Bar Colores y Sabores | Madrid
IT MAFE BEEN LOVE
Not to be outdone by the plentiful amazing food I had enjoyed in Seville, courtesy of the tips from my friend Irene - she also happened to write a short list for Madrid since I would only stay 3 nights. Top of the list was the rather odd instructions to go to "Colores near Anton Martin market for tasty, cheap, authentic Senegalese food. It's where all the chefs go on their days off".
Never one to turn down a recommendation from someone I whole-heartedly trust, I headed there day 1 for lunch.
A rather odd facade gave way to a small dining room awash with tempting smells wafting in from the small kitchen. A cheery lady greeted me and showed me to a spare table and produced a menu. I must admit I am not an expert on Senegalese food but I do know Mafé, and they had it on the menu.
No brainer!
"You also want spicy sauce?"
"Oh yes I do"
My plate came out bursting with deep yellow love. A spoon nestled beside with a picante home-made sauce to slather on top. I emptied the spoon in ravishing flicks of a knife before asking for a refill. Spoon's armed I dug in with ferocity. A complex, creamy, spicy, comforting hit of deeply flavoured curry with the underlying peanut sauce and overtones of fresh chilli caused me to pause for a second and wonder if I had ever tasted this dish before. I hadn't.
The veal meat was achingly tender, the carrots and potatos adding that element to a curry dish that I personally love. However, to be totally honest here the rice was astounding. I had not had such tender, fluffy, well-cooked rice in a while. It perfectly carried the rich flavours and gave some relief to the heavy taste of the Mafé itself.
I immediately sat there in panic that I only had a couple of days in Madrid and a long list of other places to eat, but I truly, truly wanted to eat this again at the nearest opportunity.
