In this market, they prepare the best Spanish omelette … in the world

One thing is to boast of making the best tortilla in Spain, which would probably mean the best of the planet, and another thing is that this title is certified by the most renowned gastronomic critics and chefs of the peninsula.

The best tortilla in the world, called simplify, is located in Madrid and far from what one might think, is not one of the many sophisticated and therefore expensive restaurants of this city. It has not been installed as a site either
fashionable of those who claim to be casual or at the
no thank you (Sorry, but in this issue Anglicisms and Gallicisms are imposed).

None of that. He was born 25 years ago when Dani García installed a modest and austere small post in the
Mercado de la Paz in the elegant district of Salamanca, specifically in Ayala Street 28.

He just called it
Dani House And although he quickly became famous for his popular cuisine, the official title was obtained in March of this year when he won the first prize of the Spanish Tortilla II Championship. Patata, held in Tenerife.

Family affair

In fact, the prize is awarded to Lola Cuerda, wife of Dani García, who presented his contest by presenting an omelette made of tart potatoes from La Mancha and caramelized onions cooked over a wood fire, well, as they are cooked in any house. She continues to run the kitchen. Her husband occasionally goes back to his clients.

Today, the company is in the hands of Dani jr. And his sister Noelia. "And if the celebrities came," he says, "yes, the sister of King Juan Carlos, many politicians, great leaders like Ramón Freixa, Jose Andrés, Juanjo López, but for us l & # 39; Illustrious is the daily worker, the office administrator around the corner, the neighborhood vendors, who visit us every day, "says Noelia.

Behind the small bar, Dani and some other employees, including the hyperactive Georgiana (all comrades and regulars call him Gio). She and Dani are a show in this narrowness behind the bar. Remove the used dishes, clean them, order what the next customer wants, serve the drinks, bring the dishes to the bacha. Oh! and they charge.

Speaking of charge, a menu including starter, main course, drink and dessert or coffee costs 11,50 euros. And in addition to the tortilla, there is the Manchego ratatouille, homemade meatballs, tripe and other clbadic dishes of Spanish cuisine.

Spanish crack: onion, yes or no?

In Spain, there is a subject that seems to divide the waters and perhaps major controversies as the independence movement. The tortilla, with or without onion? In Dani, do not deepen the crack, they do it with the onion to order.

There are four spaces in Dani. An indoor bar (one that measures the pulse of the place and in my opinion the one that breathes the most authentic flavor of this place), an exterior that gives one of the corridors of the Peace Market that n & # 39; 39 is allowed only two in the afternoon, tables under an eaves and others in a small room closed to glazed perimeters. If Faruk attends, it is a pledge of good advice and a smile.

There is also a food sector to take away. Among all, they send on average 300 tens of eggs and, if there is a high demand, 400, or about 570 tortillas. They came to cook a ton of potatoes in one day. It's not for nothing that we have two kitchens, one for tortillas only, where five people work.

The busiest days are Fridays and Saturdays, in addition to Wednesdays, when there is lobster rice on the menu. Dani opens at 6:15 pm to give breakfast to the neighborhood workers. It remains so until 20:30, although the kitchen closes at 17 hours.

Without secrets?

Although we know in advance that there are no secrets in the culinary environment, we ask Dani to give us the key to a good omelette. "The most important thing is good raw material, we use an extraordinary potato, the Manchega Sour Potato, typical of Castile-La Mancha, to decide whether it should be made with or without onions", explains he.

Although young, Dani does not seem to run out with such dizziness. "Once I'm in the bar, the everyday does not stress me, I want all our guests to leave happy and well cared for, what I like the most, is chatting with customers If possible, together we are part of a story and we want to continue. "

The best tortilla in the world also has its mystique.

IN ADDITION