NeoPatrick

Chapa, are we supposed to be impressed that your friends do not go out for suckling pig? Why do you even bring that up? Do you feel any true Spaniard who likes suckling pig must be nuts or really living a life in disguise? How very silly of you to assume because your friends don't eat suckling pig, no Spanish people DO!
And frankly your comments about tourists and even concierges who "cater to tourists" are a little patronizing to say the least. Do you honestly believe that the scorned "tourists" whom you want to lump all together do not include some of the wealthiest, best traveled people in the world -- many who are true foodies and travel primarily for finding the best food in the cities of the world. You seem to be confusing a desk clerk at a Days Inn who suggests Olive Garden as the place in town to eat with true concierges at five star hotels who DO know the best foods and can respond to their clients who are not only avoiding tourist traps, but DO have excellent taste. You seem to imply that anyone who happens to live in Madrid has perfect taste in food and dining, but anyone who lives anywhere else does not. How boorish and totally off base that is! Your stereotypes are way out of date!

Regarding the "people speaking Spanish were not probably locals -- tourists" -- hogwash. My partner speaks Spanish and heard the conversations. There were numerous LOCALS and REGULARS including the couple who apologized to the host for not having called to reserve as they usually do and thanked him by name and kissed him when he seated them.

And, yes of course, downstairs is where you will see locals -- that's where we were (perhaps because the concierge requested that for us -- there seemed to be a slight delay in getting our table while others were being instantly ushered to the big room upstairs). But why do you say that's where you'll see locals, when at the same time you claim locals don't eat there? Are you confusing yourself?

chapla

Wow!

aussiedreamer

Well said Neopatrick...........we are all 'tourists/travellers' aren't we? We plan most of our trips with food & wine big on the agenda. So looking forward to Portugal & Spain at the end of the year.

Thanks so much for the <i>Vina Ardanza Riserva<i/> recommendation too.

NeoPatrick

Yes, chapla -- wow! I avoided making an issue when you started your inane comments and your patronizing "tourist" tirade. But when you suggested that I am so stupid that I mistook a bunch of tourists for locals even though they clearly knew the host and he knew them, and when you started completely contradicting yourself -- well, I had had enough. But you are not the first nor the last poster who will always insist that if a person is in a city different from his own, then he is a "tourist" therefore he will have no taste or knowledge about food in that city. Presumably, all people become totally clueless and tasteless when they leave their own homes and suddenly become those horrid "tourists"! It makes me wonder why you even bother with any travel website since they are aimed at --GASP-- tourists!

chapla

Wow again!
I thought a night's sleep would calm you down.
Your filipino partner is slated for sainthood.
FYI you misunderstood my post.

Bedar

Oh, chill out, Patrick ! We've eaten on and off at Botin for the past 50 years, and, yes, it is full of tourists. So what ? Even Hemingway was a tourist. More important is that fact that the food has gone downhill over the years. I just hope that the cochinillo in the Philippines will live up to your friend's memory of it !!

NeoPatrick

I'm chilled out, but chapla, I honestly don't think I misunderstood your post at all. It was extremely clear in tone if not in content.

Your "sainthood" comment is of the same tone. You make yourself VERY clear.

And yes, I never meant to imply that Botin is NOT full of tourists, Bedar -- of course it is and I agree fully with "so what?" That was my point.