Recommended by a local, visited by locals only: Restaurant Membibre (10. February 2019)
The Membibre was recommended to me by a local – and it was a great recommendation. The key is to book a table in advance – the place was absolutely crowded and whenever a table would empty, it would be filled again within minutes. Once you’re seated – and even before you’ve placed your order – they bring you a little amuse bouche, an “empanada de pollo”. The flavors were great but it was a tiny bit too dry for my gusto.
As a starter I had the “calamar de potera a la brasa” (EUR 20.00) which was way bigger than expected! The squid was a tiny bit chewy but not really which was good because else I couldn’t have finished it. In combination with the mayonnaise it was a good dish to start.
The “solomillo de buey, foie y tuber melanosporum” (EUR 38.00) was a bit of an overload of flavors. I did – admittedly – not know what ‘tuber melanosporum’ was until it was served. It’s truffle! Well, the beef – which was cooked perfectly medium-rare as requested, although more on the ‘rare side’ – in combination with the foie gras was already a fine combination. Adding the truffle on top – which was, luckily, grated finely so it was enjoyable – finished the dish.
My favorite part were the ‘mashed potatoes’. They were so fine, so tender, so smooth. I think I’ve never had mashed potatoes like that! Truly incredible! And I’m usually not even a fan of mashed potatoes!
For dessert, the waitress kind of talked us into “crema de limon” (EUR 8.00) which was fine. For me it had too strong a lemon taste.
The place is lovely and the service is generally good. Some of the waiters and waitresses really do an amazing job. However, some are not up to speed. Especially when it came to ordering drinks (e.g. more water, EUR 3.50) or the ‘espresso’ (EUR 2.25), it took them a solid 10 minutes. So way too much. The wine selection is overall decent but strong on the Spanish wines. The “Habla 13, 2011” (EUR 40.00) offers a fair price performance relation. All in all, I really liked the Membibre and I think it’s worth visiting – as stated initially, juts make sure you book a table in advance as else you might not be lucky enough to be able to have lunch here.
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Contact Details:
Restaurant Membibre
Calle de Guzmán el Bueno 40
28015 Madrid (E)
Tel.: +34 915 43 31 48
Cell: +34 680 730 607
Homepage: http://www.restaurantemembibre.com
About the Author: Sven
I started the blog in October 2009, while living in Milan which I definitely consider to be one of the food capitals of the world. I was in touch with food since my early childhood (as my father is a former chef). Whenever I can, I travel the world to discover new places, to meet people but mostly to try local dishes and to find hidden gems! If you know a place worth going, please drop a line to: info@thediningexperience.org.
Currently, I am a member of the following food-related associations: Chevalier @Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Zurich-Ville; Membre Gourmet Dégustateur @Ordre Mondial des Gourmets Dégustateurs [OMGD]; Gesellschafter @Goldener Fisch and Member @Slowfood Convivium Zurich City. 
