La Terraza del Casino

The two Michelin starred La Terraza del Casino was my balling-​out-​of-​control meal during my trip to Madrid. Initially overseen by the legendary Ferran Adria, it’s now led by Paco Roncero and the tasting menu draws heavily from El Bulli.
After beginning with cherry and yuzu cocktails, we were presented with «olive oil butter,» a playful spin on spherification. This was followed with «goat cheese and quince moshi,» but really, this was more like a tiny green salad served alongside a mini toothpaste tube of, well, more solid olive oil. Next came the «chocolate and foie gras Filipino.» I don’t know what the Filipino part of this was all about, but this was basically melt-​in-​your-​mouth foie gras encased in white chocolate. My husband loved this. Me? Not so much.
After a delicious take on tuna tartare served sushi hand roll style, we were served «guacamole and herring.» This was a more sophisticated version of so many of the herring tapas I’d seen around Madrid. The creamy avocado was a perfect foil for the vinegared fish. Next came a glazed and simple plating of Peking duck followed by the «fried quail egg and potato.» I’ve never eaten off of a clothesline before, and while I loved the playful presentation, I wished for more flavor.
After my «shrimp omelet» came the «frozen tomato rock.» Yet another take on spherification, and I enjoyed this one a lot. The icy exterior gave way to a liquid tomato center. So much concentrated tomato goodness!
Next came my favorite dish of the evening: fresh almonds and caviar. Just give me all the caviar, please. I enjoyed this immensely. Even the almonds were perfect. They reminded me of the freshly peeled raw almonds that are so common as a snack in Iranian cuisine. I’d lost count of our course at this point, and we were next presented with «moluscada,» a delicious plate of mussels and clams in a light broth. So good. This was followed by gnocchi with pesto and baby cuttlefish. The gnocchi were ethereal.
But here’s where things began to go wrong. Our next course was the «vegetable garden.» The presentation was very cool: a mini vegetable garden, wooden box and all, alongside a pair of shearing scissors with which to harvest our salad with. But beneath the salad’s breadcrumb «soil» laid gobs and gobs of mayonnaise. SO MUCH MAYONNAISE. What is it with Spain and aioli overload? I couldn’t stomach this.
Things got back on track with the umami-​laden olive oil paella. Then came the sole a la meuneire. I wished this had more flavor, but them’s the breaks with white fish. The last savory course of the evening was the Iberian pork with yucca and dates. This wasn’t my vibe, but that’s okay. I was saving room for dessert anyway.
The first dessert course was named «Versailles,» which was basically a rose with what seemed like dyed fruit slices enveloped inside as petals. Were we being punked? Aptly enough I felt the same way when I went to the actual Versailles and saw how long the ticket lines were. The next dessert course, called «strawberries and cream,» was a plate of strawberry ice cream garnished with tufts of spongy cake.
The last course of the evening was «unique origins chocolate bonbons,» or what I like to call, «thirty-​six pieces of chocolate when you’re too full to touch even one.» Is La Terraza trolling the world? We’ll never know.

Siempre merece la pena volver a degustar las ocurrencias gastronómicas del Sr. Roncero.
El servicio IMPECABLE. La comida INMEJORABLE.
Para regresar cuando se pueda.

Words and pictures cannot do this place justice! This is the absolute best dining experinece I’ve ever had! The service, atmosphere, presentation and food are all AMAZING. It’s pricey but worth every euro! We ordered the tasting menu and every dish was beautiful and mysterious. I say mysterious because it is never what you expect. Our waiter would deliver, describe then explain the proper way to taste the dish. It truly is magical and exciting. Be sure to dress up! It is a very formal restaurant. Men need a formal coat, and if you don’t have one you’ll be provided one to use during your visit. Waitstaff are very attentive and friendly. If you wish to visit, make sure you make a reservation in advance. Enjoy!

Que creatividad… este restaurante es un viaje, una experiencia. No es solo ir, comer, beber, pagar y volver a casa. Cada plato tiene sus secretos, sus sabores muy particulares y el Chef es un artista.
La decoración es chula, un mix entre modernidad y rococo pero todo en blanco. El restaurante es silencioso y eso me importe mucho porque los camareros te explican realmente todo el plato entonces mejor si puedes escuchar.
El servicio es perfecto (!!) y si lees mis reseñas en Unilocal,sabes que casi nunca he dicho eso… Del pan al gin-​tonic es una perfección total.
Quisiéramos comer el menu degustación pero a causa de una alergias no ha sido posible, pero todo los que hemos comido estaba buenísimo, con un montón de pequenos platos que te llenan.
El precio… carísimo, pero se hace una vez en cuando y parece que hay unas ofertas en la web asi que si puedes aprovechar, te lo recomiendo.

Innovacion, creatividad y sabor increibles. Más que un restaurante es una experiencia gustativa.
Impresionantes platos y a pesar de ser pequeños, con el menú degustación te quedas más que lleno.

4.5 décor reminds me of Philippe Starck, this is a playful molecular cuisine restaurant (2 star Michelin Paco Roncero who trained with Adria) targeting experienced diners. for a frame of reference Alinea still superior
jackets required even for lunch, but they will provide. reservation needed but not that difficult like diverxo. lunch tasting menu 135 with 17 courses (2.5−3 hrs), abbreviated lunch with 6 courses for 69.
starts with pisco sour — made with liquid nitrogen inside a lime: very delicious
snacks
*anchovy in vinegar over fried bone with olive in liquid form and tiny fried potato with aioli inside
*olive oil frozen toast by liquid nitrogen with tomato spread, olive oil soufflé with cracker and fig jam, olive oil cheese served in a slightly sweet packet clipped by a clothespin, artfully presented
*mini nigiri of tuna, salmon, and tuna tartare — so cute looking but didn’t like the cheese component however the tartare in a crisp delicately thin seaweed hand roll was nice
*monkfish liver sesame canapé and Peking duck with cucumber on mini chip– all the micro cube flavors come through
*shrimp omelette which is the best tasting delicate shrimp chip you could create and walnut Waldorf which is a Waldorf salad with yogurt and raisin inside a walnut
mains
*margarita oyster and oyster cactus with the ‘pearl’ as the saltiness of a rim glass in liquid form along with the liquid cactus piece — not sure how they managed to make that
*red prawn deconstructed with liquid cherries plate décor and crispy legs, body over pork belly just seared perfectly, and the head contents in liquid form, impressive
*lamprey a la bordelaise with cauliflower and red onion– eel tasted a bit muddy and chewier, could pass on this one
*wild mushroom with marrow and pine essence, a heavy dish with deep flavor, nice textural bits and a constructed mushroom, all tasty
*skate with black butter and citrus — looked like art, tasted very buttery with mustard elements, a thin flesh scraped off the bones
*fake hazelnut of game parfait which looks like a nut covered in chocolate but game flavor from liver pâté and thus advanced dining only, black berry risotto from seeds as a cleanser followed by game fritter with juice inside like a pot pie, a taste not for everyone
*bolognese of hare with black truffle, again kinda gamey with liquid ravioli and earthy tones
*rack of suckling pig basically pork belly pieces with shallots and tomato relish, tasted ok
*versailles interlude with a rose filled with apple slices in cherry balsamic vinegar and lychee
desserts
strawberry and cream
coffee and milk
both desserts knocked it out of the park with the flavor combinations and textures including pistachio marshmellow and ground chocolate made to look like coffee beans
similar tasting menu at dinner
overall enjoyable but some dishes less so– hard to knock it out of the park on every one and especially when you’ve had plenty of Michelin stars in experience. however mixing Asian flavors with western cooking is the trend

First time in Madrid. Didn’t know where to eat so I Unilocal this place. Let just say pictures and review cannot justify this wonderful place ! The food was amazing and the service was 110%. I love everything about this place!
If you ever come here, remember to dress to impress! Women wear a fabulous dress men deff wear suit. When I Unilocal about this place reviewer didn’t mention anything about dress code. But I wore something cute. If I knew this place was extremely fancy I would of put on a dress.
This restaurant is a 20 courses and only have 8 tables. So reservation is a must !

Une énorme claque dans ce 2 étoiles où officient des anciens de El Bulli.
Nous avons pris le menu dégustation qui se compose de 20 «courses». Des snacks, des tapas, 3 plats et 2 desserts. Nous sommes d’accord pour dire qu’il s’agit du meilleur repas de notre vie jusqu’ici. Des cuissons maîtrisées, des classiques revisités à la perfection, de nouvelles associations, de nouveaux goûts… Je né rentrerai pas dans le détail des plats pour né rien vous gâcher mais j’y retournerai les yeux fermés… Chaque plat est une surprise.
Prévoir environ 3 heures, veste obligatoire et réservation environ un mois à l’avance.
Pour une jolie occasion, vous êtes sûrs de marquer le coup…

Si, totalmente merecida su buena reputacion! Bien es cierto que los camareros, en ocasiones, diciendote lo que lleva y como debes comer pues te agobian un poco, pero hay que tomarlo con alegria! Las vistas son sensacionales y para una cena agradable en verano la terraza es sensacional. El pianista incansable que eleva con sus notas una cena al mismo cielo, un lujo apto para pocos y maravilloso para el que puede!

Das Essen und die Location waren einsame Spitze. Das Casino ist ein wirklicher Prachtbau. Ich vermute das es hochpreisig ist, ich war zum Glück Teil einer Gesellschaft. Es gab Fisch, Fleisch, Suppen und Hors doeuvre vom Feinsten.
Jederzeit gerne wieder.

This is BY FAR the best fine dining experience I’ve ever had. Every course was out of this world taste-​wise and form-​wise. Olive oil butter out of a small «toothpaste» tube? Squeeze your own ramen noodles out of a syringe? Just to name a few…
Every course was a show and you are either the audience or the performer yourself. The texture, taste, presentation… I am lost for words trying to describe something that should be left alone because it is simply… perfection.
What blew our mind even to more pieces was the total bill was as if we ate at Capo or the Ivy in LA.
Ferran Adria, to my surprise, actually lived up to all the hype. I would come back to Madrid just for this experience all over again.
And oh, the restaurant is BEAUTIFUL. We sat outside on the rooftop that has been set up to resemble dining al fresco on the sidewalk — except… you’re on the rooftop overlooking all these historical buildings.
This review doesn’t do justice!!! If I could give 10 stars I would!

I was really excited to visit this place (I went in december 2011) and I left disappointed. You would say, why the 4 stars then? Well, it’s not bad by any means but I went there with pretty high expectations since Ferran Adria was involved creating the menu and so on.
I would say it’s a hit and miss. Really good dishes, some in quite unique and impressive presentations and other pretty lame.
3 or 4 of the dishes were based on rabbit which was a little too much rabbit for me.
Anyways, it worth a visit but don’t set your expectations too high!
BTW, be ready to spend some $$$

Wir hatten ein nettes Abendmenü im Terraza, und ich muss leider sagen: Licht und Schatten. Erster Gang: zahlreiche Tapas als Stehimbiss serviert. Highlights wie Kartoffeln mit Kaviar, aber auch Frittiertes, wie mans von der spanischen Küche leider nur zu Genüge kennt. WTF?! Zweiter Gang: Erstes Highlight, ein Omelette im Glas, Da merkte man die Ferran Adria-​Molekularschule, 1a Dritter Gang: Ein Stück Lamm, allerdings in einer viel zu schweren Sauce mit nicht wirklich pfiffig zubereitetem Gemüse Vierter Gang: Eine Pina Colada aus der Molekularküche sen-​sa-​tio-​nell! Deutlicher Minuspunkt: Weine von bestenfalls (!) durchschnittlicher Qualität, die nicht wirklich mit den Speisen korrespondiert haben. Fazit: Wären Vorspeisen und Hauptgang besser gewesen und hätten die Weine gepasst, dann hätte es es volle fünf Sterne von mir gegeben, so gerade mal knappe vier.

La Terraza del Casino is located in the heart of Madrid, its interior and design are amazing, classic old building, high ceiling, chandelierstraditional, yet beautiful and warm, spacious and airy, with staircase leading to a breath taking terrace with amazing view of the old city.
And the food? oh, the food. delicious, excellent presentation, and attention to the small details that really makes a different. The staff knew each and every course throughout, their recommendations were spot on, and we enjoyed a meal that our palate would remember for a long time.

El mejor sitio en Madrid para la famosa concina molecular. El menu ha sido espectacular! Mejor venir cuando se puede sentar en la terazza fuera.

This maybe as close as I get to El Bulli’s level of cooking. You see, Chef Paco Roncero is one of Ferran Adria’s closest disciples and was tasked with running his Madrid outpost of progressive cooking and the associated division of El Bulli catering. Being the first gastronomic heavy hitter of all the restaurants we’d hit in Spain, it was definitely an interesting journey. My friend was deathly ill the night before and we’d have to trek across the streets of Madrid which not only rain but hail in our suits.
We’d arrived at the building which is actually a members only casino, which was founded back in 1836. It is also an art/​architecture gallery, a place of gastronomy since Ferran Adria took over the food vision in 1998. As a historical structure alone, this is worth seeing but we were here for the food and we were going big with the menu degustacion. It’s broken up into many parts in a playful manner:
*Cocktail
Caipirinha nitro
*Snacks
Sweet potato chips
Alga Lollipop
Saffron Styled Macadamian Nuts
Tempura Petal Rose
Philo Pizza
Sandwish with Spiced Sausage
Syrup with Roes of Trout
*Tapas
Liquid fritter 2006’s version
Razor clam with lemon, juniper and coconut foam
Kellogs paella
Marrow with caviar
*Main courses
Ceps with onion and bacon and Port wine sauce
«Fettuccini Carbonara»
Red mullets served in consommé
Lamb with little onions and mushroom
*Desserts
Our Catalonian cream
Liquorice cake with ice cream apple, lime pudding and creamy chocolate
*Petitfours
Crunchy raspberry snack
Peta colas
False «polvorón» cake made with pine seeds
Bread with chocolate
Tonka Toffee with Redcurrent
As at El Bulli, there are a ton of courses and all very theatrical but at the same time, and more importantly, tasty. For after dinner coffee and tea, I don’t know if I’ve seen a larger selection. Their in house infusion selection alone rivals any dozen restaurants put together. The service was very formal and we found that some of our servers were easier to break down than others, but in the end it turned out friendly even though it started out stuffy. If you don’t end up making it to El Bulli, as they’re closing by end of summer 2011, take a detour to Madrid and let Terraza del Casino treat you in similar fashion.

La batuta en la cocina la lleva Paco Roncero, pupilo aventajado de Ferrán Adriá, siendo este último además el asesor gastronómico del restaurante.
No hace falta decir mucho más, salvo que el emplazamiento no puede ser mejor, en uno de los edificios más bonitos de Madrid, situado en su azotea y con una decoración espectacular.
Caro no, carísimo, pero sabes a lo que vas.
Mis recomendaciones: carpaccio de ceps y piñones y tortilla de tres pisos.
Tienen un menú degustación que sale por unos 110 euros.

Hier hatte ich das kulinarische Highlight meiner bisherigen weltweiten Restaurantbesuche.
Der Inhaber und Koch, Paco Roncero, hat früher mal in der Brigade von Ferran Adria gekocht und bietet ein täglich variierendes Menu an. Dieses besteht teilweise aus Gerichten der Molekularküche, die mich doch sehr beeindruckt hat. Der andere Teil sind Gänge aus der konventionellen haute cuisine. Es kann auch a la carte bestellt werden. Die Champagner und Weine zum Menu waren hervorragend ausgewählt.
Die Location ist von der Lage und Ausstattung her beeindruckend schön.
Der Service war super!
Ich hatte jedenfalls 3,5 unvergessliche kulinarische Stunden auf sehr hohem internationalen Niveau.
Auch das Preis– Leistungsverhältnis war einwandfrei.
Jederzeit immer wieder.

¿Tienes que celebrar algo muy especial? Este sitio es el ideal. En la calle Alcalá, en pleno centro de Madrid, puedes admirar algunos de los edificios más majestuosso de Madrid mientras degustas una cena del famoso Ferrán Adriá. Tiene dos menús desgutación, uno al mediodia y otro por la noche. El menú cuesta 120 euros y es mejor reservar. Este precio se paga por 8 snacks, 8 tapiplatos y 3 postres.