Hi. Am heading to Spain for 8 days in late May to celebrate dh's 50th. I have all my dining plans down for Sevilla (3 nights) but am really struggling with Madrid (4 nights). This is never a problem for me-I usually have too many restaurants. We will be doing mostly tapas in Sevilla so figure we want more sit downs in Madrid. So far I have a reservation at Laredo (for the lamb, suckling pig and razor clams) and Lua for the birthday celebration (thanks EK!) and will do Calle Cava Baja tapas crawl with Casa Lucas, Xentes and Tximiri (thanks SusaninToronto) (the last 2 being Basque.) I'd love to try one more regional or favorite restaurant. I don't want anything too formal. Am considering Los Asturianos, Sacha, Arzabal but am very undecided. Any help out there?? Thanks all.

You may want to take a look at Maribel's Guide to Dining in Madrid for her recommendations (www.maribelsguides.com).

Personally, I like Arzábal, Carlos Tartiere & Couzapín (the best Asturian cuisine in Madrid), La Catapa, all in the same neighborhood. Restaurante Meating and La Manduca de Azagra ( both Navarran) are excellent and among a few dozen other great restaurants we like. Whenever we're in the city we always stop by La Taberna de la Daniela, Plaza de Jusús, 7, for pulpo or cocido, depending on the season, after stopping by Cervantes for a few tapas.

If you haven't book a table at Egana Oriza (2 Resol suns) in Sevilla, you'll be missing out on one of the best restaurants in the area. It's Basque with a touch of Andalucian.

Robert, Maribel's guides have been a huge help. I would love to add a regional restaurant (or two) to my list but am struggling to understand the difference between Asturian, Navarran, etc. Can you help me here?
Maribel's guide suggested that Taberna de Daniela was a tapas bar and if you sit in the dining room you must order the codido. This is a stew, yes? Figured this would be heavy in late May. Can you please explain cocido.
Carlos Tartiere also looks very interesting-what is Asturian food?
Taberna La Catapa also looks great-can it be for dinner or is it more for tapas?
Barandales is on our lunch list, as is Cisne Azul, both from Maribel. ANy other favorites?
Many thanks.

Daniela makes great tapas and yes, it you sit down at one of the tables, cocido is the menu. It's something you eat when your very hungry in the middle of winter. It's a traditional chickpea-based stew with lots of meat and vegetables, and seems endless at times, but something everyone should try, but not in late spring or summer.

Navarran cuisine is typically very Basque, either traditional or high cuisine. You can expect the best grilled meats, fish and lots of fresh vegetables.

Asturian cuisine is primarily fresh fish, shell fish and some of the best grilled pulpo.

La Catapa is good for both tapas and a sit down dinner. They moved into Laredo's old space and is very popular with the locals.

Dassa Bassa is always interesting. Pousada del Avilla, on the Cava Baja, is worth stopping by. Very traditional and very good. Vi-Cool (Sergi Arlola) is good for lunch with its €14,50 menu.

Robert, many thanks for your explanations. We love pulpo-can we get that just as a starter?
Will revisit Maribel's recommendations with your guidance and will surely have a few more questions.
Have you dined at Lua? That is where we planned on having the birthday celebration. Thanks again.

La Bola, mentioned in Maribel's guide for Cocido Madrileño, a traditional chickpea-based stew of Madrid. I went there for lunch at the opening time since I did not have a reservation. If you do eat Cocido, make sure you are familiar with the serving process to know when and how to use your napkin to protect your clothes from broth splashes at two different times. I was watching two local ladies sitting at the next table eating Cocido about 5 minutes ahead of me, so I knew what to expect when the waiter came to proceed to the next step in the dining process.

Sorry, but we've not been to Lua in the Chamberi, but it looks interesting. We'll have to try it on our next adventure in Madrid, which is coming this summer, following the fiesta in Pamplona and a few days in the Rioja.

You can have pulpo as a starter or main dish. Usually pulpo alone is enough, depending on how many tapas you're had.

Hello Robert and again thanks for all of your help. Can you review the below and see if you agree please.
Carlos Tartiere, Arzabal and La Catapa all sound delicious. I am considering cancelling one of our two nights at Lua. Another evening would be spent at Casa Lucas and Calle Cava Baja tapas crawl with Casa Lucas, Xentes and Tximiri. Am reconsidering this Cava Baja tapas crawl and replacing it with Arzabal and La Catapa - would you agree? This way I can do dinner at Carlos Tartiere, Laredo and Lua and a tapas less formal dinner at Arzabal and La Catapa.

Yes, I would agree, Arzabal and La Catapa, although there are still a few good places worth visiting on the Cava Baja.

Robert, Maribel does recommend Casa Lucas for tapas, which was on our initial list since it is very close to our rental. Would you recommend Arzabal and La Catapa more? Again, many thanks.

You'll find the prices of the tapas and wines better at Arzabal and La Catapa than Casa Lucas. I also think the quality of the offerings are better. And you will not find many tourist hanging around. It's mostly locals and those in the know.

Robert, muchisimas gracias. I will now search for lunch offerings. I know you have provided some and I have others from Maribels's guides and others so will be asking once again for your guidance.

You've got some great tips ragarding restaurants. If you're in Madrid in late May, you might catch Rocío Molina dancing in Teatro Abadía May 30, 31 and June 1. She's making history at the age of 28.

"one of the finest soloists in the world today", New York Times 2009

"Molina has genius: irresistible, all-consuming, all-powerful", Financial Times 2011

"as if she were sharing the stage with the ghosts of all the dancers whose art she has absorbed – and reinvented", The Telegraph 2013

Kinme, we were planning to see a flamenco show in Casa de la Memoria on Sunday May 26 in Sevilla but still unable to find their schedule. I have read your prior posts on Rocio and was hoping she might perform in Sevilla. We are in Madrid May 27--31 so could fit in the May 30 show. Would you recommend Rocio over a Casa de la Memoria show? Many thanks for the information.

I would recommend Rocío Molina in Madrid a hundred times over Casa de la Memória in Sevilla, and Casa de la Memória is top-notch.

Molina is cutting edge, so don't expect polka dot dresses and flowers in the ear. As New York Times put it a couple of years ago: She "seems to lead an audience into the heart of flamenco at its purest and extend it by making it new".

Saw the premiere of "Afectos" in Barcelona last October and will never forget. Extremely powerful and personal without being private.

In the Molina performace you will meet a knowledgeable and local Madrid crowd, whereas the great shows at Casa de la Memória in Sevilla are attended mostly by tourists.

The Molina performace takes place in the Chamberí area. In the very center of Madrid but outside the most beaten tourist tracks, some 5-7€ with a taxi from the heart of the city Puerta del Sol. Lots of local feel restaurants/tapas bars here. Restaurante Plaza de Chamberí looks like a solid and charming place, not least given their website in English: http://www.restaurantelaplazadechamberi.com/

About the Chamberí area and restaurants: http://guiriguidetomadrid.com/2010/0...g-in-chamberi/

Could easily be the higlight night of your trip!

Kimhe, will this show sell out or could we wait to buy tickets when we arrive in Madrid (3 days prior to show?) Also, thanks for the links.

We also have 9:30 dining reservations in Lua (in the area) that evening so could change to 10:30. We fly out the next day so it would be a spectacular way to end this trip.

I would have made the reservations as soon as possible. I also think it's best to have seats in row 4-5-6, you would want to be close to these artists. http://www.madrid.org/fo/2013/en/fichas/afectos.html

Starts at 9pm with a duration of some 80 minutes, so dinner at Lúa at 10.30 is just right. Have a great trip and a special final night in Madrid!

Kimhe, am on website - trying to figure out how to buy tickets online. Can you see anything? thanks