In addition to writing regularly for Time and The Christian Science Monitor, Spanish-based journalist Lisa Abend spends an unreasonable amount of time on a self-imposed quest for the best menu del día in Madrid. She never tires of uncovering hidden culinary delights or listening to Spanish taxi drivers gurgle on about the joys of a good Serrano ham.
Lisa Abend
Madrid

Photograph Courtesy Barbara Abend
Lisa Abend on gourmet.com
chefs + restaurants
Spain’s Star-Studded Restaurant
Chef Paco Morales is just one of the celebrities behind a new getaway near the Mediterranean.
08.27.09
- Keywords
- hotels,
- restaurants,
- culinary culture,
- spain,
- lisa abend
chefs + restaurants
The Truth About Adria’s New Pizza Place? It Isn’t True
For the star chef at El Bulli, false rumors take on a life of their own.
06.30.09
- Keywords
- barcelona,
- italy,
- chefs,
- ferran adria,
- lisa abend
chefs + restaurants
Restaurants Now: Estado Puro
(MADRID) - Estado Puro translates as “pure state,” which gives you an idea of what Paco Roncero is up to—as long as you believe that the pure state of, say, salt cod is to be rolled into chestnut-sized balls and deep-fried to a...
05.15.09
- Keywords
- restaurants now,
- madrid,
- tapas,
- molecular gastronomy,
- lisa abend
travel + culture
Eneko Atxa’s Ocean on a Plate
One chef’s molecular gastronomy is as tasty as a day at the beach.
04.23.09
- Keywords
- molecular gastronomy,
- madrid,
- spain,
- restaurants,
- lisa abend
magazine
A World Away
In the hardscrabble landscape of Spain’s Extremadura region, food nourishes the soul like a homegrown religion.
March 2009
- Keywords
- lisa abend,
- spain,
- pork,
- travel,
- ingredients
travel + culture
Madrid Goes Kosher
It took 500 years to find a good Sephardic restaurant in the Spanish capital—but who’s counting?
02.06.09
- Keywords
- lisa abend,
- restaurants,
- madrid,
- culinary culture,
- jewish
chefs + restaurants
Madrid Fusion: The Power of Scent
The aromas of wave-washed rocks and burning cinnamon sticks may be coming soon to a meal near you.
01.26.09
- Keywords
- lisa abend,
- chefs,
- molecular gastronomy,
- madrid,
- culinary culture
food + cooking
Molecular “Caviar,” in a Jar
A new Spanish company aims to please the experimental home cook.
01.05.09
- Keywords
- ferran adria,
- lisa abend,
- ingredients,
- chefs,
- molecular gastronomy
chefs + restaurants
Dueling Spanish Chefs
Earlier this year, chefs Ferran Adrià and Santi Santamaría became embroiled in an explosive feud. At the heart of the fuss: a national culinary identity crisis.
11.25.08
- Keywords
- ferran adria,
- santi santamaria,
- lisa abend,
- spanish,
- chefs
travel + culture
Farmstand on the Run
Forget chitchatting with growers at this revolutionary farmers market: Just place your order beforehand and pick up your goods.
10.02.08
- Keywords
- lisa abend,
- farm-to-table,
- southern u.s.,
- produce,
- vegetable