StreetXO is Dabiz Muñoz in his most unbridled, borderline wacky mood…read more
If DiverXO, the master restaurateur's three-star Michelin flagship, is the meticulously choreographed tasting menu with white-glove precision-- a culinary journey meets Alice in Wonderland-- then StreetXO is the same brain turned loose. A sort of rock 'n' roll meets 90's arcade meets "Big Trouble in Little China". It's louder. Faster. Beautifully messier. And all by ingenious intent. You don't just come here to eat. You come to get swept up and swept away by it all.
The inertia is felt the moment one walks inside. The space is edgy and playful, like a grown-up video game that never grew out of its chaos. There's even a swing at the entrance for adults to sit in and take Instagram-worthy photos.
My wife and I have, twice.
Indeed, there are other options. One might partake of gentler balcony offerings, or tuck into one of many inside nooks in the ample lounge-bar area. But if you want the full StreetXO shenanigans-- heat on your face, hisses of searing pans, perfume of spice and smoke in the air, the full-force theatre of it all-- then plant yourself at the monster octagonal counter. Mirrors line the salon wherein patrons dine, so that everything and everyone can be caught munching, savoring, swigging, laughing, and relishing as if in one big, faceted, reflective stage.
An open, inviting kitchen isn't just a floor-plan design. It's a deliberate showcasing of a culinary orchestra at the top of its game. Every movement is in synchronicity, firing out plates with a speed resembling chaos until the beholder realizes it's more like choreography.
StreetXO's soundtrack is part of the engine. Music is loud-- thumping with a rotating mix of techno, EDM, and sizzling club beats that would never permit the room to settle. Sonic energy soars with a feverish tempo set by the kitchen. Fast hands ripping streams of tickets and flicking flamed-licked skillets. Bass-lines pound out rhythms as woks crackle and fire leaps from grills. Somehow it all seems perfectly synced: volume, velocity, and vibrancy. Epic dishes appear in front of mesmerized diners as if teleported by magic.
The bar is lively, even frenetic. Yet it is an entertaining vibe. Chefs move with haste and purpose, never stopping, never drifting. Flames rise and fall in a sort of hypnotic dance. Smoke curls up and disappears. Oils shimmer in coppery pans. Every station feels alive, like the whole place is a bundle of kinetic pulses refusing to die down. A lead chef in all-black cooking attire anchors the momentum. Around him, staff in mint-white coats navigate through crowds with deft and focus as part server, part air-traffic controller. Plates glide in and out, darting like fragile doves through a storm.
And over everything, you hear it again and again:
"Voy, voy."
It's the kitchen's heartbeat, "coming through", in a never-ending relay.
Then you start noticing the precision lurking within all that speed. A tray of perfect seasonings arrives briskly. Bowls and plates are finished with remarkable acuity. No casual splashes, no guesswork. The runner in white handles each plate with steady grace in the middle of mayhem.
And the tray is gone before one fully processes what one has just witnessed.
Food is alluring, loud, colorful and flavorful-- unapologetically bold, like StreetXO.
Management doesn't want you to eat politely. It wants you lean in (with full force). Indulge with enthusiasm. Use your hands. Embrace the messy joys. Duck Dumplings are the perfect example. They are presented on paper placemats, clearly meant to be eaten with fingers. It's a good form of primal. Crispy, crunchy outside. Soft, buttery inside. So delicious it resets your expectations mid-bite.
Crab dishes are standouts, too. They disappear faster than planned because every forkful dares another. And then there are the Short Ribs. The mantelpiece. Forty-eight hours of slow heat make it deep, rich, and comforting in a way that feels unfair to everything else on the menu. While StreetXO moves at warp-speed, this delectable delight doesn't rush for anything. It's the star of stars.
Even the drinks match Street XO's attitude. One smoky cocktail in particular stands above the rest. Smoke up front, with hints of cherry underneath. It is emboldened and dramatic. Yet curiously balanced and nuanced. The Nam Phrik brings a sharp, spicy-orange hit at the top that awakens everything else.
By the time the meal ends, one is satiated, but also buzzing. It's as if you earned a siesta but don't want to take it. You want to keep indulging your senses.
That's StreetXO. The cerebral, sophisticated DiverXO's more streetwise sibling. It's not for the timid. It isn't high-concept. It's high octane. Street XO is Madrid's knee-jerk response to full-contact lunch or dinner.
And it is as much a spectacle as it is spectacular!
