Huevos rotos is Madrid's broken-egg dish: fried eggs over thick fried potatoes, served with chorizo or jamon iberico on top, the yolks broken by the spoon to coat the potatoes with golden yellow.
Where to eat it: 4 restaurants across 1 city.
Huevos rotos became canonical at Casa Lucio on Cava Baja in 1974, when chef Lucio Blazquez served the dish to a long roster of Spanish royalty, presidents and bullfighters. The recipe is simple: thick-cut potatoes fried in olive oil to gold-brown, three fried eggs cracked on top, the yolks broken with a wooden spoon at the table. The dish spread through La Latina tabernas in the 1980s. Variations now include chorizo Iberico, jamon iberico, gulas (baby eel substitute) or shavings of black truffle on top. The order ritual: when the waiter asks if you want them "rotos" (broken), the answer is always yes.
Common allergens: Egg
Tip from the editors. Double-fry the potatoes (140C then 190C) for the classic Madrid texture, crisp outside and fluffy inside. Break the yolks at the table; eating it scrambled in the bowl is the wrong order.
This is the TableJourney editorial recipe, modelled on the canonical bistro / counter version. The first place to try the dish in its city of origin is below.
Casa Lucio on Cava Baja in Madrid's La Latina has cooked the huevos rotos (broken eggs over fried potatoes) since 1974. The kings and presidents who eat here all order them.
Signature: Huevos rotos, Cocido madrileno, Solomillo
Order: The huevos rotos on a bed of fried potatoes, then a half-portion of the solomillo or the cocido.
Tip: Book ten days ahead by phone; Casa Lucio rarely takes online reservations. Ask for the downstairs dining room when you book.
Sobrino de Botin near Plaza Mayor in Madrid is the Guinness-certified oldest restaurant in the world, in business since 1725. The wood-fired oven roasts cochinillo segoviano daily.
Signature: Cochinillo asado, Cordero asado, Sopa de ajo
Order: The cochinillo asado roasted in the 1725 wood oven, then sopa de ajo with poached egg.
Tip: Book the cave dining room downstairs three weeks ahead. Lunch is calmer than dinner; the 14:00 service is the working-day local hour.
Casa Mono in Madrid's Arguelles district is the modern taberna by chef Ramiro Vazquez, with a market-led carte of croquetas, tartares and slow-braised carrilleras since 2008.
Signature: Carrillera estofada, Croquetas de jamon, Tartar de atun
Order: The croquetas de jamon and the carrillera estofada with potato puree. A glass of Lopez de Heredia rosado.
Tip: Book a week ahead for Saturday lunch; the dining room is small. Lunch menu del dia runs 22 euros weekdays.
Casa Revuelta off Plaza Mayor in Madrid serves the bacalao rebozado until 23:00 nightly Tuesday to Sunday; the post-Plaza-Mayor crowd still piles in for the 4 euro pincho and cana at 22:30.
Try: Bacalao rebozado
Tip: Walk-in only at the counter. Closed Mondays. Cod sells out by 21:30 on weekend evenings; arrive earlier on Friday-Saturday.
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