It was a sweltering summer day. Tere Sánchez ran the El Principal restaurant and the high temperatures caused something unusual: all the tables ordered the same thing. “The clients wanted something fresh and light, and the tuna tartare and the steak tartare met the requirements,” recalls this lawyer who left the profession to dedicate herself to the hospitality industry. She joked with the idea of ??opening a tartare-only restaurant, and a colleague applauded the idea. Her partner, the Portuguese chef Pedro Silva, was also enthusiastic about it, and they both embarked on this adventure that is La Tartarería.
“Many establishments offered some tartare, but we did not find any focused on this preparation, neither in Spain, nor in Europe.” That finally convinced them to open their business in 2018, and although at first there were some clueless people who came there looking for cakes, they ended up liking his proposal a lot. Last year, Michelin recognized their work by adding La Tartarería to the guide’s list of recommended restaurants.
Both have reinterpreted this preparation and have ventured with unusual versions, using ingredients such as turbot, duck and even deer. Whenever they can, they use local products and respect seasonality, which forces them to change their menus about four times a year. The midday one costs €25, and the Classic and Experience tickets cost €60 and €75, respectively.
The tartars that make them up are his work, who creates cuisine with nods to his origins; as she introduces them to the room with the help of a friendly and efficient team. Cod, for example, is a common fish in the dishes of this restaurant and they use the dough of the traditional Belém cake in a carabinero tartar. The kitchen tiles also reference the neighboring country and, we suppose, make Silva feel a little less far from home.
On our visit, we tried the Classic menu, which starts with a mussel tartare fritter, a cod tartlet, and a bread with various butters. We would repeat the miso one, but move on to the next dish, the grilled oyster with cream cheese and codium. It is followed by the exquisite shrimp tartare with mayonnaise from their heads, served on a crispy brioche. The next one is sea bass, our favorite, accompanied by pickled Figueres onion, hearts of palm and a citrus sauce that we devoured.
The scallop tartare, with a sweet touch, and the butterfish tartar with smoked eel sauce, finish the fish section, and give way to a classic of the house, the steak tartare with low-temperature egg – a very creamy bite. – presented on a churro-shaped potato.
The repertoire continues with a truffled bikini and a tender Iberian pork, the only dishes cooked with fire so far. Among the desserts, the pineapple tartare with mint granita and the versioned marquee, which put an end to the menu. The suggested wines, which Tere chooses, do not camouflage the nuances of this healthy and not at all heavy cuisine, which is pure trend.
