Mercado San Miguel, Madrid

Mercado San Miguel is located off western end of Madrid’s Plaza Mayor in the old part of the city. The place has been remodeled and updated in the last couple of years. The people of Madrid and visitors alike pile in through these sleek glass doors for the best of every type of food on offer.

Let’s start with the basics. How about some fruits and vegetables like this:

Next would be fresh bread, no? How about like this?

Maybe you prefer fresh seafood such as this:

Has to be something there you like. By the way, don’t forget the cheese. Take your pick from this counter.

Olives and such are one of the basics of every Spanish meal, too. Which one is your favorite? They’re all here.

And while you’re at it, might as well get dessert.

What else? There’s wine, oysters on the half shell, and plenty of other things that simply won’t fit here in a standard post. If you’re ambling about Madrid, in the area of the Plaza Mayor, I would stop in here for a snack or everything you need for a great meal. By the way, there will be a post showing the tapas that can be had. Stay tuned.

Published in: on May 7, 2010 at 1:01 am  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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Happy Spot, Aruba

The Happy Spot opened only a few months ago, in November 2009. In my rambling about the island, I rolled past it, doubled back, and stopped in for an ice-cream. Here’s a photo of the joint.

The Happy Spot is located on the road that leads off the highway from where the old Adventure Golf used to be. Just follow that inland and opposite the Cheng grocery, you’ll this little place on the other side of the road. (For some unkown reason, Aruba refuses to name many of its roads and streets, which makes giving directions difficult, but exploring can be fun. They also do not number buildings sequentially. Perhaps this is what prevents an enemy invasion?)

Nonetheless, much joy was had in the form of a chocolate ice-cream. If you don’t believe me, here’s a photo to prove it.

Notice the pen in pocket, always prepared to jot down some story material. I chatted with the owner for a few minutes. Nice guy. I hope he does well. He explained to me that they also make all sorts of smoothies here. That’s not my thing but by the number of people ordering them, I would say they must be good.

Bon dia.

Published in: on February 22, 2010 at 11:00 am  Comments (1)  
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