Bocanada, the tiny natural wine bar whose cuisine stands out in the Las Letras neighborhood

An atypical space, small in size, where you drink and eat like nowhere else in Madrid. Bocanada arrived a year ago with almost no expectations, with a smiling Amanda Leite, petite and always ready to give her all, within a place that does not exceed ten meters for the clientele.. And now, with the perspective that these twelve months give, we can say that he has managed to build a square of pleasure to make a pilgrimage to. A church of enjoyment in which to make friends and let yourself be carried away by what it offers.

“Part of the magic of Bocanada is that it has been forming,” he says, looking back. “When I started I didn't have a clear idea of what it ended up being”. It is true that if one goes back and remembers those first wines, with a food menu still in progress, with juicy and well-constructed baos, it was difficult to imagine what would come next..

However, those indicative conversations between clientele, bar owners and determined commitments to the most disruptive gastronomic universe in Madrid, ended up defining a concept that we can say looked back to our most glorious past, when it was good to eat and drink in the most unexpected places, all that was needed was the master hand of a good host. And that is what Amanda has become for those who visit Bocanada regularly or sporadically..

International wines

“For all this to work, you have to do a lot of hard work beforehand.”. It seems that everything arises spontaneously, but you have to be prepared for any type of inclemency,” reveals Leite, a sommelier trained in the Cuenllas portfolio, and who made the leap in the essential La Caníbal de Lavapiés, with an agitator Javier Vázquez who He does not lose sight of everything that is happening in Madrid at any time..

At Bocanada, of course, you drink wonderfully.. Always by the glass, although anyone who wishes, and is well equipped, can pull bottles. Leite's concern places his field of vision on foreign wines, a lot of wine from Jura, Champagne and Eastern Europe, with areas that are a true success.. The minerality, the contained acidity and the elegance of the drinks are the distinctive note. Names such as Frederic Savart, Christoph Mignon, Mirceau Savagnin, Occhipinti, Genet, Les Chazaux, Brézé or L'Anglore parade every day between the bar, the few stools that swarm and the occasional corner in which to rest the glasses.

“I drink a lot of La Cigaleña, the style of their winery, which for me is very sophisticated. I also like producers from here. This is the case of Sebio, which makes almost heroic wines in Rías Baixas with those difficulties of humidity and pests,” adds Lois Sebio, an artisan from the most intoxicating Galicia, about the wines of Xose..

Canarian wines, like those that could be tried a few months ago on the last visit to Cuernocabra, one of Gofio's projects in La Palma, are also abundant in Leite's pool, which does not stop searching and delving into that idea of discovery. territory through the wisdom of those producers.

Deep and fresh bites

Another of the facets that have taken the most care for this new season is gastronomy.. Behind is Mónica Iglesias, better known in networks as Yeast Wild. This Asturian, a lover of tin counters and popular tapas, makes her dishes shine and pairs masterfully with the wines..

“I like to see our menu as an interpretation of traditional dishes,” he says.. There is a dewlap made at a low temperature that emulates some chicharrones from Cádiz, candied with lemon and fermented pepper. Also some glutinous rice pancakes with squid in its ink, low-temperature ribs with tamarind sauce or the baos from its beginnings, where it plays with different sauces, and in which its fried chicken marinated with Cajun spices and buttermilk is an extreme delight.

“My love for fermented, sour and non-aggressive spicy foods is greatly appreciated. I don't like to say that I make fusion cuisine,” he answers.. There are also cheeses from small producers and very notable sweets, which remind us of their time at Estela Hojaldre and Café Tornasol..

Visits from the gastronomic outpost

“In the coming months we will visit two restaurants that I really like. In October, on the last Sunday, Nacho Tirado, from El Molino, in Cáceres, comes. It is a foodie pilgrimage place, which treats vegetables very well, with Nordic points in neatness and flavors,” says Leite: “And in November it is Puzzle's turn.”

The residences, visited by some of Madrid's less well-off street, have become one of the vibrant destinations in which to be seen. El Brote, Savas, Brutalista, and Chifa have passed through Bocanada's kitchen. Marzeah, Muyummuy or Ether, among others. A casual and open opportunity to the best that these restaurants can offer. Places that shake up and move the culinary board of a Madrid that doesn't stop. Open to everything, like Bocanada