For those who may be interested: Galerķa Canalejas next to Puerta del Sol.
Covering an area of 15,000 m2, this exclusive shopping centre is spread across three floors, with the ground floor and first floor dedicated exclusively to shopping. Luxury boutiques of international firms can be found here, the list of brands is outstanding: Cartier, Dior, Giorgio Armani, Hermčs, Jimmy Choo, Louis Vuitton, Rolex, Saint Laurent, Valentino and Zegna among others.
The commercial area is also home to the Beauty Gallery, with more than 30 brands of premium cosmetics, make-up and signature perfumes. The Galerķa Canalejas Food Hall is a gastronomic experience with more than 13 restaurants of varying specialities and nationalities, including several Michelin stars. Mad Gourmets is a gastronomic market with more than 20 different spaces for foodies looking to find edible delights in small bite-sized pieces.
Video: Website: https://galeriacanalejas.com/en/

I like the new title!

For anyone interested in sit-down dining in the ground floor food emporium of the Galerķa Canalejas, I’ve tried both Taberna Garelos for Galician cuisine for excellent veal, (their signature dish is the Cańón de Sanchón, a type of veal steak), hake, baby scallops, razor clams, octopus, empanadas and tortilla Betanzos style (with runny eggs).

and the iconic rice restaurant, St James, serving multiple types of rice dishes (30 different types) including paella valenciana and arroz negro (black rice with squid with a side of ali oli).
St James, the original, in the Salamanca district on Juan Bravo, has been serving up fine rice dishes for quite some time. This branch is new and elegant, and thus, prices are higher than at Berlanga, given its setting in a glamorous shopping center.
All sorts of casual dining options as well, from poke bowls to burgers , etc., as Revulgo has mentioned.

I agree with Revulgo regarding cocido not being a dish eaten at night, along with paella. Far too heavy. Malacatķn is always a lunch spot for their cocido.

We have just a slice of Roscón in the back room, the “ tea salon”, at El Riojano. They will ask you if you want it with (con) nata, filled with whipped cream, or without (sin) nata. I vote for without, as the nata filled one is really, really rich.

For Sunday lunch, yes, Marcano and Taberna y Media (Robert deNiro favorite) are open for lunch, but so is Berlanga. All in the Retiro district. Again, reservations absolutely essential.

Art exhibits during the holidays,

• The Monet with masterpieces from the Musée Marmottan, at the Palacio de Cibeles-Centro/Centro runs until February 25.
• "Picasso: Sin Tķtulo" at la Casa Encendida runs until Jan. 7. It commemorates the 50th anniversary of his death.
• "The Summers of Sorolla" at the Fundación Mapfre, commemorating the 100th year of the painter's death, with 40 works, runs until Jan. 7

I don’t see that El Riojano takes reservations. Is Lhardy also available for cake and coffee only? This seems like a nice way to visit these Madrid institutions.

You don't need a reservation in the back room at El Riojana. Just show up, as we did.

Yes, not many people know that Lhardy is available for pastries and coffee in the downstairs gourmet deli (which they call tienda/shop on their web page), starting at 9 am.

A professional blogger/food critic (whom I follow) tweeted about it. and a response was "I thought they only served meals, they serve breakfast too?"
Her response: "Of course, they open at 9. They have pastries, even from Moulin Chocolate, even savory pastries and their famous croquettes."

We go around noon for our cup of consommé laced with sherry and our cocido croquettes but you can also go earlier for one of their pastries or savory sandwiches.
In the olden days, patrons would serve themselves the consommé from their beautiful silver Russian Samovar. The current recipe is the same as the one Emilio Lhardy brought from France in 1839. Lhardy now has its own label of sherries, Fino, Palo Cortado and Manzanilla.

Last year, starting on Dec. they had a dapper employee serving the consommé directly outside of the front door for passersby. 5 euros, or with a "spark" of sherry, 7 euros. Plus one could add a cocido croquette. A chilly winter day "take out" option.
https://madridsecreto.co/lhardy-consome-pie-de-calle/

And it's an easy way to visit both lovely Madrid institutions.

The Generation of 98 writer Azorķn wrote: "One can't conceive Madrid without Lhardy"

Casa Lhardy's twitter and Instagram. (founded in 1839 & one of the first, if not the first, "luxury" restaurants in Madrid)
https://twitter.com/casalhardy?lang=es
https://www.instagram.com/casa_lhardy/?hl=es

I did write in Spanish a history of Lhardy:
https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/ed...54548363731637

How do I access it? Alas, I tried and failed.....

I do know you have absolutely nothing to do with es.madrid.com Silvia Roba, there, wrote this blog post on Lhardy-
https://blog.esmadrid.com/blog/es/20...iempre-lhardy/

Silvia Roba's article is dated February 22, 2022, I wrote mine in October 2020. Can you see it by clicking on this link?
https://madridenprensa.blogspot.com/...io-lhardy.html

Thanks Revulgo, now I can!

Very erudite, I must say! I'm going to read them all.

Lovely article Revulgo. Thank you for sharing.

I love the idea of consommé laced with sherry and cocido croquettes one day at Lhardy; I assume reservations would be necessary for lunchtime, right? Perhaps 9 a.m. for coffee and pastry is a great way to see this institution!

No, you just walk into the downstairs shop (gourmet deli), which is featured in this photo of Tim Cook and Dabiz Muńoz, and ask for a table. Ours is a little table for two beyond the counter. I don“t know if you“ll find room for a larger group. The deli doesn't take reservations and the consommé and croquettes are taken there as well as for continental breakfast. Upstairs is the luxury restaurant.

https://elpais.com/gastronomia/2023-...biz-munoz.html

I don't. I'm just a retired guy who loves the city of Madrid. Some of my articles sometimes may have "inspired" other blogs such as esmadrid.com or others, but I don't care, my speech is open to everyone, I don't earn a penny with them and they are not copyrighted.

I was just kidding, Revulgo, but you're so erudite and so incredibly knowledgable about Madrid, I honestly thought you must be the head of tourism.
Since you're not (I repeat, you're not!!!!!!!!), I still think they should hire you, at least to write some blog posts, but again...theirs are too short, just skimming the surface, and not as scholarly as yours, of course.

When I get excited about something I try to dive into it as much as I can, but that's not appropriate for a tourist publication, especially since many are first-timers in Madrid. IMO, the information must be accurate and sufficient, told in a non-boring way and must also be put in the visitor's point of view. What may be interesting for a local is not interesting for the visitor for a few days. Finally, something that is often neglected, esmadrid.com has to ensure that the information is always updated. I know it is a difficult task and they do the best they can, but often the information on annual events is not up to date.

I absolutely agree.
The first time visitor needs a "short and simple" , "just the facts" explanation, told in a non-boring way, as you say, as are those short pieces on esmadrid.com, rather than a scholarly, lengthy dissertation.

Thanks for sharing this, Revulgo.

I think upon arrival to Madrid, the kids will want to go to one of the many cute little places in Las Letras. The neighborhood looks darling.

Thinking Casa Alberto, Casa Gonzįlez or Taberna Elisa, then we can pop into some of the bars in the Calle de Jesus area.

Garlic shrimp and rice is on our list of dishes to try somewhere if any place comes to mind!

For Day 2, the menu at OCAFU looks great! And waiting for Berlanga reservations to open for lunch on Day 3.

For garlic shrimp (gambas al ajillo), without the rice, go to (or send the kids to...), La Casa del Abuelo at Nuńez de Arce 5 or Victoria 12 or any other of their locations in your “hood.
https://lacasadelabuelo.es

The neighborhood is great for your kids.

Are your kids picky eaters?

Next to Plaza de Santa Ana:

* Oreja (pig ears) - La Oreja de Jaime at Calle de la Cruz 15


* Gambas al ajillo (garlic shrimp) - La Casa del Abuelo at Calle Victoria 12


* Pulpo (octopus) - La Pulperķa de Victoria at Calle Victoria 2

I'm back with a question about the opera or symphony or special concert. I thought we talked about it here but looking back through the posts, I don't see anything for the evening of December 31st.

https://www.teatroreal.es/en/calendario

In Los Angeles, we always have two shows that are a special New Year's Eve performance at Disney Hall. This year, Pink Martini is playing and I'm sure the Los Angeles Philharmonic will be there.

https://www.laphil.com/events/perfor...h-pink-martini

December 31 at the Teatro Real
It's a noon performance of Beethoven's 9th, not an evening performance.
https://www.teatroreal.es/en/node/19196