Today we leave the city of Madrid but not very far. We move Alcobendas just to show you a place I’m sure you ‘ll love : El Invernadero de Los Peñotes. No, I’m not proposing a botanical getaway. Today I want to take you to eat at an old greenhouse reconverted into a restaurant ; an open, bright place and with plants everywhere. They have adapted to its new use and besides having an interior with “tropical chic” style, it’s perfectly acclimated for hot days. The entire enclosure is transparent and the sun shines in abundance, but inside is very cool.
The overall atmosphere is varied. I was accompanied to eat on a Saturday lunchtime (booking a week in advance). Most were locals: friends of all ages, families , couples hunting for the place to be… There’re two areas separated by a bar and a space with armchairs around a fireplace. Unfortunately , when I got to this part of the local I wouldn’t let me do more photos; I guess it’s the “VIP area”.
The menu is short but more than enough and the dishes are generally quite correct. For starters, we ordered half portion of Foie with mango chutney (8€), which turned out to be a good choice to start while we waited for the main courses, Duck confit (16€) and Oxtail bull parmentier (16€). Apparently the Artichoke filled with bread and cheese (10€) is one of its specialities, but that day we wanted meat and we left it for another day.
I tasted a little bit of duck confit and I have to say that the meat is well separated from the bone, a sign that it was OK. The sauces that accompanied it (beside, not above) successfully completed the flavor of the meat. The Poxtail bull parmentier had poached egg on top, so if you like to spread the yolk, you’re lucky. The garnish with glazed onions gave it a special touch that I loved. We finish off the meal sharing Apple cake with vanilla ice cream (6€), with a great puff pastry. If I lived closer as I’ll be there night and day to eating it accompanied by a coffee lounged in one of their armchairs.
I tell you that the food was very good and I also tell you that The Peñotes is one of those restaurants which is charged “place setting” (1.8 €). I don’t know if you have choice of eating with your hands or if you can take the knife and fork home when you finish. Someday I’ll try and see what happens. Jokes aside, the restaurant is charming with Mediterranean cuisine without surprises, well made and tasty. And at table talk, you can always walk around the garden center and seek a partner (or substitute) of that dried cactus you have on the windowsill. Do you not have a “tropical” day? Don’t worry, ther’re many more local on my list of restaurants in Madrid to choose!
El Invernadero de Los Peñotes
Phone: +34 911.38.57.25
Schedule: Sunday to Thrusday 10:00 to 20:00 hrs. Friday and Saturday 10:00 to 2:00 hrs.
Average Price: 20-25€
Address: Carretera de Burgos, Km. 13.8, 28108, Alcobendas (Madrid).
El Invernadero de los Peñotes on our map
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