The word manduca comes from the Latin manducāre, which means “to chew”. Some people today use the term colloquially or seriously to refer to food. And rarely does that concept of eating – in the most functional sense of the word – fit a place as well as this bar tucked away in Las Colmenas de Banús, that residential microzone between Ventas and El Carmen so recognizable from the M30. Here, manduca is a statement of intent.
This place – by the way, not to be confused with La Manduca Gastrobar or La Manduca de Azagra, which has a Sol Repsol and plays in another league – has been serving the same thing for years: giant tostas, a large terrace and a service that is not Michelin-starred, but it’s a pleasure.
The tostas cost between 9 and 13 euros and there are more than 20 to choose from. The most expensive ones, with gulas, prawns and alioli. The cheapest, with products such as escalopines, smoked salmon, sirloin, cod (also smoked or with tomato), brie cheese or anchovies. They can be ordered in halves, which allows you to make combinations, try more things and have a dinner with friends without mortgaging your budget.
Giant canapés
The key, of course, is in the bread: a toasted, crunchy ciabatta. The tostas are literally a whole loaf of bread, and according to those who try them (for example, the gastronomic influencer Rufo from DeTapasPorMadrid, who was there a year ago), they are “the biggest canapés in Madrid”.
A regular customer summed it up well: “The toast is huge, it’s perfect for three or four to share as a starter”. Another one added: “It’s a bar to have a drink without further ado. Positive points are the service and the prices. Negative point, the patatas bravas (fried potatoes). Nothing new under the sun: the place doesn’t present itself as anything but.
The terrace -by the way- is one of its great attractions. On weekdays you can enjoy it without stress, but on weekends you have to be patient. This is normal for a place that opens uninterruptedly from 10 in the morning until 12 at night every day of the week. La Manduca can fix you breakfast, lunch, a few beers with friends, and even a snack.