Argana Restaurant
The exquisite contrast between colours and geometrical shapes meet up with the magical aromas and flavours of North African cuisine emanating from Restaurante Argana in southern Madrid. Located in a former dance academy, the refurbished premises are now a restaurant where elegance is combined in something close to perfection with love of gastronomy and space.
Argana is named after the homonymous argan tree, the nuts of which give up their precious argan oil, prized for its innumerable properties and justly called “liquid gold”. The name undeniably transports us to North African landscapes, particularly Morocco, that never fails to fascinate. This country offers up abundant inspirations from both nature and culture, reflected in this restaurant. The endless dunes of the Saharan desert find their place in the acoustic panels with their sinuous forms, mounted artfully in the lofty ceilings a dizzying six and a half metres high. The wall coverings are in Ecoclay clay mortar and bring to mind the textures and tones of adobe, so typically found in traditional Moroccan buildings.
The restaurant is on two floors. The ground floor, a cosier space, has dining tables and higher tables with stools. The light fixtures arranged throughout the premises provide subtle illumination that set off the atmosphere perfectly. The kitchen is open-plan, so the more curious diners have a perfect view of the area where chefs prepare and plate up their delicious culinary creations.
The colours used also help transport us to an oasis of calm and elegance. Decorative details in golden tones pay tribute to the liquid gold we mentioned. Emerald green shades surround us, evoking the tones of argan tree leaves. Earth tones with hints of pink, beige and terracotta predominate.
Decorative pottery items with the traditional enamel glaze and wooden furnishings in different tones and finishes provide more dynamism and interest. The jewel in the crown is an impressive vertical garden, preserved eternally in time and needing no special care or maintenance.
Fotografías: Paloma Pacheco Turnes para phe.es
Argana is named after the homonymous argan tree, the nuts of which give up their precious argan oil, prized for its innumerable properties and justly called “liquid gold”. The name undeniably transports us to North African landscapes, particularly Morocco, that never fails to fascinate. This country offers up abundant inspirations from both nature and culture, reflected in this restaurant. The endless dunes of the Saharan desert find their place in the acoustic panels with their sinuous forms, mounted artfully in the lofty ceilings a dizzying six and a half metres high. The wall coverings are in Ecoclay clay mortar and bring to mind the textures and tones of adobe, so typically found in traditional Moroccan buildings.
The restaurant is on two floors. The ground floor, a cosier space, has dining tables and higher tables with stools. The light fixtures arranged throughout the premises provide subtle illumination that set off the atmosphere perfectly. The kitchen is open-plan, so the more curious diners have a perfect view of the area where chefs prepare and plate up their delicious culinary creations.
The colours used also help transport us to an oasis of calm and elegance. Decorative details in golden tones pay tribute to the liquid gold we mentioned. Emerald green shades surround us, evoking the tones of argan tree leaves. Earth tones with hints of pink, beige and terracotta predominate.
Decorative pottery items with the traditional enamel glaze and wooden furnishings in different tones and finishes provide more dynamism and interest. The jewel in the crown is an impressive vertical garden, preserved eternally in time and needing no special care or maintenance.
Fotografías: Paloma Pacheco Turnes para phe.es
2019
