ekscrunchy

I defer to Maribel in all things Spain, but I wonder what her take is, for you, on SaladeDespiece..for a first time visitor..not too pricey and an unusual, fun experience....I liked it, not sure If I will go back, only because there are SO MANY fantastic places out there, but you might want to look at this restaurant, if Maribel seconds the idea!! And the staff speaks English but I didi not get the idea that is was a "tourist' place due to the location...

https://saladedespiece.com/

Maribel

Here´s my take on Sala de Despiece on a very long Hungry Onion thread:

"I really enjoyed a recent lunch at Sala de Despiece, I think perhaps more than Pedro did, if I recall.
erica1 reviewed it here.But put yourself in the hands of your waiter and ask for the “greatest hits”. (We didn’t opt for the tasting menu, but many diners did). The dishes will all be prepared right before your eyes, and I thought it great fun. We took a video.
Don’t miss the “Rolex” and the “helado de guisante”.
I think a visit to Sala de Despiece is a one time, entertaining experience rather than a repeater for us."

The staff speaks English and are friendly and want you to have a good time, in my experience. It's not a "touristy" restaurant but it does draw a lot of foreign diners. We were surrounded by first timers. It drew us in because we had seen the Madrid episode of "Somebody Please Feed Phil", in which it was featured.

I didn't put it on my Ponzano list because it's not a "traditional taberna" but rather a very unique experience.

Revulgo

There is a new Sala de Despiece in a central location: Calle Virgen de los Peligros 8, in between Gran Vía and Calle Alcalá
https://english.saladedespiece.com/espacios/

Maribel

Thank you, Revulgo. You had reminded me of the new branch in another thread and I just forgot.

Besalu

I went only once to the first place that they opened and I loved it. The concept, the attention to detail, the attention of the staff and the food. Maybe it's a little expensive compared to other places that serve similar food but I understand that you also pay for the idea.

Maribel

The multi-course tasting menu, featuring all of their "greatest hits" is priced at a reasonable 48 euros, which is quite reasonable for Madrid these days.

Besalu

When I went there were only à la carte dishes, no menu, and we paid about €70 per person, which at that time seemed a bit high (now, with the rise in prices, it would seem more or less normal).

annhig

Two places not yet mentioned here, one in Madrid and the other in Barcelona, are the Sorolla House and Museum in Madrid and the Palau de la Musica in Barcelona. Completely different to each other but both utterly unique and wonderful.

https://www.culturaydeporte.gob.es/m...en/inicio.html

https://www.palaumusica.cat/en

Besalu

Sorolla House

Maribel

Sorolla

In addition to his wonderful atelier/museum, in October, you'll have a special exhibit at the Sala Recoletos of the Fundación Mapfre, "Sorolla's Summers", which runs from September 22 to January 7.

This exhibition joins the many this year in Madrid and Valencia in the celebration of the hundredth anniversary of Sorolla’s death.

annhig

That sounds wonderful, Maribel. Back in 2019 I was a recent convert to the works of Sorolla and in March that year, after attending Las Fallas [in Valencia as I'm sure you know, he was born] I spent a few days in Madrid which included going to the Sorolla museum. Later that year I spent a week in Venice, and imagine my surprise that on the first morning of my visit, walking into Ca' Pesaro, the modern art museum of Venice, and seeing in front of me his wonderful and very famous painting of sails being mended. Unfortunately I don't see my being able to return either to Madrid or Valencia this year so it looks as I i will miss these special events.

Revulgo

and Arima Basque Gastronomy at Calle Ponzano 51

Maribel

Revulgo,
I was just there before Nagore opened her new gastronomic restaurant, BASCOAT, on Paseo de La Habana.
bascoat_carta_cocina.pdf

https://www.timeout.es/madrid/es/not...e-arima-072823

Before she "moved", the back dining room and most of the bar space at Arima were reserved for sit-down dining. We just had pintxos and txakolí at the high table right at the entrance. From press reports, I read that once she opened BASCOAT, Arima was going to go back to the original casual format. That's why I didn't add it. (and prices in the dining room are pretty steep). But I'll try to get back there early next month.

As for Ponzano, we also like Fide and El Doble for beer and delicious pulpo, laterío or crustaceans, but it's not sit down dining, so I didn't include them, but maybe I should. They're classics.
For a solid value menú del día, we go to Restaurante Ponzano at number 12. As you know, they serve cocido on Wednesdays.

And for the Ponzano area rather than the street, we go just 2 blocks west to LAKASA, one of the city's best and most consistent bistrots, which is also included in your fine llist on post 14, "Madrid Some Serious Tips for Foodies".

Revulgo

Maribel,
Madrí Madre is another of the gastronomic businesses to which Martín Berasategui contributes his signature. I haven't been there yet, but I don't really feel like it. Do you know it?
https://www.madrimadre.com

Maribel

Yes, I do know it. I went when it opened. It's ok, but for exciting dining in the Plaza de España area, I urge you to try Brutalista, if you haven't already. It´s well priced, my chef friend sent me there to add to my list, the chef hails from Nakeima and Tripea, and the codorniz frita is terrific. His specialties are the escabeches. He's received great reviews.

https://brutalista.es
https://www.elespanol.com/cocinillas...787595_31.html

peterh

Oh my lord, this information is extraordinary. Thanks to everyone advise we have locked down our hotel and our dining venues for our time in Madrid. Looking very much forward to Sala de Despiece, for our second night in Madrid ..

In Barcelona we have decided to stay at OHLA Eixample based on awesome reviews of the property and would love to hear the advise and experience of the gastronomy scene of Barcelona compared to Madrid. I realize this might sound like a foolish question to ask but are the foods of Barcelona similar to the foods Madrid ? Or, are they completely different styles such as it is in Italy, where the Tuscan foods are nothing like the Roman foods and the Roman food are nothing like the south such as Calabria to use an example...

We are so grateful for everyone's input on Madrid and very excited to experience the city and the culture.

Peterh

Maribel

peterh,
I like the OHLA Eixample very much and its location, better for me, less tourist clogged than the other OHLA in the Gothic Quarter. It does have a Michelin-starred restaurant, XERTA, and is within easy walking distance, 2 min. of another of my favorites, the classic RESTAURANT WINDSOR.
And for casual tapas style dining on Sunday nights, I also like PACO MERALGO just a 5-min. walk. open continuously.

https://restaurantwindsor.com/?lang=en
https://restaurantpacomeralgo.com/en/the-restaurant/

Maribel

Besalu can tell you more about the classic Catalunya dishes...

but I believe you may find several Italian-inspired dishes on catalán menus, for example, the canalons, and macarons, perhaps because of the centuries of trade between the two countries.

To add another restaurant that we enjoy within a 5-min. walk of the OHLA Eixample, PETIT COMITÈ by chef Carles Gaig.
https://petitcomite.cat/en/

Besalu

I adore Catalonia and its gastronomy. On the other hand, I'm not a big fan of Barcelona. I think that Catalonia has many better places to offer. Barcelona is so cosmopolitanized that it has lost its essence. Neighbors can no longer afford rent due to the proliferation of AirBnBs and tourist apartments. Although unfortunately this is happening in almost all major cities (Madrid is no exception). Having said this, we can talk about typical Catalan dishes. Since you are coming in October, I recommend you try dishes with mushrooms. We Catalans love to go hunting for mushrooms in the mountains in autumn, and many restaurants use them. The typical mushrooms for October are: rovelló (Lactarius deliciosus), trompeta de la mort (Craterellus cornucopioides) and rossinyols (Cantharellus cibarius). As Maribel has said, another typical Catalan dish is canelons. Originally it was said that they arrived from contact with Italian people in the 19th Century but currently I haven't found a similar dish in Italy. They are food for special days, Sundays, etc. Macarrons (macaroni) is the quintessential children's dish. They are never al dente because they are made with a stir fry and are allowed to pass. Later they are gratin in the oven. Every grandma has her recipe.

Catalan cuisine is really quite seasonal, since generally only available ingredients were used. In autumn there are more substantial dishes such as l'escudella amb carn d'olla (soup with vegetables and meat used for the broth), fricandó (meat in sauce), mandonguilles amb pèsols i sèpia (meatballs with peas and cuttlefish), trinxat (cabbage, potato and bacon), squid stuffed with meat... And at the end of October what you will find are panellets. Until recently no one celebrated Halloween. In Catalonia the traditional festival is the Castanyada. Roasted chestnuts, baked sweet potato and panellets are eaten. Panellets may be an evolution of ancient funeral meals celebrated in many towns of old Catalonia, since it was customary to have a lunch when a family member died. Also, they would come from the old Muslim domination of the eastern part of the Iberian Peninsula. Although the price is currently skyrocketing as the price per kg of dried fruit is very high.

On the other hand we have the rice. Each region has its own style of rice. Outside of the paella label, there are delicious rice dishes. Some dry (secs) and some soupy (caldós). In the coastal areas, Greek style or Roman style squid, sonso and morralla are delicious. There are many styles of mussels, too. There is a great variety of fish. In the interior areas, the one with the most types of cooking is cod, together with monkfish. As for tapas, the queen is patatas bravas. They are different from those in Madrid. In Catalonia the sauce is allioli and sometimes another paprika and tomato sauce is added. The typical croquetes are from rostit, ham or boletus.

And now let's go to something more basic. If you ask many people, they will tell you that the typical Catalan dish is pa amb tomàquet (bread with tomato). The bread is lightly toasted and a clove of garlic and a grape tomato are rubbed on top and generously drizzled with extra virgin olive oil. And this can be both a breakfast and a quick dinner. It's generally accompanied by cold cuts (fuet, ham, cheese) or an omelette. Tell you that in my opinion, Catalonia has excellent cold cuts and cheeses. One of these cheeses is a typical dessert (of medieval origin) made with honey and mató (similar to ricotta).

Of course all this exposed is much more popular than what you can find in most restaurants in Barcelona.

Besalu

As for restaurants, I don't see myself qualified to make a list of restaurants in the city of Barcelona. There are many and every day there is rotation. Generally, whenever I go, I take the opportunity to try a restaurant that serves food from other countries, since where I live everything is very traditional. And there are some where you can eat very well beyond the typical ones (Cañete, Disfrutar, Via Veneto...). I also like those that preserve the simplicity of yesteryear (f.e. Rebost d'Hostafrancs). If you tell me budget, type of cuisine and area I can recommend you. But in general it seems impossible to me. Personally I don't like those that in a supposed renovation have ended up having the same decoration and the same dishes (for example, octopus leg on mashed potatoes). As a general rule you should avoid those restaurants that have many photos on the menu on the street and that offer many paellas (these are frozen dishes of dubious quality).

About the drink, Catalonia is a producer of excellent wine (my favorite denominations of origin are DO Conca de Barberà, DO Costers de Segre, DO Empordà, DO Montsant and DO Terra Alta). The sparkling Catalan champagne type is called cava. I prefer those from small producers to the more typical ones. As for beers, the two largest producers in Catalonia are called Estrella and Mortiz but there are currently thousands of small producers that produce craft beer and enjoy great popularity.