Flamenco originates from Romani people who migrated from India to Spain in the 15th century. Photo / Carin Tegner
Flamenco originates from Romani people who migrated from India to Spain in the 15th century. Photo / Carin Tegner
Welcome to the world’s only restaurant where flamenco shares the stage with a Michelin star; where John Lennon spent an entire night learning to play the flamenco guitar and where Ernest Hemingway spent many an enjoyable eve, writes Urban Nilmander.
To step into the darkness at Corral de la Moreria in Madrid is to travel back in time and at the same time be part of an intense now.
And to experience how Romani culture from India has become a national symbol for Spain.
Expectations lie like a fog in the dark premises. Expectations from the guests, expectations from the six artists who will bring the audience into the passion.
And now the temple of the soul has received a Michelin star. Passion on stage - Passion on a plate.
Walking in front of the Corral de la Moreria 'tablao flamenco' in Madrid, Spain. Photo / Getty Images
The concept soon became hip and trendy and attracted celebrities from all over the world.
Ernest Hemingway frequented the establishment often.
In the hall hang photos of, among others, Bill Clinton, Mohammed Ali, Ronald Reagan, John F Kennedy, Pablo Picasso, and Marlon Brando.
Not to mention all the royalty, football stars and myriad celebrities who have visited the restaurant over the years.
Corral de la Moreria was founded in 1956 by Manuel del Rey in a former cattle stable, establishing the concept of "tablao flamenco." Photo / Carin Tegner
“Me and my brother grew up with all these world stars around us. For us it was natural, but we understood how big it was when we met our classmates at school”, says Juan Manuel del Rey, who today runs the restaurant together with his brother Armando.
Corral de la Moreria has received several awards and the travel bible 1000 Places to See Before You Dieincludes the restaurant on its list.
And now it has been elevated to the gastronomic heavens by Basque star chef David Garcia.
It received its first Michelin star a few years ago and recently also received its third Soles, a very important national award from Guia Repsol.
“It is of course, a challenge to create food that maintains the same high artistic level as what is created on stage”, says David Garcia.
Every day, two shows are held with around 100 visitors and diners per session.
David Garcia, the restaurant’s Michelin-starred chef, is known for his inventive Basque cuisine. Photo / Carin Tegner
Diners can choose between three or five courses with, among other things, a rack of lamb, pigeon, salmon, and fish from the Atlantic.
In a smaller part of the restaurant, the Salon Gastronomico, there are four tables where a more exclusive nine-course tasting menu is served, paired with only sherry wines.
“Today we have 1200 different types of sherry and exclusive collaborations with small bodegas around Jerez”, says sommelier Santi Carrillo.
Sommelier Santi Carrillo curates 1200 types of sherry from exclusive bodega collaborations around Jerez. Photo / Carin Tegner
During our visit, an iconic person and key figure for the high artistic level of Corral de la Moreria, Blanca del Rey, is present.
At the age of 14, she started dancing in front of rapt audiences at the restaurant and became an international star with her own dance company with a style that created followers.
“I grew up in isolated and poor Andalusia. After my first show here, I met Rock Hudson in the bar. Everything was like a dream”, she says.
Her story coincides with an internationally isolated Franco-Spain which, due to a lousy economy, decided to invest in tourism. And then flamenco, so despised by the church, became an important PR image to sell abroad.
One evening in the early 1960s, four guys with long hair came to look at her.
“When the Beatles came to the Corral, I was so involved in the flamenco world that I didn’t know who they were. After everyone had left that night, there was a knock on the door. Outside stood John Lennon, who wanted to learn to play flamenco guitar”, she says.
The only guitarist left at the time offered to teach John Lennon how to place his hands and how to strike the strings flamenco style.
“Lennon looked at me and asked me to dance. He stayed with us until seven in the morning. He became obsessed with the flamenco guitar”, says Blanca del Rey.
No one knows where the word flamenco comes from. But what we know today is that the song, the complicated rhythm, the hand clapping, the castanets, the tambourine, came with Romani people from India in the 15th century.
“For me, flamenco is almost religious. It is love, soul, generosity and feeling”, says Blanca del Rey.
Over time, Corral de la Moreria became a trendy hotspot, attracting celebrities like John Lennon, Ernest Hemingway, and Pablo Picasso. Photo / Carin Tegner
When Franco died and the country opened, flamenco was seen as something old and stale, like bullfighting.
But flamenco survived even this.
“Today, you can create your own style in a completely different way. You can develop flamenco as much as you want, but you must keep the essence”, says Blanca del Rey.
We slip into what is said to be the soul of flamenco, the word duende.
“Duende? I give an example; you have a tree in front of you. Duende means you don’t just see the tree, you feel it, it smiles at you, you see the light shining through the leaves”, she says.
