Araia — Restaurant in Madrid

The two young personable owners of Araia have created a magical environment for their stunning restaurant. From hand-forged tables to the hand-made dishes to the stucco walls and the soft lighting, Araia is a warm, elegant space to enjoy the welcoming hospitality of Carlos and Pedro. Together with their talented chef and sous chef, they have conjured dishes with Mediterranean roots, sourcing the most exquisite local produce and products of Spain. The complexity and subtlety of flavors is matched by the delicacy of touch of the chefs, and while the components of a dish may be innovative, there is nothing bizarre in the effect—only the true delight of tasting something both paradoxically new and authentic at the same time. The menu offers selections from the various parts of the island of Araia, an imaginary place which they have conjured, and so you will find vegetables, seafood, and meat, each dish creatively conceived and lovingly executed. In the course of my travels, I have visited a number of Michelin starred restaurants, and Araia is their equal or truly exceeds the quality of such establishments. Moreover, the owners have priced their menu at what can only be described as a steal. We loved our dinner experience so much that we were able to book lunch as well during our week stay in Madrid in May. If we lived there, surely we would be dining at Araia as often as possible. The clientele is a lovely mix of young people, older people, well-behaved tourists—all engaged in lively conversation propelled by the atmosphere, food, and very interesting wine and drink. On the day of our luncheon, we sampled a delicate and delicious green walnut aperitif, something like a Vermouth, but beguilingly new. Araia is one of those rare restaurants that offers a beautiful experience as well as food, an experience that lingers in the memory as one to be cherished for the aesthetic pleasure of superb food and for the well-being that perfect hospitality accords. (And, no, these young men are not my children or relatives or friends although it feels as if...

In general, the food is good but not fantastic. The best is the pumpkin spread. The tartin with duck loaf was good but unfortunately lacked a sweet touch. The monk fish tandoori was very disappointing. Though the fish was very cooked, it’s impossible to taste the fish which is totally covered by the strong taste of curry. The butifarra was a bit plain. The biggest disappointment is that the service was very very very slow. When we made the reservation, we were supposed to have only 1.5 hours for our lunch. However, every dish took almost 30 minutes to arrive. We ended up spending 2 hours to have 4 dishes and 1 dessert. In fact we were in the first round and there were very few tables. If it’s not so full, why were we bothered to put our credit card to make the reservation? The restaurant does not have the level to request a credit card reservation considering that there are so many excellent choices in Madrid which don’t ask for credit card reservations. Truly not...

I really have to thank Pedro and Luco for the phenomenal dining experience at Aria. Not only were they surprisingly accommodating on Saturday for a dinning experience despite not having a reservation, they were also extremely welcoming and inclusive to my friend and I.

Everything here is very detail oriented, from the concept of the tasting journey through the island of Aria’s different regions, to the beautiful plating of fresh ingredients, down to the way you receive the check as a “passport” to unbox an invitation to come back to the conceptual Mediterranean island of Aria. The values of a unified culture truly carry themselves to the people who welcome you and contribute positive energy to your meal. You leave with mementos of stories to take and reflect on the dining experience. 10/10 recommend this restaurant, especially to those who appreciate art and have gratitude & openness to new...