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Café Madrid Changes Hands, But Superior Spanish Cuisine Stays | |
| BY NANCY HOBBS SPECIAL TO THE TRIBUNE |
02/28/2003 | |
| Six years ago, Café Madrid slipped into Salt Lake's dining scene as a small coffeehouse and lunch spot, but it quickly become a destination for diners wanting delicious Mediterranean fare, particularly the cafe's unique Spanish tapas. The emphasis gradually moved to dinner -- now the only meal served -- and reservations became a must, even on weeknights. Café Madrid started making all the local "best" lists for fine dining and is highly regarded in the annual Zagat survey. All of that remains the same, although the ownership recently
changed hands. Encina Arias, the cafe's creator and chef from
the Castilla province of Spain, sold the restaurant last November
to restaurateur Carl H. Dollhausen. Regulars who knew of the sale
were immediately wary, of course. Arias was so much a part of
her restaurant, many wondered how it could possibly survive without
her, much less without a Spaniard at the helm. Twenty-three years ago, Dollhausen moved to Salt Lake City and bought Shorter's near the University of Utah campus; he later sold it to buy the Mushroom Company in Salt Lake's Millcreek area. In the late '90s, he was owner and chef of Rocky Mountain Grill in Sugar House, which he sold a couple of years ago. Presented the option of buying Café Madrid, Dollhausen said he immediately liked the atmosphere, menu and wines and decided it would present the challenge he was looking for. He has added a few adornments, but it is as warm and cozy as ever, with carpet and daintily curtained windows, and only a dozen linen-clothed tables attended to by a cadre of friendly waiters. Though most of the menu likewise remains the same, from the cold almond soup with fresh grapes ($5) to chicken cooked in a marsala wine sauce ($16), Dollhausen has made some changes. Notable among the additions are some new tapas, including shiitake and oyster mushrooms and lean bacon in a cream sauce ($10), the latter so rich and delicious, you will want to soak up the remnants with the cafŽ's crusty rolls; and a lobster bisque that has been offered as an occasional special but is being added to the regular menu due to customer demand. Still on the tapas menu are the popular Spanish sausage with
fig sauce ($5), shrimp wrapped in bacon with a cream sauce ($7.50)
and the "calamares en su tinta" -- an exotic choice
of baby squid served in their own black ink ($10). The squid,
served over white rice, is truly a visual contrast and not a very
appealing dish for many. If you like calamari, it is remarkably
tender and the sauce has a nice touch of sweetness. Several main dish selections have been pared from the old menu, but are replaced with daily specials, such as Chilean sea bass on the night we visited. Instead, we opted for the menu's beef tenderloin in Roquefort sauce ($22) and roasted lamb shank in a port wine sauce ($21). The beef was cooked to order, and the sauce was tangy and rich, just like good Roquefort cheese. The generous shank was surrounded by pearl onions, baby carrots and mushrooms in a heavenly sauce. The dinners were accompanied by roasted baby red potatoes and a green salad with red onions, red bell pepper and tomatoes. The real treat, however, is Café Madrid's wonderful paella. It is delivered to the table in the classic handled paella pan, looking like a food stylist's masterpiece with mussels and shrimp on the periphery of the saffron-tinted rice and roasted red peppers in the center. Our first spoonful proved there was no scrimping here; clams, calamari, chicken and chorizo were hidden within the perfectly cooked rice. Paella has to be ordered 24 hours in advance for a minimum of two diners, at a cost of $25 per person. Enjoyed with one of the many Spanish wines offered at Café Madrid, it is a special treat and a satisfying meal in itself, although if you do want to start with tapas or salad, it is probably best to specify that when making your reservation. While tapas, salad and a main course probably will fill you up, dessert is not to be missed. We tried every one over a couple of visits; all were excellent. My favorites are bizcocho borracho ($5), the Spanish version of tiramisu, only better than most Italian versions I have eaten; and lemon mousse, tart and creamy, with honey and walnuts on top ($4). Café Madrid may have changed hands, but the ones guiding it now are clearly talented and capable of maintaining the restaurant's well-earned reputation for high quality. Royal Clarifications As much as I and my editor might like to take credit for Deer Valley's decision to commercially package its Turkey Chili, we can't. That impression may have been left with readers of last week's review on Royal Street Cafe. And while giving credit where it's due, the beautiful food served
at Royal Street is created day in and out by café chef
Julie Brunett, with Clark Norris as Silver Lake's executive chef. Café Madrid
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