54 PUNCHMAGAZINE.COM {food coloring} but just let me put one of the dishes on the menu.’ So we all agreed that he had to try it and test it out.” It has since become a fan favorite. “He’s very proud and happy that he was right in the end,” Elizabeth says, prompting a big grin from Toni. Sergio nods and concedes, “I like it now.” The roasted calçots also have a unique spin. Typically served as whole baby leek stalks, Macarena cuts the vegetable into roasted cylinders and serves it with an unexpected hollandaise in addition to the requisite romesco sauce. When asked about their favorite dishes on the menu, both chefs pick the other’s creations. “I’m enchanted with the octopus paella,” Toni says. Meanwhile, Sergio appreciates Toni’s heavenly cakes. “When I don't see him, he eats my desserts,” Toni reproaches Sergio. The latter doesn’t even try to defend himself. A trip to Macarena isn’t complete without experiencing Sergio’s paella prowess. Bomba rice, imported from Spain and immaculately cooked, is complemented with a choice of veggies, seafood or pork. Order the paella de pulpo and it arrives at your table with a lengthy octopus tentacle coiled seductively across a hulking pan, the rice sprinkled with cauliflower and bits of squid. Garlic aioli and lemon are served on the side to doctor the dish as you wish.
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