. The model is that of a European style bistro with prices containedat least for what is stylish in Madrid, and minute details. A line in which Valles moves very comfortably, who will alternate his presence between his restaurant Narciso and this one.
The Colombian has developed a short letter in which the academic dishes that are its trademark predominate. From ‘pie (23 euros), so difficult to find in Madrid, until approx. crepes suzète (15) for dessert, including barigoule artichokes with prawns (18) or sweet potato gnocchi with grilled butter and sage (21). Also Orthodox steak tartare (28) of matured beef sirloin. The pâté en croute made with hare, pularda, quail and Iberian lizard is excellent. It is accompanied by pickles and two sauces: the traditional tartare and a hare demi-glace itself.
To start, a slight vegetable carpaccio and vegetables (15) with which he pays homage to Alain Passard. Now in winter, tubers predominate in a very aesthetic dish with the vinaigrette served as an accompaniment. He rabbit stew with macaroni gratin (20) is a wonderful stew, with very al dente pasta. Too bad a few bones escaped. And absolutely academic red label salmon in a perfect white butter sauce (28). Valles does not hesitate to offer a good hamburger (20) accompanied by pont neuf potatoes.
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Address:
Unique hotel. Claudio Coello, 67 years old. Madrid. Such. 91 123 11 43. It doesn’t close. Uninterrupted cooking. www.unicohotelmadrid.com -
The best:
Classic cuisine dishes. -
Average price:
75 euros. -
Qualification:
7.5.
As for desserts, in addition to the aforementioned pancakes and a good apple strudel (9), the debittered lemon with citrus ganache (9). This dish, already offered at Hortensio, is very interesting, in which lemons with thick skin and little pulp are used, working until they remove the bitterness and soften the skin so that they can be served whole. Light and very pleasant. A correct cellar completes the good impression of this new house.
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