THE FACTS ABOUT EL CHAFLAN

Spain Madrid

Hotel restaurants may be the order of the day, but this is one of the odder examples of the phenomenon. There is a strange lack of synergy between the Hotel Aristos, an unremarkable three-star hotel on a busy avenue in the northern part of Madrid, and its scintillating, five-star restaurant, acknowledged as one of the finest in the city. El Chaflán is a superlative experiment in take-no-prisoners minimalism, courtesy of architects Núñez y Ribot. Daylight floods into the ground-floor dining room through a large skylight. At night, lighting is subdued yet dramatic, with the immense gleaming kitchen entirely visible through a screen of plate glass. Walls and floor are a uniform shade of silvery grey-green, pointed up by the colour of a real, live, olive tree. Tables are placed wide apart, creating a sense of space and privacy which is a luxury in itself. If many of the higher echelons of Madrid cuisine are dominated by Catalans, El Chaflán represents the revenge of Castile. Chef Juan Pablo Felipe, winner of Spain's National Prize for Gastronomy in 2001, specialises in a cuisine that, while absolutely up-to-date, is never afraid to let its roots show. The Orientalist vogue has made little impact on Felipe's store cupboard, to judge by dishes such as duck liver on a tartare of cabbage, chickpeas and chestnuts in ham soup, and pigeon with mini-meatballs and a sweetcorn foam. The modernity of his cooking lies not so much in mad mixtures of innovative ingredients as in clarity of conception, painstaking presentation and a surprising lightness on the stomach. Particular mention must be made of the cheese course - possibly the most original in Madrid. Pieces of five different Spanish cheeses are arranged graphically on a square, white plate along with the various items with which they are to be eaten: mini-biscuits, quince preserve, nuts, a dribble of sweet muscat sauce. As a design it is almost too beautiful to eat. But most people manage somehow. CONTACT El Chaflán, Avenida de Pio XII 34 (00 34 91 350 6193). Open 1.30pm-4.30pm, 9pm-11.30pm. Closed Sat lunch, Sun, and August. Menu degustación €77 per person