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Mixing opera with gastronomy is an interdisciplinary intersection of emotions and sensations. Teatro Real in Madrid (Isabel II Square) introduces this concept featuring a menu called Diner’s Delight, created by the hands of prestigious chef Ramon Freixa following an opera performance. After the show, the Gastronomic Space of the Royal Theater invites you to an exclusive dining event that will deliver an immersive experience.
The menus relate to the plays presented onstage and are inspired by opera’s greatest moments. You can taste a dessert wrapped in edible paper that includes the original score of Rigoletto’s La donna é mobile. You can try sliced shrimp dipped in Bearnaise sauce and diced gingerbread with chives, to evoke the forest where Hansel and Gretel got lost. Diners can even choose a delicious seafood curd with beets gel, and black asparagus with a seaside touch, to reminisce the love of Alfredo and Violetta in La Traviata.
Hänsel & Gretel shrimp
“Each sequence in my kitchen tells a story. And every story starts when the curtain rises and the spotlights reveal a particular scene on the stage,” wrote Ramon Freixa in his 2014 monograph Sequences, when Freixa’s catering business made its debut at the bar of Teatro Real, offering gastronomic bites during intermissions. The Diner’s Delights Meals are a global experience to prove that cooking is an art that feeds the soul.
If you are a loyal fan of the Catalan chef—the first restaurateur to win the National Culture Award for gastronomy—you will be inclined to make reservations at Ramón Freixa Madrid, (C / Claudio Coelo, 67). The restaurant—awarded two Michelin stars—was the first establishment he opened in the Spanish capital. It is an expression of the essence of his classical cuisine and operates inside the 5-star Hotel Único in the posh Salamanca district. Not far away, you can try the menu of his other restaurant Arriba, located at Platea Madrid (C / Goya, 5), a meeting place for tradition and modernity.
The Principal Madrid
And if you want an extraordinary experience, do not forget to visit Ático Restaurant, at the penthouse at The Principal Madrid Hotel. (C / Marqués de Valdeiglesias 1, corner of Gran Via 2). As the lore says: “From Madrid straight to heaven”! The magnificent terrace, “La Pergola”, will make you feel right up there to enjoy the view of emblematic buildings like the Metropolis, the “Circulo de Bellas Artes”, or the bustling and exciting “Gran Via.” You could also enjoy the sophisticated atmosphere of the Ático Salon, the penthouse lounge, with New York or English-style nightclubs.
“I want my guests to experience a culinary journey through Spain with dishes from every region,” explains Ramón Freixa. And indeed, the updated menu at Ático lets guests enjoy the best of Spanish tradition with the bold flavors of its avant-garde cuisine. Examples of the gastronomic tour through Spain, and other countries, are the potato filling ravioli stuffed with cooked black butifarra and Ganxet beans; Huevos rotos updated recipe, Templado de patatas, plantain and palm cabbage with tricolor mojo -Canary island style- and hake with chili peppers and pimiento-stuffed with cod fish. A pleasant sojourn without leaving the table.
Left: The Principal Madrid Terrace, Right above: Tuna steaks, Right below: Hamburger
As we have seen, there are four strategic points in Madrid where you can enjoy the cuisine of one of the most renowned chefs in the world. In each of them, Ramón Freixa will take you by the hand to savor different textures, sensations, and traditions. He will surprise, amaze, and make you feel—through the palate—one of the best culinary experiences of you life. ■
