La Malontina — Restaurant in Madrid

Short version: pretty room, but second-rate food (small, expensive portions full of gimmicks, e.g. dish of tough, poorly sliced and cooked beef comes with an unrelated twig of rosemary sticking out, bad enough, but the server then literally sets it on fire with a cooking torch at the table!) and service lacking (e.g., order a bottle of wine which the server turns sticky after pouring the first glass very poorly and never cleans; we ask for a carafe of tap water and get one glass each instead, which are never refilled).

Longer version: When we first dined here eight years ago we enjoyed the meal so we returned with a dinner reservation recently for a profoundly disappointing experience. The room has been notably spruced up and the menu has taken an Asian turn (full disclosure: my husband is a naturalized U.S. citizen, born and raised in Asia, so we cook and eat a lot of authentic Chinese food). Unfortunately, their Asian flavors turn out to be more cheap trick than culinary adventure.

First, the (one) waiter informed us which menu items were unavailable, so we ordered accordingly; after we ordered he returned to tell us that one of the supposedly available dishes (leek) was actually not available, so we reordered. After we'd sat a while an overly sour sour dough bread and a plate of complimentary fried peppers arrived, which seemed like a nice gesture until less than one minute later a dish of risotto we'd actually ordered arrived. First, the dishes should have been spaced, and second, the risotto arrived much too early to have been made from scratch to order.

Things went downhill from there. Veal sweetbreads, very few in number for the price, were buried in cheap take-out restaurant hot sauce. And the dish of chewy beef that followed in Chinese pepper sauce made clear that the kitchen had a cook, but no chef. At this point we put down our forks and quietly asked for the check. However, the waiter aggressively insisted "everything was good!" Rather than lying we explained that it wasn't good; he stepped out and returned saying that he'd informed the owner and cook of our observations and that neither wished to comment or speak with us. We hadn't asked to talk with them, but their (lack of) response tells you everything you need to know about the place. There's so much better food in...

A Culinary Gem in the Heart of Madrid: La Malontina

In the bustling Barrio de Las Letras, tucked away from the lively streets of Madrid, lies a culinary haven known as La Malontina. Chef and owner, Pablo Fernández-Acera, has crafted a space that is not merely a restaurant but a heartfelt expression of gastronomy, where each dish tells a story of tradition, quality, and innovative culinary artistry.

The clams, bathed in a divine garlic and herb sauce, offered a symphony of flavors, while the monkfish, baked and delicately seasoned with olive oil and salt, was a buttery marvel, fileted tableside and melting exquisitely upon the palate. The brisket, slow-cooked to perfection, atop baked potatoes and enveloped in a rich brown sauce, redefined the standards of a classic dish, presenting something akin to a luxurious beef stew, yet distinctly unique and undeniably the best brisket to ever grace our palates.

Yet, the soul of La Malontina extends beyond the plate. The staff, attentive and considerate, ensured a seamless dining experience from the moment our reservation was honored to the final farewell. Pablo himself, a truly gifted chef and owner, greeted us with genuine warmth, sharing not only his favorite spots in Spain but also his passion and pride in his culinary creations. His visits to our table, reminiscent of a proud father, added a personal touch that transformed a meal into a memorable experience.

Nestled off a busy road, La Malontina provides a serene oasis for diners, attracting a delightful blend of locals and tourists alike. Even our taxi driver spoke highly of Pablo's place, affirming its reputation as a distinguished dining locale.

In a city renowned for its vibrant culinary scene, La Malontina stands out as a must-visit before the secret of Pablo’s culinary mastery becomes a global sensation, making a table at this charming bistro a...

I was there yesterday, i had seared scallops with hot sauce. And monkfish baked in the oven with potatoes and herbs. I loved both the dishes. Both were very tasty, the monkfish i never had before and i really enjoyed it, even the taste of the potatoes was really good, everything is fresh and very good quality.

i finished off with a cheesecake which also was very nice. I am leaving in a few hours, otherwise i would have gone today to have the same menu one more time! And the owner is such a gentleman, it is a very small cozy restaurant. I do recommend it. Fix that main door though... Adios!

I am going to edit this review. But i will not delete the old one. I came one day early before a meeting just to eat in this restaurant, the food that i had before was incredible. However today the food was ok. The scallops were very small but good. The calamar was good, i didnt taste anything special, but the decorations of the plate was amazing, i loved it. The monkfish was ok, but the potatoes! Oh my god! They were burnt. I thought he changed the recipe so i trusted and ate it but no, i couldnt eat, i like burnt cheesecake if any of you know it, it is burnt, but it tastes good. It is very unhealthy to eat burnt food so i ate only once, however this burnt potatoes were horrible!. It is a shame because the taste of the potatoes was incredible before. Incredible! I tried to put the burnt ones to a corner but the taste was all over. The juice of the fish also tasted burnt, i ate a little as i like to dip the fish in the juice, but i had to go due to my meeting for tomorrow and prepare, so i didnt send the order back. But no chef that respects the customer will send such food. I advise to the restaurant to Please always keep your standards same and respect your customers time and money.

I have old photos uploaded and i will upload the new ones. You can see...