Pez Tortilla

Take two traditional dishes found in nearly all Madrid bars – croquettes and 'tortilla' (omelette) – and combine them with the always-popular line-up of craft beers, and you can't really go wrong. The equation is so simple that we can't understand how no one banked on this hyperspecialisation before.

In a traditional Madrid bar that's not been renovated much since its origins (giving it the hipster treatment would normalise it in the neighbourhood of Malasaña, but in this case, it would also go against the bar's very nature), the owners serve up a splendid sampling of croquettes. There are at least half a dozen different fillings, from the most typical (ham, wild mushrooms or ratatouille-like 'pisto') to the most daring (garlic prawns, leeks and cured 'cecina' meat, or Biscayan-style squid). Battered with a kind of panko (those Japanese bread crumbs that make for a crunchier exterior), the croquettes have a perfectly smooth yet not runny texture inside and are simply delicious. When you're wondering how many to order, be aware that once you bite into the first one, the last bite of the second one isn't far behind.

The tortillas are just as incredible. The combinations on the menu are tried and tested to be popular on a plate, but you might be surprised to find them in an omelette: blue cheese and walnut, truffled brie and ham, asparagus and leek. But once you try them, your surprise changes to satisfaction and a desire to try more.

So that's two-thirds of the menu covered. The rest is filled with lagers, IPAs and pale ales from all around the world (the USA, England, Belgium…) as well as more local ones (Navarra, Soria, Cuenca...), and a handful of wines. The five beer taps rotate on a regular basis, and you can get some great advice on pairings with the food.

Pez Tortilla will quench your thirst, sate your hunger, and revive your soul. You'll be proud of yourself for having managed to avoid one of the more fashionable but less substantial bars in the area. The only drawback is they have too many high tables with stools. The window table is, by far, the most coveted corner.