Socarrat is a Spanish restaurant at Heriberto Frías 573, on the corner of Luz Saviñón, in Colonia Narvarte Poniente, Mexico City. Its own description is short: a concept of typical, authentic food from Spain, meant to bring a little piece of the country to Mexico. This post goes through what its listing says is on the menu, what the name means, and a few things worth knowing before you order. The full record is on Socarrat's profile page.
What the name means
In Valencian rice cooking, socarrat is the layer of rice that toasts against the bottom of the paella pan in the last minutes of cooking. The word comes from the Valencian verb socarrar, to singe or toast. Good socarrat is crisp and browned without tasting burnt, and people scrape the pan for it at the end of the meal.
The restaurant shares its name with that crust, and its listing names two paellas, mixed and black, and calls them authentic and traditional. Our paella page covers the dish in more detail.
The two paellas
Mixed paella (paella mixta) puts meat and seafood in the same pan. It is a common version on Spanish menus outside Valencia. In Valencia the traditional paella valenciana is made with chicken, rabbit and green beans, and seafood goes into separate rice dishes.
Black paella gets its colour from squid or cuttlefish ink. In Spain it is usually called arroz negro and is traditionally served with alioli. Socarrat's listing doesn't say what comes with it, so ask.
Spanish restaurants commonly sell rice dishes for a minimum of two people. The listing doesn't give a minimum or a cooking time for Socarrat's paellas, so check both when you order.
Tapas on the menu
Besides paella, the listing mentions tapas, sandwiches and larger portions, and names four dishes:
- Papas bravas. Fried potatoes with a spicy sauce. Most of Spain calls them patatas bravas; papas is the word used in Andalusia, the Canary Islands and Latin America.
- Marinated dogfish. In Spain, dogfish (cazón) is best known as cazón en adobo, an Andalusian tapa: the fish is marinated in vinegar, garlic, cumin, oregano and paprika, then floured and fried. The listing says only "marinated dogfish".
- Catalan meatballs. In Catalan, meatballs are mandonguilles, usually cooked in a sauce. One well-known Catalan version pairs them with cuttlefish. Which version Socarrat makes isn't stated.
- Croquettes. Our croquetas page explains the common fillings.
Drinks
The listing mentions wine, beer and, for hot days, a summer red wine. That is tinto de verano: red wine topped up with lemon soda or a sweet sparkling soda and served over ice. It is simpler than sangria and a standard warm-weather order in Spanish bars.
When to go
Listed hours are Tuesday and Wednesday 13:00 to 21:30, Thursday to Saturday 13:00 to 22:30, and Sunday 13:00 to 17:30. No Monday hours are listed. Hours in listings change, so confirm with the restaurant before you make a trip of it.
Other Spanish restaurants in Mexico City
If you want to compare, three other Mexico City listings in our directory describe their menus in some detail:
- Jaleo Bar de Tapas Polanco: dishes from different Spanish regions, including croquettes, Spanish omelette, grilled squid with "ropa vieja" and mushrooms stuffed with piquillo peppers, from executive chef Alberto Flórez.
- La Cocina del Bizco in Hipódromo: Russian salad, Spanish omelette and Madrid-style tripe, with an interior modelled on Spanish neighbourhood bars and a nod to vermouth culture.
- Chabela Bocadería & Ultramarinos in San Miguel Chapultepec: bocatas, pinchos and tapas at the bar, plus wines and vermouth.
The rest of the city's listings are on the Mexico City page.
