I think you might enjoy El Pescador. Their prices seem reasonable, but we haven't tried it yet. Maybe on the next trip.

Robert: This is excellent information. Many thanks!

A: I do not consider myself a "foody" and I dislike that term and all of the attached connotations, but thank you for your input.

La Campana in Calle Botoneras, 6, on the corner of on one of the alleys leading off Plaza Mayor is famous for its cheap and tasty Bocadillo de Calamares/huge fried calamari sandwich. As madriléño as you get it.
http://11870.com/pro/la-campana

And you might want to consider Asturian Casa Mingo for the best grilled chicken and cider: http://www.casamingo.es/

Watch the video, and you're sold:
http://11870.com/pro/casa-mingo
http://11870.com/pro/casa-mingo/media/bc313f19

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

You're right - the video of Casa Mingo is persuasive! Yum.

Si, Senor! I love a great roast chicken and I like the atmosphere at Casa Mingo!

And yes, too, to the bocadillo de calamare at La Campana.

I hope we have time for the sights with all this eating I have planned!

But no Chinese food--too many other good places to try!

We had a fabulous lamb dinner at Posada de la Vida. I think when we go back next March we will have almuerzo there. I would imagine it's the same menu as for dinner? also, maybe not the type of lamb you're looking for? but we really enjoyed our experience there.

another vote for Casa Mingo. I ate there 30 years ago, didn't make it back when we were there in May so it's a MUST when we're there in March.

enjoy your trip! I am saving this thread as well :)

Speaking of bocadillo de calamari:


http://www.esmadrid.com/en/portal.do...&TR=C&IDR=1334

Thanks, Tobyo; here is the link....http://www.posadadelavilla.es/

Two more possibilities; at this rate I should have booked a hotel room for a month:


Taberna Laredo, calle Menorca, east of Retiro (is this a good area for tapas??)


http://www.dantxari.com/ Basque tavern; casual; looks good; mentioned in Maribel guide

Any comments on these??

The Calle Menorca area east of Retiro is said to be excellent.

And Dantxari looks like a classical/traditional Basque restaurant with a small Madrid touch, and it gets top reviews from Spanish customers. http://11870.com/pro/dantxari

The Basque kitchen is just fabulous, arguably the finest in Spain. Dantxari would not be one of those highly inventive Basque gourmet palaces, but seems to serve excellent dishes from "always". Some of the best meals I've had in my life have been in places like this.

I would have started out with either jamón de bellota, pimientos de piquillo con centollo, Alubias de Tolosa or Sopa de Pescados y Mariscos (if they serve it as you often get it in San Sebastián, you'll be in heaven). You can't go wrong from here, but the bacalao al pil-pil or the signature dish Solomillo Dantxari would be high on my list. The stews are also said to be excellent. They even seem to take the desserts, which often can be quite simple, very seriously. Arroz con leche is a personal favourite.

Try the Basque, slightly sparkling and very dry white wine txakolí with the food, and be sure to round off the meal with a cold Pacharán/Patxaran.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patxaran
http://articles.sfgate.com/2007-08-0...iako-txakolina

Seems as if you could make use of more than four nights in Madrid... Enjoy!

I also recommend Posada de La villa. Very nice setting and yummy roasted lamb, their specialty.

Hi Exscrunchy!! I don't know if I'm too late...I haven't seen this post until now...
I'm afraid I won't be able to help you with the most typical restaurants (I don't know many of them). But I'll give you my opinion qabout the restaurants listed above and PLEASE ask me anything you want...
of the ones mentioned
- La trainera offers great seafood, it's been 3 years since i last visited it, but I dont think it will have changed,...
- Mentidero de la villa is one of my favorite restaurants, small, great food and great service (my favorite dish there is steak tartare but everything is good!)
- Goizeko (there are 2 in madrid, one in comandante zorita and the other by the wellington hotel (which is near the prado)) the sea food there is great! expensive but great! it's my dad´s favorite to have a good fish
- Meson 5 jotas (there are many) and the jamon there is good, but if you also want to have more tapas, i would suggest "Jose Luis" which is a classic (there you can have tapas and also ordenary meals) there are several all over madrid. http://www.joseluis.es/
I'll add some of my favorite places:
- If you want to try tortillas (omelettes) prepared in different ways try "tortillas de gabino" http://www.lastortillasdegabino.com/
- If you want to try Galizian food but no so marisqueria but elaborated try "La Penela" there are 2 locations one in velazquez, the other one in Infanta mercedes near Plaza Castilla
- it will be a little offhanded this time for you, it's near the Bernabeu, but check the website and keep it in mind for your next trip "El quenco de Pepa" it's one of my favorite unknown gems in Madrid http://www.quenco.com/
- For a slurge and nice meal not on the "bionic" side, for me the number one upper end restaurant in Madrid is Zalacain http://www.restaurantezalacain.com/menu.swf

sorry again for the delay! please ask me anything you want!!!!ant tell me more about you, age, who you travel with, etc. so I can suggest more places!

And if you look for a nice area full of bars and restaurants, you can try the gay Chueca district and the Malasaña district, one following the other in the very center of Madrid. Just walk by and you´ll see a lot of nice taverns and restaurants, a mixture of modern and old styles. The bar El Palentino (Calle El Pez?) was there the Communist Party in Spain was founded, and still keeps the essence...

Thank you, thank you, all of you who are so helpful and patient and have given me so many great tips so far!

Carlota: Not too late--we will be thre in January!

I am having big internet problems in my house and have to use computer now in the library--I will return, you can be certain, with more questions once I get this problem fixed!

I forgot to add that you MUST try the cocido, in My opinión the best is served at Lhardy!!

How to get a tapa for free:
http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic...ee-Madrid.html

...or go to Nerja where delicious tapas, free to choose, are included with the drinks in most places.
http://www.nerjatoday.com/barsandrestaurants/

One of these days I will get to Nerja!

Carlota: I am embarrassed to say that I have never tried cocido. (But yesterday I cooked judios de tolosa (translated here as "Prince Beans') in my kitchen. I made a bean/sausage stew with two types of beans--cannellini from the local store, and the Spanish tolosa beans. Well, let me tell you--the Spanish beans were so far superior to the white ones! Very creamy and delicious. So I will put dried beans on my shopping list for Madrid. I hope to go to a large food market to shop, in addition to visiting t he food area of El Corte Ingles.

Which would be the best food market for me to visit on a Monday-Wednesday?



Back to restaurants, I need to choose a place for the first dinner on Sunday. My question is:
How late can one walk into a restaurant at lunchtime? I mean, what is the latest lunch reservation a restaurant will normally accept?


What is your opinion of Posada de la Villa, mentioned above? And if January is a poor time for lechazo, does that mean that restaurants will not be serving lamb in January or that they will be serving older, and therefore not as tasty, lamb?

I also found this place, not far from the hotel--what do you think?

http://www.asadoraranduero.es/

You would normally not sit down for lunch much after 3pm.

Mercado de San Miguel is fun, although more gastro-oriented small bars with all kinds of specialities than a regular food-market. But you get excellent fresh fish and seafood here as well as the best jamón, sausages, cheese etc.

The real deal Mercado de la Cebada, in the end of C/ Cava Baja at Plaza Cebada, used to be excellent, but things have come to a sort of a standstill as a remodeling project awaits investors. You should nevertheless stop by.

Many thanks! Perhaps I can book a table at 3pm and then have that as my meal for the day of arrival, since we will go to sleep early on that day.

What about Mercado de la Paz in Salamanca? I probably will have time only for San Miguel and one more market....so want to choose wisely!

I will be back with more questions as I refine the plans..