RavioXO is part of what you could call a small empire of restaurants by chef Dabiz Munoz, alongside the 3 michelin starred DiverXO (which ranks in my top 20 meals of all time) and the more casual StreetXO. RavioXO sits in the middle, holding a Michelin star itself. It offers a tasting menu, or an a la carte menu, which, unsurprisingly, mostly comprises of dumplings.
It is nothing short of a superb meal. We start with one of the best dishes I’ve eaten all year: based on cold leftovers in the fridge, it’s a heady, creamy, rich cold carbonara, served alongside some cold Korean fried chicken in a gochujang sauce that I’d like to drown myself in. It’s clever, unapologetic and absolutely delicious. The hits keep coming with the dumplings – a black pudding one is filled with a quails egg yolk and then topped with what looks like potato rosti, but is, upon a small nibble, actually deep fried strands of egg white – a ridiculous and delicious way to add texture. This comes with insanely good spiced cubes of pigs ear.A wagyu cheung fun tastes as beautiful as it looks. A thai green curry steamed bao and a korean bolognese (!!!) bao also please greatly. Prawns are heavily featured and on two occasions I have dumplings creatively littered with mini shrimps and langoustines.
Cocktails are top notch too and I have a very excellent negroni. If you can’t get into DiverXO, or if that’s too much of a splurge but you still fancy a treat, RavioXO is the place to go in Madrid in my book. It doesn’t take itself too seriously on the surface, but this place takes its food and drink very, very seriously.
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by NoYear619