1ST TIME TO MADRID. HAVE READ MARIBEL'S GUIDE AND FODORS RECOMMENDATIONS. ANY SUGGESTIONS FROM THOSE WHO HAVE FOUND THE LITTLE HIDEAWAY GEM THE GUIDES DONT MENTION ?? I AM A FAN OF MOST CUISINES. THANKS !!

sorry...should have titled this Madrid Restaurant Favorites

i will again post one of my favorite reasonably priced international restaurants in madrid, which will never come close to having a star, but i assume is in some guide books, or should be.

el séptimo on diego de leon, not far from the american embassy on serrano.

why do i like this place?

different food. not your typical lamb/ chorizo/tortilla place.

good salads.

and amazing desserts. try the tartine de mango, or if you go mid morning for a coffee i like to get their strudel.

and you won't raise an eyebrow over the bill.

reservations even for lunch are absolutely necessary. (ask my disappointed friends this weekend)

www.elseptimo.com

C/ Diego De León 7
28006 Madrid
915 622 940

The best bread pudding I ever had was at a small "Momma & Poppa" restaurant in Madrid called Las Cuatro Fuentes. It was located on the street over Paseo del Prado, Calle de la Alameda. The service was like eating at a good friend's home. To me, that was a find; unpretentious, just a wonderful meal.

Hidden gems in my secret (no more) area for good value dining in Madrid which I've yet to list in my guide are found in the Retiro district on Calle Ibiza, Doctor Casteló, Lope de Rueda and Menorca (Ibiza metro stop), all within a short walking distance of each other:

Authentic Asturian cider house:
*Carlos Tartiere (Menorca 35)

Authentic Basque pitxos bar (with a few tables in back for sit down dining on raciones):
*Negur Etxea (Menorca 44)

Cuisine from León-Zamora, featuring great El Bierzo wines and unbeatable 15 euro daily lunch menu, changing daily, with apertif, 3 courses, bread, wine and a little bottle of orujo for a digestif:
*Barandales (Menorca 33)

Wine bar, serving tapas, small plates and wines by the glass from Castilla-La Mancha:
*Venta la Hidalguía (Menorca 15)

One of best wine bars in the city, also a restaurant in back serving shellfish and Cantabrian specialties (with glass of wine you get one of their delicious croquettes):
*Taberna Laredo (Menorca 14)

Classic taberna serving great draft beer:
Taberna El Capricho (Dr. Casteló 14)

A small tapas bar chain with wines and cuisine from Valladolid:
Vinotinto (Ibiza 25)

Lively bar with small restaurant serving market driven cuisine:
La Montería (Lope de Rueda 35)

This is a great area for affordable dining in a city where high end dining has become quite pricey.

TTT

bookmarking

In addition to Maribel's:
Casa Rafa at Narváez 68. Outstanding shellfish and 'ensaladilla rusa'.
Taberna Arzábal at Doctor Castelo 2. Small venue, high quality but also rather small portions for a foodie.

Have lunch or some tapas at Casa Granada, on the 6th floor of an apartment building just off Plaza Tirso de Molina. Hard to find and a great terrace. http://www.tripfilms.com/Travel_Vide...ada-Video.html

Watch the sunset over the Guadarrama mountains from the terrace at El Ventorrillo in the Vistillas park. Great pollo al ajillo, some say the best in town. Map, video and some pictures: http://11870.com/pro/restaurante-ventorrillo

Txirimiri in Calle del Humilladero, 6 gives you an idea of why the Basque kitchen is considered among the best in the world. In the midst of one of the best tapas/restaurant districts in town, in and around Calle Cava Baja in La Latina.
http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restauran...ri-Madrid.html

And if you want to change to an excellent Chinese meal in between, go to Rey de Tallarines: http://11870.com/pro/rey-tallarines