Sergi Arola Gastro

We went to Sergi Arola as we had been in his place in Barcelona too. The first «strange» thing that occurred to me was that they don’t serve fresh orange juice… or any fresh juice at all. When I asked for an alternative the waiter suggested me a Sprite or Coca-​cola (maybe it’s a culture thing). The first tastings were very good. We food was also of very good quality. For a 2 star restaurant not exceptional or very innovative … Maybe I like more the style of more «experimental» food. This is clearly for me a more traditional kitchen. The pigeon was fantastic, my sole was also really delicious. Dessert soufflé … Very nice. Another remark to improve, we asked for wine by the glass as only my partner wanted to drink some. We didn’t get to see any wine list, nor a real recommendation from the sommelier (?)… My partner ended up with some Rioja of 2013 … Not tasty at all. I know a few restaurants where they serve excellent wines by the glass, so this was disappointing. The music was not so good, it was more radio style and rather depressing. Staff was very friendly. Price was more than ok, also probably because we are used to Swiss prices! Overall: good food, but no wow-​effect

Absolutely amazing! Best restaurant during one week vacation in Spain. Service was outstanding — a big step above the rest. All the waitstaff takes such good care of their diners (almost as startling as the quality of the food). Meal was unique and beautifully prepared. Such a pleasure to dine here. Also — cocktails are superb.

I’ve been living in Madrid for four years, and this is the place with the best food I´ve ever tried in the city. The service is also up to the standard. However, the prices are of a different story.

Please check out Sergi Arola’s current place SOT, located in the downstairs space of this establishment.

PARTIAL REVIEW
–Chef Sergi makes an enormous effort to make nearly everything on the menu. From stunning house made breads like walnut and hazelnut, to beautiful compound butters, to flavoured salts and sausage– you can tell Chef Sergi takes pride in his work.
–Sergi Arola Gastro offers two tasting menus that change monthly with the season. The menus are a nice balance of old and new– combining some of chef Sergi’s latest creations with some of his classic bites. The Discovery Menu offers a selection of small amuses, 1 tapa, 1 starter, ½ portion of fish, ½ portion of meat and 1 dessert for 105 €. The Sergi Arola menu goes for 135 € and delivers the same spread of amuses, 1 tapa, 2 starters, ½ fish, ½ meat, and 2 desserts.
–Those wishing to pick and choose their adventure can select from an unconventionally organized menu divided into Imagination (unusual playful dishes, 27 – 31 €), Sea & Mountains (seafood and meat, 50 – 58 €), and Sweet Moment (desserts, 16 €).
–We decided to go with the Discover menu, order different dishes and then share. We also decided to add the cheese course to our meal to yield a menu somewhere in between the size of the Discovery and the Sergi Arola.
Green Olive Sphere
Red Vermouth Foam, Orange Caviar & Sugar, Gin Cream
Salty briny olives, aromatic gin cream and sweet and acidic tiny orange balls. I loved this playful first dish.
Anchovy Candy with Olive Ice Cream
Certainly an unusual but playful sensation when you’re expecting a sweet and receive the most savoury combination imaginable.
Spanish Omelet
A deliciously crispy topping to contrast the fluffy moist egg, and the burst of brilliant tomato juice in the sphere.
Crispy Cornet with Baby Prawns
[13]
The following five dishes were meant to be reconstructed versions of classic Spanish pinxtos. Starting with the prawns, which I ate quite a lot of on my trip, I absolutely loved this crispy bite of savoury goodness.
Barceloneta Bomb
[15]
One of the most perfect little croquettes I had in Spain– the wicked contrast of the crisp exterior against the creamy salty center made for an absolutely addictive bite.
Sandwich of Fried Squid and Mayonnaise
[14]
Light yet decadent, with just enough fresh-​sea flavour to balance out the richness of the mayo.
Patatas Bravas
[12]
A super yummy and playful take on the peasant food I’ve had all over the city.
Gazpacho Sphere
[16]
Wow– talk about refreshing. We were instructed to save this bite for last so we could cleanse our palate with the salty-​sweet juice.
Asparagus Potted
Asparagus Cream, Foam & Confit
[17]
I loved the sweet verdant flavour of the asparagus represented in the three different textures and consistencies.
Bread
White, Malt & Corn with Bread Sticks, Butter, Clarified Olive Oil, Herb Salt and Spiced Salt
[18]
I hate when bread is this good as it’s always so hard to turn it away. My favourite piece was by far the malt, especially with the addition of the aromatic salts and a good smear of the housemade butter.
Gnocchi
Smoked Beetroot and Rhubarb Jelly
[19]
Some of the most perfectly cooked gnocchi I’ve ever had, and surely one of the most beautiful presentations of it, by far. These babies were pleasantly plump and fluffy, paired with a slightly smoky sweet beet and a mildly astringent and refreshing rhubarb jelly.
Jerusalem Artichoke
Light Creamed, Mousse of Poultry in Thyme and Lemon
[20]
Oh dear goodness was this ever good. As I write this, I am pining for this dish, and I’m sure I will think about it again and again. The temperature contrast between the nutty sweet Jerusalem artichoke purée, the ice-​cold satiny smooth chicken mousse and the delicious crunch of the lemon, thyme coating made for an unapologetically orgasmic dish– and I never use that word when describing food. Both of the starters were total winners, but this one will go down as one of my favourite bites of the year.
Hake
Loin with Fresh Peas, Hops and Wasabi Vinaigrette
[21]
A beautifully cooked piece of hake served in a broth made of beer, supple sweet peas and a wasabi vinaigrette. I don’t mind a bit of wasabi, but for me, the combination of the bitter hops in the beer and the spicy wasabi completely overwhelmed the delicate fish and peas. A little bit would have been nice to compliment the natural sweetness of the greens, but in this case, I just found it to be too much.
Cod Belly
Stewed with Verdinas and Morels
[22]
Yum, yum, yum, yum– this, my friends, was comfort food done right. The tender fish simply melted on the tongue alongside the starchy creamy beans and chewy umami-​rich morels. Again, a dish I will no doubt think about for years to come.
Suckling Lamb Cheek
Stewed, with Orange, Pumpkin, Carrot and Yogurt
[24]
Wow. The already succulent lamb was stewed to yield an impossibly tender bite that was then glazed in a perfectly balanced sauce. While delicious in its own right, I loved the pairing of fresh sweet orange pr

I was very impressed with Sergi Arola Gastro. Although I have lived in Madrid all my life I had never gone to Sergi Arola’s restaurant until I met my foodie husband and we decided to go on our visit to Madrid. I booked my table through eltenedor and got a 40% off the whole menu which is unbelievable. Surprisingly even though we went through eltenedor, they offered us a few amuse bouches and the service was impeccable. The décor reminded me a lot of Alinea — dark colored furniture with dim lights — a very sleek modern look. The food was exceptionally tasty and we could choose between a set menu or pick a la carte. I enjoy that flexibility.
I recommend this two michelin star restaurant to everyone visiting or living in Madrid!

Two michelin star restaurant!
Food is great! We had the discovery menu:
for the appetizer we had selection of tapas and one bite: dirty martini, anchovies, spanish omelet, etc etc.
main courses: king prawn nigiri, loin of cod, rabit shoulder, duck and fricando
dessert: caipiranha, menjar blanc, comte cheese
The food was divine. The bites were perfect. At the end of the meal, we asked if we could talk to the chef because we really like the food. So, we ended up chatting in the kitchen with the chef who is Ferran Adria most popular disciple, Ferran Cerro.
Would totally recommend this place!
We spent 4 hours dining there (9pm to 1am), totally worth it for the price!

This Michelin 2-​star restaurant was recommended by my friend who is a serious foodie and has families in Madrid. This was one of the best meals I’ve had in my life. The service was impeccable. There had been times when I didn’t even notice when they refilled my water glass! I went for the full Chef’s tasting, where I got to pick two starters, a «land» entrée, a «sea» entrée, and two desserts. However, they didn’t tell me that they had appetizers BEFORE the starters that were equally amazing, and an AFTER dessert treat that was very thoughtful. The flavors danced well together for all of my dishes, and the presentation was stunning – the dishes were like artworks. If you are in Madrid and can splurge on your trip, make sure you come here.
If you are interested in reading more about my experience at Sergi Arola (with photos), please feel free to visit my blog entry for my Madrid trip: