Marinated bonito, Japanese mayo and tobiko: Madrid's best ensaladilla of 2026

Ensaladilla (Spain's beloved mayo-based potato salad) is one of those bar bites that tells you whether a kitchen knows what it's doing. Just like croquettes and tortilla. This year, the crown for Madrid's best goes to a version with Japanese mayonnaise and fish roe.

Brothers Roberto and Sergio Hernández, from the travelling eatery Latasia, won first prize at the contest run by ACYRE Madrid, the capital's hospitality association.

What's on the winning plate?

Latasia, in the Tetuán district (Paseo de la Castellana, 115), steered away from the traditional recipe. The star is bonito, which the brothers cure with salt, sugar and citrus, then marinate and pickle cold.

The mayonnaise is made with rice vinegar, mirin (sweet Japanese rice wine), gluten-free soy sauce and olive oil. On top come fried shrimp and tobiko, the tiny flying-fish roe, for a crunchy, salty contrast.

Instead of the usual breadsticks, the dish comes with tiles of nori seaweed and crispy rice. "It's a very personal recipe that brings together what my brother and I do best: fusing Spanish produce with ingredients from elsewhere," Roberto said.

Who else made the podium?

Second place went to Juan María Domínguez of Origen Getafe, with a more classic take: potato, carrot, green beans, tinned bonito, egg, piparra pepper and Chinese chives. His twist is the mayo, made with the oil from the tin.

Third went to Pablo Morales of Gozar, a casticista neo-tavern (a modern take on old-school Madrid taverns) in Puerta del Ángel. His recipe has sautéed green beans, garlic-and-thyme confit tuna belly and an anchovy mayonnaise from Santoña.

How did the contest work?

The final took place on Tuesday at Madrid's municipal hospitality and food school. A technical jury picked 12 cooks from 27 registered venues.

Every recipe had to include at least two ingredients carrying the M Producto Certificado label, which marks food produced in the Madrid region. Latasia used three: free-range eggs, Castiza potatoes and arbequina extra virgin olive oil.

The judges included Madrid food names Carlos Griffo, Paco Quirós, Fernando del Cerro, María Jiménez and Aarón Guerrero.