La Mallorquina, Madrid

Near the western edge of Madrid’s Plaza del Sol, you’ll find a fantastic pastry shop known as La Mallorquina. I first sampled the delicious pastries here in 2003. Every time I’m in Madrid, I stop in for a few to fortify me for those long walks through the city. Here’s a photo of the shop.

A typical shop you might find in Madrid. Let’s take a look at the pastries, that’s the important part. Here’s a start.

Now there’s a few treats. And here are a few more.

To think, these are just a sampling of the many, many treats to be found inside. Like the old days, the staff wears white smocks and hats, a touch I find quaint and nostalgic and classy all at once. Most important, there’s a pastry for everyone, and all of them are very good. Never pass up dessert!

Published in: on May 28, 2010 at 11:42 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Restaurante Botín, Madrid

Just outside the Plaza Mayor in Madrid, on the west side, you’ll find Restaurante Botín. This place was founded in 1725 and has the honor or being the world’s oldest restaurant, at least according to the Guinness Book of World Records. While this place does a fair amount of business in the tourist trade, there are plenty of local Spaniards at the table. Furthermore, the food is very good. During my visit, I enjoyed a great lunch that began with a nice salad and a bottle of house white wine, which turned out to be a tasty verdejo. Then we moved on to a roast chicken, which was truly slow roasted to delicious perfection. No kidding it was about the best one I’ve had, and I’ve had them all over the world. Here’s a photo to prove it.

Dipping those little potatoes into the juices was an added treat. Then there was dessert, an apple tart and a slice of chocolate cake as seen below.

Okay, that apple tart was also the real deal and deserves a solo shot in the name of food eye-candy. So here it is:

On top of the great food and service, may I mention the classy blue china? The simple pattern and name follows the understated comfort of this restaurant. By the way, we sat on the upper floor, waited on by multi-lingual staff, and surrounded by interesting memorabilia including a letter of thanks from Nancy Reagan. On the way out, we happened upon one of those famous roast pigs, fresh out of the oven and just arrived table-side. Again, the photo proof:

Poor piggy, but darn good eating! That guy shared the meal with his whole family. If you’re in Madrid, I would put Restaurante Botín on your places for a fine lunch. You won’t be disappointed. At least I wasn’t.

Published in: on May 24, 2010 at 11:26 pm  Leave a Comment  
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Iberico Sampler

If you have a hankering for cured meats Ibérico style, Madrid (and Spain in general) offers you plenty of options for complete satisfaction. I stopped into the Museo del Jamón in Madrid one  afternoon because, well, it’s hard to stay away from quality cured meats in a place where they take it to the highest levels. Not only the meats, but also the cheese and wine call out to you. Why resist? And here it is…

On the lower-center portion of the plate you’ll notice the jamón Ibérico thinly sliced with the fat around the edge. Around the upper part of the plate is the chorizo. In the center and to the left is another salami-style concoction, the name of which slips my mind just now. Then there is the manchego cheese wedged in. Of course, a hunk of bread comes in handy, as does the glass of sangria in the lower left corner of the frame. Delicious one and all.

A word about the Museo del Jamón in Madrid. It can be a crowded, boisterous place. That said, it also offers some top-notch delicacies which can be had quickly and fairly reasonably. Don’t be put off by the three-deep crowds at the counter. Work your way in, order, and enjoy!

Published in: on May 22, 2010 at 1:49 pm  Comments (3)  
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Escorial Lunch, Spain

Typically, I don’t like to eat outside. However, there’s nothing like lunch with a view. We happened to be only a few blocks from El Escorial in Spain and there was a series of restaurants with outdoor seating that looked out over the palace. Therefore, I broke the rules, took a table, and settled in for a nice lunch. The menu of the day featured some interesting choices, none of which I can explain in Spanish. The first plate was a shrimp in cream sauce over a puff pastry as you can see here:

Tasty and light, despite the cream sauce. The other first plate was a mushroom concoction with the same cream base as you can see below:

You can see one of the Escorial towers in the background there and get a sense of the view from this table. Quite nice, eh? Well, there was a main course, it was a sort of lamb rolitini type of thing as shown in the next photo.

The meal was tasty as was the wine. Sadly, El Escorial was closed for a holiday. My sightseeing was limited to the outside areas, which are nothing more than stone plazas. Always good to call ahead or check the internet to see what attractions will or will not be open. Lesson learned.)

Published in: on May 18, 2010 at 8:19 pm  Leave a Comment  
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