Just as the soul of a pasta dish lies in the pasta itself (and not so much in the sauce), it makes sense to say that the soul of any taco lies in its base. And it’s no less true that for years, the dough found in the capital came from packaged mixes. Corazón de Maíz (Alcalá, 123), however, has entered the scene to change the game. This Madrid taqueria makes its own tortillas from scratch, using a machine they brought piece by piece from Mexico.
Traditional technology imported from Mexico
The thing is, at Corazón de Maíz, to achieve the authentic flavor with every serving, they installed a machine a few years ago that was brought directly from Mexico. The machine arrived right in the middle of the pandemic, and since they couldn’t assemble it—its operating principle is easy to understand, but its mechanics are quite a bit more complex—they had to bring in some Mexican experts in the field to get it up and running.
Now a team (a master tortilla maker) shapes and cooks each one to order. The result is the perfect texture and the flexibility needed to hold the ingredients without breaking before reaching the table. The scale of their tortilla production is such that if the numbers don’t speak for themselves (5,000 kilos a month), it becomes clear when you realize they make more than they can use in their restaurants and also sell them to the public—and use the surplus to make homemade tortilla chips.
Slow-cooked stews and agave-based cocktails
Corazón de Maíz’s menu doesn’t rely solely on the quality of its tortillas. The menu features a selection of tacos filled with stews prepared without rushing. This is evident in the various tacos; the steak and cheese taco was the one I liked best, but the tongue, chicken tinga, and cochinita pibil tacos are also worth mentioning.
The bar serves as the natural complement to the food. Its cocktails give center stage to fine tequila and mezcal. And Gonzalo, who has spent years as an expert mixologist behind the bar at Corazón de Maíz, shares, teaches, educates, intoxicates, and surprises Madrid’s palate. Traditional margaritas stand out as the preferred choice to accompany the main courses, rounding out a menu that prioritizes pure flavor without unnecessary frills.