Trampantojos, the latest in trendy restaurants

Things are not always what they seem at first glance, and now they will not be in your meals either.

Stay with us and discover what a trompe l’oeil is in the world of gastronomy …

A trompe l’oeil is a technique traditionally used in painting that has the purpose of alter the viewer’s perception by hiding what it really is. In other words, a trompe l’oeil is when, on a wall without any holes, a door is painted so realistic that one may think it is real, but in reality it is nothing more than a painted wall.

Well, this concept has been transferred to the kitchen not to deceive those who eat, but to generate new sensations and gastronomic experiences for those who want to enjoy them.

Today, this technique is at its peak, and many are the renowned chefs who have joined this trend preparing dishes that turn out to be very different from what we think they are at first.

Examples of culinary trompe l’oeil

As the trend trompe l’oeil has become a reality in the world gastronomic scene, the reputed chefs Spaniards have not missed the opportunity to create dishes using this technique.

Among these cooks, we find the chef Andoni Luis Aduriz that in your restaurant Mugaritz (remember, with two Michelin stars), he has created a chocolate with yogurt cream, in the shape of a plate of walnuts with cloves.

Another archetypal dish of this culinary technique is the one carried out by the chef Francis Paniego in his restaurant The Echaurren Portal; where, using spheres of cheese and anchovies, he manages to emulate the typical olive cap.

Pepe Solla, chef of the restaurant Casa Solla, also wanted to join this trend with the creation and elaboration of its stone plate. Of course, there are not really stones on the plate, but with a chickpea and seaweed puree it achieves the effect of looking like you are eating stones.

On the other hand, we find Diego Guerrero, renowned chef from Madrid who, in his restaurant Dstage, has created a dessert in the shape of a traditional garlic, but which is actually a black garlic ice cream with meringue.

Another chef who has joined the trompe l’oeil technique is Alberto Montes Pereira. The restaurant’s famous chef Lobby made a tribute to the autumn season with a dish that, at first, seems to be composed of mushrooms, but is actually a bath filled with a stew shitake.

Finally, it is worth mentioning the creation of the young chef Iker Erauzkin, Restaurant UMA, which surprised all the public who could taste their “tuna tataki”. This tataki was actually watermelon marinated in blackberries (to acquire a darker hue) and battered in sesame, of which no one suspected its true nature.