Mexican — By admin on August 8, 2009 at 12:00 am

Mexican Restaurant in Madrid: Las Mañanitas

In Mexico, the term las mañanitas carries two meanings; it is the title of a song of celebration, and it is also used to describe the earliest hours of the morning. In both cases, the phrase alludes to celebration, whether it takes form as another round of the chorus, or as the last remnants of a fiesta as the sun creeps over the horizon. This name is fitting, then, for the vibrant Mexican restaurant located on Calle Fuencarral, featuring an energetic ambience, tongue-burning Mexican cuisine, and vivacious live performances from a Mariachi band late into the night. Entirely owned and operated by a band of good-humored and welcoming Mexicans, Las Mañanitas offers a burst of Latin American spice and hospitality in the center of Madrid.

The authentic cuisine promises to kick with hot Mexican flavor; there’s no toning down of the spices in these fiery dishes. An extensive and reasonably priced menu offers everything from Oaxacan cheese to shrimp quesadillas to mango chicken. Although the restaurant presents an array of zesty options, the two house specialties that cannot be missed are guacamole, freshly squeezed from ripe avocados, and tacos al pastor, rotisserie grilled pork, onions, pineapple, cilantro and lime wrapped in small tortillas hot from the oven. For another piquant option that comes straight from the “Land of the Seven Moles,” try the Oaxacan crepes, a savory chicken crepe immersed in hot mole sauce. Or delight the palette with the chef’s most laurelled dish, traditional Cochinita Pibil, featuring pungent pork bathed in a decadent creamed cheese. Why not cool your burning tongue with a margarita, mojito, or an ice cold, Mexican beer? Or take a round of tequila shots to put some sizzle into up the evening. Don’t forget to take a look at the dessert menu as well—the Aztecs originally cultivated chocolate, after all—as if an excuse were needed.

The bright ambience of the restaurant also transports diners off to the land of ancient sun pyramids, soccer, and mariachi. The backdrop is composed of brick archways complemented by vivid fuchsia, sea green, and lemon walls. An array of cozy tables are dressed up by the brilliant hues of woven wool blankets, and decorative mirrors and artwork—such as handmade baskets and painted pottery—add further Mexican panache. Yet the scene at Las Mañanitas truly explodes with the spirit of fiesta late on weekend nights, when the space reverberates with the notes of violin, trumpet, and Spanish guitar. A traditional Mariachi band—complete with silver studded charro outfits and wide-brimmed hats—serenades into the evening with traditional rancheros, pasodobles, and vlases mexicanos, exemplifying the true spirit of the legendary Mexican fiesta.

PRICES:
Drinks- 1.50-5 euros
Tequilas- 3.20-5 euros
Appetizers- 6.50-8.95 euros
Plates (Crepes, Poultry, Meat, and Tacos)- 10.60-13.90 euros
Menu to Share- 21.90-23.50 euros per person
Dessert- 4-4.75 euros

Las Mañanitas
Fuencarral, 82
Neighborhood: Malasaña
Metro: Tribunal, Bilbao
Telephone: 91 522 45 89
Hours: 1:30-4 p.m., and 9-12 p.m. Monday-Friday
9-12 p.m. Saturday
Live Mariachi bands 12:00-1:30 a.m. Friday-Saturday

By Jane Caffrey