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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Serious Jamón

If you’re serious about your jamón, especially the ibérico, then you’ll have to make a pilgrimage to Spain and visit one of the many shops that specialize in this delicious delicacy. During my recent trip, I found myself wandering about the streets of Madrid, eventually to Cava Baja, where there are a number of fine tapas joints. Lo and behold! There stands Alma de Ibérico at number 41 Cava Baja, the shop you see in the photo below:

While I stood by with my mouth watering, I watched a master carve off the thinest slices for a nice lady. These slices are so thin, they melt in your mouth, releasing all the flavor of a well-cured meat. Now, just in case you want to purchase your jamón intact and do the carving yourself, check out the selection below with yours truly grinning at the possibilities:

Take your pick! It is tempting but not inexpensive. Then again, the good things in life are never cheap. At any rate, if you find yourself in Madrid, on Cava Baja, make a stop here. You won’t be disappointed.

Published in: on May 4, 2010 at 4:22 am  Leave a Comment  
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New York Chicken

There are probably tens of thousands of places to eat lunch in New York City. We all fall in for favorites, or try the new joint, or just grab something off the shelf to hold us over. Either way, it’s hard to miss in New York. At least I think so.

In the course of countless visits to the city, I typically end up in the vicinity of Rockefeller Center. Downstairs in the concourse is a place called Cucina & Co. Not a very original name, but a very reliable stop for lunch. In particular, if you like a nice roast chicken, this place does it right. Considering the location, the price is fair as well. Take a look at this bird:

That’s half a roast chicken on top of a small mountain of mashed potatoes. It was roasted to absolute perfection, not pink, not dry, just right. This plate and a salad to start runs about $20. It’s enough food to hold you over to the next day and that’s a good deal.

Published in: on April 10, 2010 at 11:49 am  Leave a Comment  
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