Wasabi ice-cream

Have I given too much away in the title? Well oops if I did, but anything in this post about Bar Tomate is probably just framing the fact that I tried something so innovative and downright random. I repeat - wasabi ice-cream...

First of all Bar Tomate, a part of the Tragaluz group along with Luzi Bombón (another favourite of mine in Madrid), is situated in Chamberi, just across la Castellana from where I live. I have been for dinner a couple of times but bearing in mind that they open at 8.30am and that the menu includes daily specials, tapas and main meals as well - I imagine it's great at any time of day.

At first I thought it would just be another of those restaurants that are quite typical of Madrid. Ones that serve tapas in a stylish setting, like Lateral, Más que menos or Morao - which while I do love, can get a little repetitive once you know every dish on the menu like we do. However, Bar Tomate's menu does have something different to offer. The menu spans from well-composed salads and tuna tartare with avocado for those in a green mood, to little squids, steak with bearnaise sauce and pizzas from their wood-burning stove. 

My parents took the two Helenas, Ger and I out to dinner there the weekend they came to see me. We had a really great time.

The men and I had steak tartare with wasabi ice-cream. The idea of wasabi (essentially a Japanese horseradish equivalent) with steak tartare is actually a very good one and some might think the gimmick of wasabi as an ice-cream is a step to far, but I actually found it meant the wasabi wasn't over-powering and a small amount complimented the spice of the seasoned meat. Also any place where the dish comes with both french fries AND bread - I'm sold.