Let it snow
Basics
Location
On the net.
Per Person
Complete set menu: €11.50 (coffee not included)
Gratis; Aperitif.
In not so many words
Hopes?
A real taste of Italy.
Reality?
Top notch, excellent value lunch.
First Impressions?
How do you say shabby-chic in Italian?
A USP?
Quality pizza and pasta in a potentially cosy environment.
The food in three words?
Ecco il pranzo!
Can they get the staff?
Four people on service, three more in the kitchens.
Service with a smile?
Positively genial, today.
Would you take your friends?
Abso-defino-lutely.
Rating for a dating?
Brings it home on many levels, so hopefully you will too.
Tip?
Yep. Earnt.
If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Greed. I'd like more of the Tiramisú.
Going back?
Definitely. Soon. Need to explore the a la carte menu.
In Pictures
On Google Images
In not so few words
Doughn't you want me?
Basics
Location
On the net.
Per Person
Complete set menu: €11.50 (coffee not included)
Gratis; Aperitif.
In not so many words
Hopes?
A real taste of Italy.
Reality?
Top notch, excellent value lunch.
First Impressions?
How do you say shabby-chic in Italian?
A USP?
Quality pizza and pasta in a potentially cosy environment.
The food in three words?
Ecco il pranzo!
Can they get the staff?
Four people on service, three more in the kitchens.
Service with a smile?
Positively genial, today.
Would you take your friends?
Abso-defino-lutely.
Rating for a dating?
Brings it home on many levels, so hopefully you will too.
Tip?
Yep. Earnt.
If you could change one thing, what would it be?
Greed. I'd like more of the Tiramisú.
Going back?
Definitely. Soon. Need to explore the a la carte menu.
In Pictures
On Google Images
In not so few words
Let's not faff about. You'd better try Menomale. Madrid's pizza offer has improved immeasurably in the past few years and this place should earn a place on any list of potentials for favourite in town.
So where to start? The lunch menu comes in two forms. Light is not a bad bet, with main course, drink and coffee at €9.00. But Complete is terrific value, adding starter and dessert for just €2.50 more. The trick then, is to order one of each and share things strategically. A pair of you really won't need two Completes - unless you've not eaten for a week.
Attention to detail earns Menomale kudos. Even on daily menus, a smart little aperitif comes along. Today, hustling in from the wettest, coldest March day, we got broccoli florets in curry-flavoured gravy on bread. Not molto Italiano, but was excellent.
Our starter didn't scream Dov'é il Vaticano? either, but aubergine hummus with tomato and homemade pesto looked a treat and was delicious.
If we're going to be very, very picky it would have had a couple of mini pitas rather than the - very fresh - bread we got when we asked, but that doesn't detract from the excellent quality and presentation.
Mains time, and by now it was snowing hard outside - in the last week of March. Would Penne Bolognese and ham/prosciutto pizza warm our cockles?
Neither of these sound like they're going to set the horno di legna alight, but at Menomale they're absolutely worth a go. And, in recognition of the quality on offer, we hereby institute h:m's second rule:
If a place gets the classics right, go back to find out if/how they innovate.
So. The PenBol. Delicious combination of fresh, chunky, meaty sauce and very tasty parmesan was excellent. Penne was firm, perhaps slightly more than you'd expect from other places locally, but no complaints at all.
Next. The PizPros. Everytime I've eaten here, I manage to order pizza without tomato. I know this will have some leaping about like I've offered to saw their granny's ears off, but there's no better test - intentional or otherwise - of pizza dough. No tomato, so no inbuilt acidic element to lighten things. It asks a simple question.
Doughn't you want me?
Answer? Oh yes. Because, blimey, it's good. This is a base so tastily prepared you'd enjoy it with nothing more than decent oil and salt. It's not as blistered and cracklingly thin as in other places, perhaps because it's fired in a gas oven rather than a wood-fuelled one, but the flavour and freshness is a treat. Amost liquid cheese, york-style ham and fresh basil made an unexpectedly refreshing topping, and there was so much on offer I was struggl₂ing by the last quarter.
26 square cm of tiramisú made up the dessert. That sounds OK until you try measuring out 6cm square on a piece of paper. No loss if it's industrial gloop knocked up in a factory in Fuenlabrada. Bit of a heartbreaker when it tastes homemade, has a load of booze in it and is utterly delicious. Go. Have a full-size portion and try the lemon sorbet and go home very happy.
Service was brisk and reliable. No waiting, no mucking about, with lots of people on the go. We even got a laugh and a good-natured Merry Christmas! from the bearded boss as we headed out into the ongoing snowstorm. While we'd been eating, rather sweetly, the entire staff had hared out of the kitchen one by one to get photos of the giant fluffy flakes floating down.
It's easily the best place to eat pizza, to eat Italian, in or near Malasaña.
Menomale? Andiamo di nuovo!
