Alameda

Esther Álvarez and Tomás Fernández’s restaurant has made a qualitative leap from what it has always been. For starters, the ingredients have gone from extraordinary to virtually exceptional. Having such good ingredients is difficult—be they meats, fish or vegetables—and Tomás speaks of them with true passion and knowledge. Superior quality that is accentuated on the grill, where he broils with intuition and experience. The beef chop, the glorification of the cow—whether it be the rib eye or the sirloin—makes the grade.... always outstanding, the best around, seeing as they spare no expense or effort. Without doubt one of Spain’s greats.

The char grilled fish set the standard: meticulousness in selection of types and in their doneness. Choosing one depends on the fish’s size and freshness, which makes it a good idea to give carte blanche to the griller. The turbot, for example, is sizeable, very gelatinous and oily, has considerable juiciness and is well seasoned. It could, and should, be improved only in its presentation: it would be proper to carve the entire piece before the anxious gaze of the diner and to arrange the filets with more careful attention. With regard to taste, texture and quantity, nothing to object to, though the copious portions are enough to end up stuffed with even one bite too many over the course of the meal.

Esther cooks with extensive knowledge and, above all, with proverbial refinement. The croquettes deserve an outstanding rating for their crust and filling. The former, fine, fragile, crispy… subtlety that is felt in the béchamel, very well worked, incredibly delicate and straightforward, bringing out the succulence of the ham mixed with a bit of egg. The free-range egg yolk is exuberantly creamy, served with potato and carrot purees, roasted peppers, and oil, making reference to ineffable flavors of years past. The tepid lobster is colossal – such quality of product and tenderness! Such flavor! It is presented magnified by an exquisite vinaigrette with essences of the crustacean head and a tomato and onion brunoise. We repeat: sublime in its simplicity. The fried food plate is flawless: hake and its cheeks, both rolled in flour with a translucent veil of egg and gleaming with juice. Another option, the two versions of the previous dishes on a single plate, breaded then confit – a proposal that will make the guest reel in delightful disbelief. The baby squid aren’t bad either, both with the onion confit or in black ink sauce with tomato. Sensibility of the cuisinière is patent for the umpteenth time in the Rioja-style kid's trotters, a substantial improvement over their lamb counterparts: tiny, tender, melting, exquisite, enhanced by a consummate tomato sauce, chorizo filling, chorizo, ham, the cooking stock… that combines litheness with a tempered succulence; intoxicating.

The thistle, the asparagus, the offal, the tripe and snout, and the sweetbreads are other testimonies of a traditional cuisine impregnated with the present and with evident good taste.