We’ve waited what feels like a lifetime to visit Madrid together.
In 2010 we had everything booked only for the terrible snow of that December to cancel our plans.
In 2015 I visited as part of a mate’s stag do (yes, I’m Roberto Baggio) and if I’m honest, I remember very little of the city.
In 2021, during a brief moment of COVID hope, we booked it. The flights and hotel were cheap, it gave us something to look forward to.
Claire had been waxing lyrical for months about a chef named Dabiz Muñoz, an upstart in the Michelin game who had just been voted the best chef in the world.
His portfolio is rapidly expanding across Spain but in his hometown of Madrid, GoXo (a pair of food trucks), StreetXO (a casual, walk-in-only restaurant located in a department store), RavioXO (an accessible fine dining restaurant, which opened after we visited) and DiverXO (a 3 Michelin starred wonderland) made up his offerings.
My life, apart from feeding Sparky, is drinking beer in an endless queue for food pic.twitter.com/sOi7mcigy3
— Richard Lindsay (@richard_lindsay) December 3, 2021
With no reservations for DiverXO due to my forgetfulness, we headed to StreetXO on our first night hoping to sample some of his food.
On arriving we were greeted with a 2-hour-long queue, with no guarantee of making it to the front in time.
As I said on Twitter, my life is drinking beer in an endless queue for food.
When we finally summited the peak, it was worth it. The Singapore Laksa with Scarlett Prawn, Kimchi and Tuna Sashimi and Lapsang Souchong croquettes were the standouts.
We left delighted that we had indulged but disappointed that we weren’t going to be able to visit his flagship.
We had visited DiverXO earlier that day in pure hope that there had been a cancellation, there hadn’t been.
The next morning, we awoke to my phone ringing. It was a Spanish number. I hurriedly answered and we were in. The cancellation we had prayed for the day before had happened.
The news deserved a celebratory cocktail. We decided to toast our success at the brilliant Salmon Guru where the signature cocktails were good but the classics, outstanding.
Arriving at DiverXO is unassuming. A grey, concrete box expertly hides one of the most exciting restaurants in the World.
Once inside, the dining room looks beautiful with drapes separating the different tables.
Amuse-bouche time.
A ridiculous Thai rum, lemongrass, lychee, and sugar basil froth arrives (bottom left). Incredible.
It was quickly followed by crab (top right). An innovative take on Singapore street food where Saigón peppercorn and crunchy rice were dominant.
Green curry, laksa Singapore and pad thai were the accompaniments. All amazing, all fanboi tear-inducing.
Next, the salad. Described as the “frosted salad from the back of the fridge” (bottom left), we were sceptical. We needn’t be as it was one of the most incredible things I have ever eaten in my life.
On the base - tomato heart seeds, bittersweet oil dressing, rocket, steamed edamame and quail egg.
On the surface - ice scales, lettuce emulsion, oak leaf and Oxalis.
On the side - turbot with spine emulsion and sichuan pepper, sea bream with the same emulsion and java pepper. Finally red mullet with the spine emulsion and sansho pepper.
Baby eel sashimi from the Miño river appear, paired with cockles and tree chile aguachile, red vermouth and calamondin (top left).
Then, a Scots dream, fried eggs with black pudding (bottom left).
This was followed by Iberian pork dumpling with Jabugo broth, gochujang and peppermint (middle right). Cold poached pigeon in Palo Cartado wine, smoked caviar, marine plankton and grilled egg yolk to finish (top right).
Food so beautiful, it brought tears to my eyes arrives at our table.
First, sea urchin with peja white pepper, chinkiang vinegar and shitake mushrooms. (top left)
Buffalo milk skin topped Galician lobster, tomato butter masala, chutney and rice follows (top right).
(bottom left) - Indian Salmorejo pani-puri with lobster claw and a vindaloo of the head with huacathy (bottom right).
Easily some of the most beautiful dishes I have ever been lucky enough to photograph.
Despite being at a loss for words over the flavour and presentation of the dishes, I am once again rendered speechless.
Sarmiento roasted lamb skirt steak, cheek broth with black garlic gnocchi and lamb fried milk with ponzu sauce adorn the table.
I’d never had A5 wagyu and this moment sent me over the edge.
Japanese A5 Kagoshima wagyu is mind-blowing. It was served in robata, semicured with chillies and quisquillas prawn paste, white beef broth and Katsuobushi. Tamarind condiment on the side.
I’m not going to lie, we were both broken by this point. We could not eat anymore, seriously, not even dessert…
Rice pudding, toasted butter, white pepper, nutmeg, and beetroot. A rhubarb vinaigrette from Modena. Black olive cookies, rhubarb cream and spaghetti. (right)
That was followed by Blackcurrant bubblegum, liquorice, coconut ganache, black garlic and coconut-yuzo ashes ice cream. (left)
Put simply, the greatest dessert I have ever eaten in my life. The bubblegum reminded me of my childhood and I burst into tears. Only special, special food can do that.
A phenomenal way to finish.
We always walk home after a special meal. We talk about every aspect of it. We get back to our hotel, open a beer and talk about it some more.
I can’t stop thinking about it.
Thank you DiverXO.