Las Ventas is a quaint Spanish specialty shop located directly next to Estragon - and not surprisingly owned by the same chef. Walking toward the large storefront, my eyes drift toward a sign placed gingerly adjacent to the entrance. Boasting 12 different sandwiches and 4 different loaves, the sign is actually a poor excuse for an advertisement.
There are two other customers in the store, and when I leave, I leave it completely deserted. The specialty shop is fairly bare, a large, plastic display case is filled with Spanish cheese and meats, and the woman behind the counter offers me a slice of their spicy chorizo. My stomach rumbles as the lingering taste of spices clings to the back of my throat. I decide to order three sandwiches: Las Ventas, Mallorca, and a jamon serrano special written haphazardly behind the cash register.
Unwrapping all the sandwiches as if they were carefully wrapped Christmas presents, we placed the sandwiches in halves on plates to share. I took my first bite of the Mallorca, a sandwich consisting of sobrasada, goat cheese, spring mix and a housemade aioli. The sobrasada was cut thick, baring a similar quality to chorizo, and soaking up oils and juices that gushed out with each bite. Sandwiched between a fresh multi-grain loaf, the goat cheese perfectly complemented the spiciness of the meat.
The aroma of hot meat and cheese rise from the bag as I hurriedly made my way to Nirali and Jamie's apartment for our lunch feast. Excitedly, I present them with the bocadillos buffet!
Unwrapping all the sandwiches as if they were carefully wrapped Christmas presents, we placed the sandwiches in halves on plates to share. I took my first bite of the Mallorca, a sandwich consisting of sobrasada, goat cheese, spring mix and a housemade aioli. The sobrasada was cut thick, baring a similar quality to chorizo, and soaking up oils and juices that gushed out with each bite. Sandwiched between a fresh multi-grain loaf, the goat cheese perfectly complemented the spiciness of the meat.
The next bite I took was of the ham serrano special made of two thickly cut slices of sourdough bread, thin slices of jamon serrano (a less salty prosciutto), manchego cheese and, my favorite, fig jam. The sweetness of the jam mixed with the saltiness of the ham created a perfectly balanced sandwich.
Both sandwiches were delicious, if I had to choose between the two, I would go with the Mallorca. I did save the best for last though. The sandwich Las Ventas, named after the shop itself, is stuffed with traditional tortilla espanola (a Spanish dish consisting of a thick egg omelette and potatoes), carmelized cubanelle peppers, and of course, the store's famous aioli. The woman behind the counter recommended sourdough bread for this sandwich, and we were not disappointed. The potatoes and peppers were grilled and sauteed to the point where you could taste the brown grill lines in your sandwich. That is the dream, isn't it? The eggs were made light and fluffy and the sandwich was so satisfying, I was sad that I only got a few bites out of it. My next trip to Las Ventas will definitely include the Las Ventas!
ACTION SHOT, Jamie eating the Mallorca!
