We ♥ Madrid: Our top tips for eating and drinking in the Spanish capital
By Patito, published on 16 June 2010
It’s about time here at The Prodigal Guide that we faced up to some home truths. We can no longer deny it. We are total, unapologetic Hispanophiles. It all began in the early 90s when the awkward Spanish boys at school blossomed into beautiful young Mediterranean men. Indeed, our first broken heart came at the hands of a young Catalan with a dog called Brandy. But it goes much, ehem, deeper than that. We didn’t visit the country until our early 20s. A three month language course in Salamanca with BFF was our first taste of Spain. And to be honest, we weren’t that impressed. It took several more visits (a wedding in Taragona, another in Llanes, a trip to Madrid one new year) for us to truly fall for this place. And then came Spanish boyfriend number two. A gorgeous green-eyed man with a warm heart. After that, there really was no looking back.
So, a 40th birthday party in June seemed like a good excuse to spend a week chilling in the Spanish capital with our Madrileño friends, including the very charming Beautiful Spaniard. It was also an opportunity to try out the latest openings in the city. And, unlike our days in Salamanca, we weren’t disappointed. Here are our top tips:
- Le Cabrera. Perfect for an after work drink. Described as a cocktail and gastro bar, choose from an impressive selection of cocktails and admire the decor, while being served by El Ganso-clad staff. Our mandarin Martini (unusual choice for us, we know) was delicious and somewhat stronger than it tasted (something we discovered later over dinner at Teatriz).
- La Gabinoteca. By Wednesday of our week in Madrid this place had been recommended to us by four different people. Having recently celebrated its first birthday, it’s already clearly a must try on the Madrileño restaurant scene. Attention to detail and quirky touches are what make this place special. The (beautiful) head chef, Nino Redruello – whose family runs Las Tortillas de Gabino and La Ancha restaurants - serves up imaginative tapas-sized dishes. The menu is divided into starters, fish and meat. Each diner chooses one of each and then presses the button to call the waiter and place the order. The food is excellent. The service and style are original and surprising. Our favourite dishes were the tiny prawn fritters (served in a paper cone), the huevo con patatas y trufa (presented in a jam jar) and the salmorejo. To finish, we had been recommended the cream cheese dessert but we found it slightly too sweet. Next time we’d opt for the rather fun looking Juan Palomo: Yo me lo guiso yo me lo como (a do-it-yourself dessert). After dinner, head to the downstairs bar and test the bar staff’s skills (the mojitos come recommended, as do the Brugal rum and cokes). The combination of the venue, company and service made our evening at La Gabinoteca the highlight of the week.
- . Decorated by the French architect and designer Philippe Starck and located in the heart of our favourite Serrano shopping district, this old theatre has been transformed into a restaurant. Owned by the Grupo Vips, it’s a stunning creation. Enjoy an aperitif in the balcony (our dry Martinis were PERFECT!) and then book a table for dinner down in the stalls. (While the food was good, it didn’t blow us away, but the venue is definitely worth a visit.)
- Hotel de las Letras. Located on the Gran Via, this cool, calm, design boutique hotel in a listed building boasts an incredible rooftop terrace with sweeping views of the old literary quarter. Perfectly located for the art triangle of the Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofia museums, it’s a great place to stop off for a drink. Don’t go fancy, sit out on the terrace and order yourself a simple caña y ¡ya està!
- Tattaglia. This was the venue of a most enjoyable lunch with our Madrid colleagues so we couldn’t resist including it. In the June heat, the idea of walking into an underground air conditioned restaurant was actually very inviting. Located in the Nuevos Ministerios business district, the Italian food is good and the service warm. We particularly enjoyed Begoña’s grilled vegetables and the provolone starter. Go Spanish like Juanjo and start the meal with a perfect caña, followed by a glass of Italian red.
¡Que aproveche!
Le Cabrera, C/ Bárbara de Braganza 2, 28004 Madrid, Tel: +34 91 319 94 57
La Gabinoteca, Fernandez de la Hoz 53, 28003 Madrid, Tel: +34 913991500
Teatriz, Hermosilla 15, 28001 Madrid, Tel: +34 915 775 379
Hotel De Las Letras, Calle Gran Vía 11, 28013 Madrid, Tel: +34 902 422 482
Tattaglia, Pso. de la Habana 17, 28036 Madrid, Tel: +34 915 628 590
We ♥ Madrid: Our top tips for eating and drinking in the Spanish capital
It’s about time here at The Prodigal Guide that we faced up to some home truths. We can no longer deny it. We are total, unapologetic Hispanophiles. It all began in the early 90s when the awkward Spanish boys at school blossomed into beautiful young Mediterranean men. Indeed, our first broken heart came at the [...]
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13 Responses to “We ♥ Madrid: Our top tips for eating and drinking in the Spanish capital”
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Patito
16 June 2010
Aie, que verguenza!
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Good Lord, the floodgates of shocking revelations are now open..
Last week? Midget mothers
This week? Hispanophiles with a taste for sausage.
What next!?
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Patito
16 June 2010
Fool, always lowering the tone….
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Are you still in the neighborhood? Perhaps I could show you a place or two…
+34 677 445 007
Bests, TFS -
Patito
17 June 2010
Ha ha! I’m afraid I’m already back in London town. Next time!
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Straight-Six
22 June 2010
How come no-one ever asks the Fool or I to experience a place or two, or thing or three with them? Phone number and all, eh…?
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[...] Spanish fever continues this week. Following our Madrid sejour, we couldn’t resist booking London’s answer to a tapas bar, Tendido Cero for dinner [...]
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London v Paris « The Prodigal Guide
29 June 2010
[...] get a decent meal and (b) was showing the Spain match (even in Paris there was no getting away from Spanish fever for The Guide). We stumbled upon Le Sancerre, a lively place on a corner that was busy enough but [...]
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London v Paris « The Prodigal Guide
30 June 2010
[...] get a decent meal and (b) was showing the Spain match (even in Paris there was no getting away from Spanish fever). We stumbled upon Le Sancerre, a lively place on a corner that was busy enough but still had a [...]
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I stumbled across this blog looking for somewhere for a good Birthday dinner and you have some great suggestions!! I was wondering if you had any suggestions for good Mojitos? So far, my favourites have been Yambala and Havana Club, both near Sol. If anyone has any other suggestions, I’d love to hear them!
All the best,
Chloé -
Patito
19 July 2010
Hi Chloé
Here are some other suggestions from our Madrileno gurus:
- for somewhere chic, go to the Glass Bar at Urban Hotel
- Viejo Café Colonial, Calle Ruiza, apparently more a ‘bar de copa’ pero los mojitos están ricos
- Delic en Plaza de la Paja
Enjoy and let us know how you get on!-
Thanks for the great suggestions!
I will definitely check them out and let you know!
Best,
Chloé
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Edmundo
16 June 2010
Que aprovecHe