The Vallehermoso market, where luxury eating (and shopping) is the norm

Go to a market to have a tasting menu for dinner that could well deserve a Michelin star, shop at the stall where Dabiz Muñoz makes it, eat some of the richest ribs in the city, discover endless organic wines or try some homemade empanadas cry... All this and much more is the Mercado de Vallehermoso, in the Chamberí neighbourhood, perhaps the first to place tables in its corridors to fill with life when the food stalls closed.

That was six or seven years ago. Alejandro Rodríguez remembers it well while he cuts a ham with a knife. He started working in the market when he was 15 years old and after 51 in the pit he has seen almost everything. “Without the hospitality industry we would have already closed. Eight years ago, we were at 50% and going down. So there was a bar; now almost 30”. he comments he. In 1981 he bought the delicatessen; in 1985 the creamery run by his wife Mari and, later, the bakery. "Now we are trying to transfer the business and it is very difficult to find people who know the trade."

It's 11:00 a.m. on a Tuesday. The activity begins to be noticed. They know each other and buy from each other, they are like a small community where they take care of each other. The Covid has put them on the ropes and getting their heads back is costing theirs. Despite everything, they continue to expand the 'family' with new members, such as Brie Alto, a stall specializing in French cheeses and gourmet products.

One of the best known on the market is Higinio Gómez, very probably the greatest expert on birds in our country. Theirs are stalls 13 and 14, where the best chefs usually go to buy a lot of their kind. He has tasted all the market stalls because he is also a true foodie.

In the center of the market is La Relojería where there used to be a flower stall. "There came to be 30 greengrocers, 14 fishmongers and three variant stores," recalls Alejandro, who is grateful to the young people for betting on the markets.

Much of the blame for what is now Vallehermoso lies with Kitchen 154, which since 2015 has made its Southeast Asian street cuisine a real claim. When they opened, only the Japanese Washoku and the Prost grill were operational. His risky proposal at an affordable price marked the path of many, who saw in the market a place to set up their business.

Batch is one of the most recent additions. Organic wines -a good time to give them a try- and pickles are their strong points.

Opened in 1933, this market then filled the neighborhood with life. Hand in hand with the hospitality industry, it is now taking flight again with force. "We also want to promote supplies so that there is a balance," they say from the management. That the market of all life, in short, continue to make people talk. Here are some of the stalls that are worth a visit.

PICON: FLAVORS OF THE CANARY ISLANDS

Javier González, a 47-year-old from Tenerife, is in charge of this stall where the potatoes, the mojos, the cheeses and the wines make the teeth very long. He has a shop and a tasting corner where you can sit and try his delicacies. "The cheese and the wines are the undisputed stars," he says from the other side of the counter. They have been making the best of his land known for three and a half years. "There are products such as chorizos, blood sausages or salty ribs that are less known and are very tasty." With the pandemic, they had to strengthen home delivery and at the end of the year they will have the online store ready. «Almost all the Canarian products of the Peninsula are moved by us». From its long list of products, special mention deserves the cheeses from the Rosario Craft Cheese Factory, located in Agaete (Gran Canaria); the salmon from Uga, from Lanzarote, and the wines from the Loher winery, from Tenerife. They have an appetizing assortment of Canarian chocolates.

LINDA PASTISSA: A MATTER OF PASTA

Behind this brand is the Neapolitan Sissa Verde (41 years old), who started selling her fresh pasta through Instagram. She is now part of the Ultraurbanos project, a stall in the Vallehermoso market where different artisan producers have joined forces. "Always with a km 0 philosophy," she points out. Her fresh pasta is a real delight, "I do everything by hand and it shows", from the dough and the cut to the filling. With a degree in Art History, she tries to make each piece something unique and special. "Aesthetics is important too." Her specialty is stuffed pasta, because, she says, it is where the difference between a quality and a bad one is clear. «I want people to appreciate pasta as it deserves. And that the prices are in accordance with the raw material used and with the elaboration ». She has kits for two for 16 euros. In this space you can also try the delicious Reposted biscuits, the Brutal jams and discover the Chimo Chai chai latte.

EL 2 DE VALLEHERMOSO: WITH THREE INGREDIENTS

It is one of the spaces in the market that will give the most talk. Javier García (47 years old) and Javier Lafuente (44) settled in the position a year ago. "We liked the atmosphere and the energy it has with the mix of supplies and restoration." In the statements of their dishes there are no more than three ingredients, because they want the product to stand out and be clearly identified. "That does not mean that we do not use more in the elaborations," they say. They regularly change the menu and pull seasonal products and mostly purchased from neighboring stalls. "There are dishes that we have for two weeks, such as beans or tear peas." Less is more here they have it clear. "We have 12 rotating plates." They don't want to talk about star dishes, but the truth is that their tripe have made a permanent place for themselves on the menu almost by popular acclaim. Average price: 35-45 euros.

HIGH BRIE: GALLIC TEMPTATIONS

Richard Dhieras (image) and Pauline Vallantin Dulac are brothers-in-law, natives of Bordeaux and passionate about good gastronomy. With this profile, they opened their second space in this market before the summer - they have the other in Chamberí. "We work with small producers in France, who know how to make the product," he says. "95% of the cheese we sell is French, raw milk and shepherd's cheese." When buying, it is advisable to listen to their recommendations. The Roquefort they sell is 100% artisanal: “There are seven producers left in France and only two of them are still artisanal. We are lucky enough to offer it here », he says. Another of the most appreciated by customers is the 18-month count. "It's a very aromatic and exquisite cheese," explains Richard. To accompany they have a careful selection of wines. Butter and cream have a very good press.

KITCHEN 154: THE ROUGHEST STATION

They hit the market in 2015 and turned it upside down. Its rich and spicy street cuisine spread from mouth to mouth in half of Madrid and a month after opening they were packed. Everything in the stall has an irreverent touch. Its name alludes to the degrees Fahrenheit with which food works, always at a low temperature. His ribs have become a local hit; They have 12 hours of cooking and a lot of care behind them. "We do everything at the moment," they say. And that shows. Their sausage and kimchi dumpling and shrimp curries and red lentil curries must be tasted on a first visit. With the pandemic looming, they launched the online store, which worked wonderfully. Now they have let it rest to reopen it in 2022 more calmly. Its odd portions "to fuck the couples" are a hallmark of the house. Average price: 25 euros.

TRIPEA: THE 'STAR' OF THE MARKET

Roberto Martínez Foronda's stand has the Bib Gourmand, the recognition that the Michelin Guide gives to those restaurants with excellent value for money. He opened his Spanish-based Peruvian-Asian cuisine establishment with the idea of ​​valuing the life of the market and he has achieved it with flying colors. Getting a table in Tripea is a matter of taking it easy or doing it weeks in advance. "The support of the people is incredible," he comments next to his kitchen. Their wok mussel ceviche, iconic dish of the house, never disappoints. On his social networks, he usually shows dishes that are being incorporated -that mackerel ceviche is a big word- and products that are being prepared, such as his 100% homemade kimchis and with different peppers. His version of anchovies in vinegar is impossible to leave indifferent. In the pandemic they created Triperito, their delivery. Menu: 35 euros.

CRAFT 19: THE AUTHENTIC PASTRAMI SANDWICH

Craig Kolleger, the New Yorker behind it all, wanted to introduce his country's authentic pastrami sandwich. His American-style home-cured pastrami creations are eye-popping. In a sandwich they have the original version with slices of cheese, mustard and Russian sauce on glassy bread (34.90 euros whole/17.50 half) and the spicy version. Another option is to opt for the shredded pork, with cheese, coleslaw and chipotle BBQ sauce. For hamburger lovers, there is also a most appetizing offer. The beef burger with lots of havarti cheese and Russian sauce, on a glassy bun, is always a good choice. To accompany the meal, they offer 14 craft beer taps, most of them from the United Kingdom, which change regularly. His Instagram is full of appetizing morsels.

BUTTER AND SAUSAGE ALEJANDRO RODRÍGUEZ: THE VETERAN Alejandro Rodríguez has experienced everything in the market. At the age of 15 he started working for it and today he is about to retire with his wife, who runs the butter and bakery that is next to the watch shop. «We did not find people to transfer the business to him. This is a trade that requires practice and knowledge. You have to know how to cut a ham », he says as he places the item in the display case. He milk, cans of preserves, eggs, jams ... In his stands you will find everything you need to fill the pantry. "We are very grateful that there are young people who bet on traditional markets," says Mari, his wife. "That also rejuvenates the neighborhood, something that is very positive for everyone." Here they buy all the restaurants in the area. “Whenever something is missing, we have it.” They like to try all the offer that is installed there. "I love Kitchen 154," she says.

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