MADRID, SPAIN. If there’s one establishment in Madrid that has taken a traditional Spanish dish to a whole other level, it’s the Tortillería Flash Flash. As the restaurant’s name implies, the dish in question is the tortilla.
The Tortillería Flash Flash offers more than 50 variations on the Spanish tortilla. Of course, you’ll find the most traditional version, the tortilla española de patatas, made with eggs, potatoes and olive oil (7.50 Euros). Those who like it with cebolla (onion) can choose so, too (7.50 Euros).
From there on, things get creative. One of the most popular, – and delicious, – variations is the tortilla de trufa negra y queso (tortilla with black truffles and cheese, priced at 13.00 Euros). Those in the mood for salsas can head for a tortilla margarita, made with flour, cheese, milk and tomato sauce (8.40 Euros). If you’re looking to build up on proteins, try the tortilla de las niñas, prepared with chicken and bechamel sauce (8.40 Euros), or a fish favorite, the tortilla de bacalao al estilo vasco, meaning cod fish prepared in the typical Basque style using red peppers (8.70 Euros). A vegetarian delight is the tortilla de “samfaina”, filled with pisto, a ratatouille-like mix including tomato, bell peppers, eggplant, onion and zucchini (8.40 Euros). And if by the time you get to dessert, you still want more tortillas, try the tortilla vero, prepared with dulce de leche (5.50 Euros), or the tortilla Aranjuez, filled with strawberries and chantilly cream (5.95 Euros).
To say that tortillas are the specialty of this restaurant would be an understatement. Should you want to vary things up a bit, there’s also a wide range of salads, soups, meats, and hamburgers. In a country where carnivores reign, vegetarians don’t despair at Flash Flash; there’s an entire section dedicated to Platos de Verduras, meaning vegetable-based dishes.
All in all, it’s the food that gives the establishment its color – the interior decoration is kept in a minimalist style. In line with the name “Flash Flash,” black stencils of female photographers embellish the white walls, the flash of their cameras represented by dimly lit, oversize lightbulbs. It is here that the yellow of tortillas certainly stands out, and is happily accompanied by kumato tomato brown, iceberg salad green, and a bright red Spanish jamón that is cut fresh to taste.
For those long summer nights, the white sofas, set on artificial, bright green grass, welcome you to sit back and relax for hours on end. After all, the restaurant is open until 1.30 a.m. every day. At that hour, be sure to ask for the separate cocktail menu.
Dining in the hip and trendy environment makes you feel like a star, but if you’re on the go, they cater to your needs, too. You can take out, or have the tortillas delivered to your workplace (Call +34 91 575 10 10). If you’re planning to eat in, make sure to reserve ahead of time as space fills up at peak lunch and dinner hours (reservations came be made online at www.flashflashmadrid.com or by calling +34 91 575 10 10).
Editor’s Note: If you’re heading to Barcelona or Valencia, be sure to check out Flash Flash Barcelona and Flash Flash Valencia, too!
TORTILLERÍA FLASH FLASH
Calle Núñez de Balboa, 75
28006 Madrid
Tel. +34 91 575 10 10
Metro: Núñez de Balboa
Open every day: 1 p.m. to 1.30 a.m. Reservations: online or by phone.