We stood in front of Laredo's doors at 1:05 PM on a weekday before their 1:15 opening without a reservation. When they opened, they were a little shocked we didn't have a reservation for 6 people, but they were able to get us situated by pushing 2-2 tops together and moving seats around it. Our waitress offered us an English menu, which definitely helped for ordering since their menu is quite extensive.
We didn't have much room beyond our 6 sharing plates, but it worked really well based on how they were pacing food. Dishes came out one at a time and we were able to enjoy and complete each one while they were fresh from the kitchen.
They kicked us off with a complementary plate of cheeses, cured meats, and short breadsticks which was a great way to start.
The food:
Spanish Omelette with Artichokes - Tortilla de patata con alcachofes - a thin layer of egg with thinly sliced, browned potatoes, and lightly fried artichokes. All comes together nicely with slightly different textures.
Home-Made Croquettes - Croquetas caseras - 8 enormous croquettes with the crispiest bread crumb exterior. Inside is a lot of creamy/cheesy filling with little bits of cured meat.
Warm Salad (Sprouts, Avocado, Fresh Cheese, Tomato, Aoili, and Prawns) - Ensalada templada - the name needs work, but the dish does not. The mixture of everything make it eat more like a creamy shrimp dish from the avocado and egg. Then you have a little texture from thinly sliced fried parsnips (?), sun dried tomato, and salad greens. I would be happy just eating this for a meal.
Confit 'Flower' Artichoke with Iberian Jowl, Fresh Foie, and Quail Egg - Alcachofa en flor confitada - is this food, or a work of art? I believe this is the first time I've had a vegetable confit, but the cooking method converts the artichoke into a tender, super rich spread of artichoke leaves. With the toppings, this is near the top of indulgent vegetables I have had in my lifetime.
Cuttlefish and White Prawn Rice - Arroz de Sepia y Almeja - lots of seafood, some creaminess from the rice, and then some aioli is added on top of that. Some people in my party didn't like the rice being that "Al dente", but I was ok with how the rice was cooked.
Sea Bream Fillet with Galician-Style Clams - Lomo de Dorada con langostinos - perfectly cooked fresh clams. The fish fillets had a nice browned skin, good salt level. No complaints about this dish, but it wasn't very memorable either.
It was a full house by the time we finished, and I'm not surprised based on the food quality and sizable portions. Very impressed by the food and will be seeking a return visit if ever back in Madrid. read more