It’s one of those places that are built to impress: it’s where I took a hundred photos before even arriving at the table. A bar, an indoor dining space and a big garden divided into section floating over the green water. The real flavors of a garden, the vibes, the serenity, the colors and the perfection of every single detail that makes of this place a unique experience for your senses.
El Jardin de la Maquina can host hundreds of guests at the same time split around many areas. Have a drink at the bar, enjoy a warm, cozy dinner inside or enjoy the music and moonrise around the garden.
It’s Alice in wonderland: olive trees, light balls dropping from the trees, wood to cover the floor, green grass, dimmed yellow lights, wooden tables and relaxing metal chairs. It feels good to have dinner here; on the menu, choose from a choice of seafood, Spanish starters, frying dishes, salads, Rice’s; stews, fish and meat.
Tables are set, a placemat, porcelain plates, table napkin, bread plate, artisanal water glass, and wine glass. Every table has a metal bucket filled with ice set next to it with two water bottles ready to be opened.
Start by the croquettes, made of Iberian ham. A specialty of the restaurant, the fried balls are battered with a tender, warm heart. They melt under the palate in style exploding their rich taste around your mouth.
Toasted bread to start spread with tomato sauce and ready to be enjoyed with your sliced Iberico ham. The kids had the chicken fingers which I tried and enjoyed; chicken without garlic, breaded and fried with a moist heart. I loved the lightness of the bread and the crispy borders as well as the acidity of the tomatoes and their saltiness. My daughter has the meat with fries, and I liked them both.
After sunset, the mood turned out to be even more enjoyable; after dark, the lights turned in, you could feel the sounds of water, the music got louder while we enjoyed our dinner.
The bluefin tuna was my starter choice: diced burgundy colored tuna served with four slices of toast. Excellent quality tuna, beautifully oily and richly flavorful. I enjoyed the simplicity of my dish while the hype built up for the paella.
The paella casserole is shown to the guests then sent back to be split into two portions. The first paella I enjoyed during my last week in Madrid. Finally, a tasty paella served in its juice with rice cooked al dente in a sauce that’s loaded with spices and flavors. I loved my risotto/rice/paella, gourmet rice like I’ve never had before.
The surprise: taking the order for a burrata that was actually not asked for, the head waiter insisted on offering it free-of-charge. I appreciated that gesture.
Good service, good food, great decor, amazing vibes; El Jardin is a restaurant I’ll recommend to my friends visiting Madrid. A culinary escape out of the city, the restaurant will draw a smile on your face.
