Madrid: January 2023

Sacha Hormaechea is the owner and chef of Sacha, a historic restaurant in Madrid that opened in 1972 and bears his own name. Sacha is a place where tradition and innovation coexist, delighting the palates of bons vivants, but also where the walls are privy to the many secrets of Madrid’s business and nightlife.

History

Sacha’s parents, Carlos and Pitila, met in Paris as part of the Spanish diaspora in France. Despite having careers unrelated to gastronomy, they decided to bring back to Spain the concept of the French bistrot with a modern menu. They opened their first restaurant in Sitges in 1971. However, an outbreak of cholera forced them to close the restaurant. They reopened in Madrid in 1972 as a Botillería y Fogón in a residential area where the food scene was virtually non-existent. Despite the challenge, it became a favourite destination for a loyal group of epicureans and intellectuals over the next decades.

Sacha started working in the restaurant during the summers in his teens to make some money, but he was never really interested in the restaurant. His passion had always been photography and cinema. It was only after his father’s early death in 1978 that he began helping out more, at the age of 16. Still, Pitila Mosquera remained in charge and Sacha continued to dedicate some of his time to photography. 

Over the years, she created emblematic dishes that stayed on the menu ever since, such as the ostras (oysters) escabechadas, a recipe recovered from her childhood in Galicia, the prawn cocktail, the lentils or the filloas. Sacha himself would introduce more daring creations, some of which his mother accepted reluctantly, while others she refused to include in the menu. These are classics like the artichokes fried in olive oil, previously unknown in the 80s; or the marrow bones. He introduced these in the 90s, around the same time Fergus Henderson began his career as a chef in London.

In 1999, Pitila passed away and Sacha took over the restaurant. From then on, Sacha continued to introduce dishes that also became classics. Two great examples are the false crab lasagna and the tortilla vaga, an unfinished omelette that has since been replicated all over Spain.

A multifaceted background

Sacha Hormaechea is a chef with a diverse background. Born in Madrid to a Catalan father with Basque roots and a Galician mother, he grew up in different regions of Spain, absorbing their flavours and traditions. His cuisine reflects his personal journey and his curiosity for other cultures. He travels frequently to discover new ingredients and techniques, but he primarily pays homage to the classics with his own twist.

The restaurant, which opened as a French-inspired bistrot, still retains some of its original dishes, such as the consomé, onion soup, tartar and sole meunière. These are present as a sort of homage to the history of the restaurant, as esteemed dishes that guests come back for. Yet Sacha’s food is not stuck in the past. It reflects his keen awareness of the evolving food scene over the decades. He has amassed a gastronomic library that spans from the nouvelle cuisine to contemporary trends. As a photographer, he has participated in many food photography projects, which have also kept him abreast of the latest developments. This understanding of the new gastronomic movements eventually started showing up in his dishes. He reinvents traditional recipes with innovations like the false crab lasagnaor the tarta dispersa. Neither of these dishes uses complex avant-garde techniques, but they make a nod to the conceptual modernity that we have seen in the 2000s and 2010s.

Nowadays, Sacha’s restaurant is clearly produce-driven. His menu changes according to the seasons and the market availability. As the season changes, the menu might take more of a focus on either Galicia, Cataluña, the Basque Country or Madrid’s cuisine based on the recipes that adapt to the seasonal produce. He loves sardines, anchovies, cocochas, piparras, and also likes to revive forgotten delicacies like offal or vegetables like cardoons and borage. No care is given to the Michelin man, so don’t expect amuse-bouches or petit fours.

Sacha’s restaurant is not just a place to eat; originally, it was a hub of intellectual and artistic exchange as well. His father was a journalist and a writer, and the restaurant was frequented by prominent figures from the cultural and literary scene. This exposure would shape Sacha’s culinary vision, which combines creativity and originality with accessibility and simplicity. He does not seek to impress with elaborate presentations or exotic ingredients. Instead, he aims to please with honest and delicious food. How many chefs can achieve such a balance of innovation and authenticity? How many can attract the admiration of their peers from across the globe? Not long ago, we visited Chef’s Table at Brooklyn Square, where chef César Rámirez praised Sacha’s restaurant as his favourite in Spain¹.

A welcoming restaurant

The restaurant is tucked away in a quiet hidden corner of northern Madrid. It has the ambiance of a French bistrot and a touch of Spanish taberna². Perhaps a bit old-fashioned, but always warm and comfortable. The decoration has barely changed since its opening: it has spacious tables with white tablecloths, porcelain soup tureens, multiple paintings on the walls and a quaint terrace (a hidden gem – nestled in the courtyard of a condominium surrounded by plants and trees) for enjoying vermouths or meals.

With warmth and friendliness, Sacha often walks around the tables in his apron and exhibiting his ponytail, greeting regulars and checking on the service. Fortunate to have chefs from all over the world that come to experience his cuisine, Sacha loves debating and exchanging ideas with them. And this also applies to his guests, who as from the early beginnings include celebrities from different fields: music, fashion, cinema, painting…

The wine list is somewhat outdated, featuring a medium-sized selection of mainly Riberas del Duero and Riojas. Most of these are robust red wines. Still, Sacha has a fondness for Jerez, which is evident in the list of sherries. We chose a white wine, a Godello from Viña Mein, the only one that seemed to have more acidity.

The restaurant offers no menu, only à la carte choices. We began our meal with a consomé, a classic dish that is simple yet restoring and delicious, but rare to find nowadays. This one was flawless. It was a clear and amber-brown broth, seasoned to perfection. The rich flavor revealed a blend of chicken, veal and pork with a mirepoix and a bouquet garni heavy on parsley.

We continued with some tacos de merluza (hake dices). The name tacos here does not refer to the Mexican tortillas, but rather to dices of fish that are deep-fried in a light and crispy batter. The hake was cooked masterfully, leaving a very juicy and tender inside, that felt almost as if it had been cooked sous vide at low temperature. As a side, we were served a mayonnaise that was made with the hake head juices. This was a surprising and ingenious way of using the whole fish and enhancing the flavour of the sauce. The mayonnaise was creamy and smooth, with no lemon. This dish was simple and satisfying, highlighting the pure flavour and texture of the produce.

One of the most iconic dishes of Spanish cuisine is the tortilla de patatas, a thick omelette made with eggs and potatoes. But in recent years, Sacha Hormaechea’s version of this classic, inspired by Rafael Moneo, has been challenging the traditional recipe and the expectations of the diners. It is the tortilla vaga, a “lazy” tortilla that uses potato chips instead of fresh potatoes, and that is cooked in an open style, leaving the top runny and creamy.

We were delighted by its elegant simplicity and taste. The tortilla vaga had a thin and tender base, with no signs of browning, and the top was slightly runny. Meanwhile, the potato chips added some crunchiness, creating a pleasant contrast. The egg mixture also included some chopped leek and dried parsley. On the surface of the tortilla, there were thin slices of morcilla, a type of blood sausage, and pickled piparras, a green pepper from the Basque Country. The morcilla enhanced the dish with its richness and umami, while the piparras provided some acidity and heat.

The tortilla vaga was surprisingly light, with a balance of flavours and textures. It is not only a lazy tortilla, but also a smart one. It proves that innovation does not have to be complicated or expensive, but rather creative and respectful of the origins. It is a dish that invites us to rethink our assumptions and to appreciate the essence of good food.

At Sacha, the steak tartare, accompanied by a side of pane carasau, emerges as a testament to the power of simplicity and tradition. Immediately, its quality was apparent from the hand-chopped pieces of steak, slightly larger than usual, reveal a meticulous respect for the classic technique. The meat, likely sirloin, showcased a mild flavour and tender texture that reflects a superior quality of sourcing.

The tartare was enhanced by a traditional seasoning of egg yolk, dill, black pepper, and mustard. We opted for a spice level of five out of ten, which offered a pleasant kick without overwhelming the palate. Each component of the seasoning melded harmoniously, creating a deep and layered flavour profile that allowed every ingredient to shine.

At the same time, the delicate, light crispiness of the bread provided the perfect textural contrast to the tender steak without overpowering the delicate nuances of the tartare itself.

We were delighted to be served the last savoury dish we chose by Sacha Hormaechea himself, who brought us a plate of oreja de taberna (tavern ear). This is a traditional Spanish dish of pig’s ear that is usually boiled and then fried. However, Sacha gave it a modern twist by cooking it for 14 hours sous vide and then frying it in a pan under a heavy weight to ensure that it remains flat. This process rendered the ear soft and gelatinous, although also preserved some of its sinewy texture (visible as a thin whiter layer in the photo), which made it fairly hard to cut. Fortunately, Sacha kindly cut it into bite-sized pieces for us.

We loved the the crunchy and caramelised edges that added a savoury depth to the dish. The balanced was achieved by brushing a mixture of chimichurri made from a mother base that is several years old and romesco. The romesco was not very noticeable, but the vinegar, parsley and oregano side of the chimichurri freshened up every bite.

As we reached the denouement of our culinary journey, we were presented with the tarta dispersa, a dessert that has garnered much popularity. This rendition of a cheesecake is a harmonious symphony of diverse creams and cheeses that offer an array of flavours, from the tangy acidity of crème fraîche to the subtle sweetness of whipped cream infused with a hint of vanilla.

The star of the show, however, is the mature, lactic depth provided by the addition of aged Manchego cheese, which alludes to the possibility of it being a cured variety. This complex amalgamation of flavour is punctuated by the presence of caramelized nut squares, their slight chewiness and sweetness perfectly contrasting the savoury elements of the dish.

An artful drizzle of acidic raspberry sauce in a nod to Grant Achatz and David Muñoz ties the components together. It shows how bold flavours can coalesce in a single dessert, although it was not the most comforting style of cheesecake.

The evening’s culinary journey was brought to a closure with a pão de ló. This Portuguese sponge cake was presented in a runnier style, reminiscent of the famed version from Alfeizerão, and exuded warmth as it was served luke warm. Each bite revealed a fluffy, cloud-like texture that enveloped the senses. The runny centre, with its vivid orange hue, owed its brilliance to the use of fresh, high-quality eggs. This molten core possessed a pure, intense egg flavor that evoked memories of the classic yemas de Santa Teresa. As we delved into the dessert, the edges revealed a contrasting texture – set and spongy, akin to a delicate meringue. 

Footnotes

1. César himself worked at Zuberoa in his early career.
2. Spanish eatery.