Food quality: 4.5/5

Service: 3.5/5

Ambiance: 3/5

Price: 3/5 

Overall: 4 / 5

 

El Del Medio is situated in the humble neighborhood of Charmartin, and is a recently opened restaurant with innovative takes on traditional Spanish and Mediterranean food. Chef and owner Alberto attempts to utilize seasonal ingredients to create an optimal dining experience for his guests, which more often than not, leads to a majority of clients coming back for more.

 

The food at the restaurant is quite fresh. While the quality is not outstanding, it’s good enough to not be questioned by customers and critics alike. What is outstanding however, are the flavors and sauces that Alberto makes use of in his dishes. The bocaditos de El del Medio is an impactful mouthful of sauce, beautifully cooked egg and a tiny cracker for extra crunch. The ensaladilla rusa, while traditional, has a great balance of mayonnaise, tuna, potato and eggs, all allowing for a great texture.The crujiente de Sardina is a wonderful dish for sharing, a crusty piece of bread, topped with pisto and fresh sardines. Finally, a majority of the entree dishes, such as the dados de solomillo, or the pulpo are cooked to perfection, and have great flavor overall.

The service at El Del Medio, like many places, is professional, but occasionally a bit 

cold. The waiters are there to do their job, and are never too outwardly friendly or keen to engage in conversation. However, that’s never a problem if the food and beverages arrive relatively quickly, which usually seems to be the case at this restaurant. 

 

The ambiance is nothing special. It’s a small restaurant with simple decor, the primary purpose being the food, of course. The neighborhood it’s located in isn’t the most exciting either, and definitely caters to a more serious, working class consumer, or the older folk. At the end of the day, good food is good food, but this may not be the place to celebrate one’s birthday, or go on a romantic date (not that I would know 😭). 

 

The prices seem fair, but tend to be on the more expensive side, especially when considering the smaller portion sizes. A meal at El Del Medio will not bankrupt you, but it definitely is not the most affordable place for all. While the restaurant is food is great, there are many other restaurants that provide better ambiance and service, at a lower price point.

Restaurant Website: El Del Medio