First tips on our new city: 5 restaurants I like in Vilnius (I)

We have been living for now over 3 months in Vilnius so we start having some OK knowledge on restaurant and places, although I am sure this will only improve with time :-)
Being a rather small city (500,000) and not being Eastern Europe among my culinary destinations of choice, I was a bit worried about the range of choices. I have been in the city for consulting or BD work several times, but my experience was reserved to 2 or 3 top restaurants, mostly French. But the city has exceeded my expectations, which is nothing but great.
I am not going to put all contact details (you can find most of them on http://www.balticsworldwide.com/tourist/lithuania/restaurants.htm or trip advisor) but my personal notes on them

Rather late but never too late: a great restaurant in Paris

I should have written this one almost on my first entry. However I never did. Today while organizing some business cards I found their BC and I could not resist any longer :-)
During 2006 and 2007 one of my best friends Juan Villalobos was the CFO of ING Direct in France. He did live in the St. Germain district (on the 6th). Juan is a Cosmopolitan guy but inside him he is a Cuenca (in La Mancha, 2 hours from Madrid and a magical city) born and raised and feels very proud of his origins. So obviously he did know about a Cuenca born chef who also happen to be 5 minutes from his house (the restaurant used to be at 10, rue Saint Julien and has sinced moved to 45 Quai des Grands Augustine, about 10m from its original location) and in my opinion one of the most creative and yes riskiest chefs (in terms of "Gastronomioe Espagnole") that I know. The restaurant name Fogon (formerly Fogon St. Julien)
Another great advantage of going there with Juan is that we did not even bother to order. The Chef Alberto Herráiz (extremely well known and with many different cooking books already published) will come out and suggest the tapas we should try that day. Then gave a choice of different rice dishes and then voila, the result was always amazing
So here the star plate is the Rice. But again this is a risky place :-) so don't come here expecting a normal paella or the ones serve to most of tourist. Alberto plays with many different ingredients (from french influenced by using foie to all types of seafood, Jamon Iberico (ham), meat or vegetables) and many different ways to cook the rice (caldoso, meloso, seco). So throw away your expectations and just get ready to discover new ways to flavor rice. He also follows a similar line with tapas (never too many on the menu, just a selection) and top of my mind is always his inventive gazpacho (Cold soups in different formats). Now I remember a lettuce gazpacho that was as special as different as delicious)
And by the way as a final note he always uses mineral water "Solan de Cabras", from Cuenca, with some old design bottle that it is just great (and this happened much earlier that the fashion industry has discovered this brand)

Fogon (formerly Fogon St. Julien
45 quai des Grands Augustins - 75006 Paris -
(+33) 01 43 54 31 33
fogon@fogon.fr
http://www.fogon.fr/en/index.html

Great discoveries on the Asian restaurant front (Madrid, Spain) - II

The second discovery was even more pleasant.
Oam Thong, in Corazon de Maria 17 (just in front of the back exit of the parking of the Silken Puerta de America, aka you can just park there and enter in the restaurant within one minute)
This is the best thai restaurant in Madrid (Krachai, see below is not far behind) Much better that Thai Gardens, at least in terms of food quality and prices. However it is true that the service was slow (only 3 people serving a rather large dinning room).
The decor is nice, light browns and lovely lights and since the moment you enter the place you know. The food was great. Good amounts (not huge), great taste, had some lovely beef on red curry, a great soup and some entrees that were just delicious. To end up, one of the best ever sticky rice (with Mango ice cream) that I have tried (and I am not a huge fun of dessert, so this is rare for me to say and praise)
Don't know what you are waiting for, next time somebody tells you about not having good Thai restaurants in Madrid, just go there, they will change their opinion forever!!!


And once you enjoy this one you can still try another one :-)
I have been in Restaurante Krachai +34 918 336 556 Calle de Fernando VI 11 (near the house in Chueca) several times. The decor, all in white upstairs and more lounge style downstairs is phenomenal. The restaurant is rather small so make sure you do reserve, specially for dinner on Friday and Saturday. Overall the food is very good but if you are hungry, please share a menu degustacion with your couple, friend and family. For only 30 Eur, you get to sample a very generous amount of different plates that it seem coming in small quantities when you start and you don't know where to stuff the last pieces when you are about to finish. If not the overall menu is large, always with very interesting propositions that will make your choice difficult but always certain you will choose well. Large but not least for an Asian restaurant in Madrid it does have a great wine selection (both Spanish and some interesting non-Spanish wines)

Great discoveries on the Asian restaurant front (Madrid, Spain) - I

As you saw on one of my recent posts, we keep trying and selecting different restaurants on the Asian front in Madrid. Not only that but there is more thai ingridients at my house these days than ever before, so eating curries and similar is becoming a norm, a good one I may say

So lately I did try a couple of restaurants. Nobody has recommended them to us but I read some reviews and I had a good feeling about both.

Fisrt one was Phuket Thai, in calle Atocha 115 (91 3896359) (almost in front of the side entrance of Reina Sofia Museum). On appearance it may remind you of the cheap chinese reataurants that you can find on dozens around the city. Even funnier if you take a closer look you may realize that this restaurant used to be an old meson (typical restaurant castellano) and they have just done the minimal changes on the decor to look a bit Asian. Paper napkins, aka not a fancy restaurant on the Thai Gardens style;. But hey you come here to have a good meal at a good price is that is precisely what you get.
The pad thai is some of the best I have tried in town. Very good Tom Yam (seafood) soup and in general large portions. The "menu de degustacion" seemed interesting and an attractive option if you are not in the mood for thinking that day
3 of us were very happy with the choices although Andrea was not that convinced
Definitively worth the try and quite large so you may be able to get a table late on a Saturday without a reservation

Some great oriental restaurants in Madrid

Madrid just used to have very little good oriental restaurants until not long ago. Apart from 3 / 4 top luxury japanese or chinese restaurants (Robata, Thai Gardens, Tse Yang (at Villa Magna)), there were very little quality around the 25/35 Eur range. However many more restaurants have appeared in the last decade and some of them are more than worth a try

Cafe Saigon, Maria de Molina 4 (corner with Castellana) - Reservations 91 563 1566
Probably the better know out of this pack (and now has some other restaurants from the Group in Madrid and other cities (San Sebastian's Maria Cristina Hotel has one) . Usually very busy in the weekends (impossible to get a table without a reservation, having 2 serving shifts), but you will get easily get a table during the week although it is always lively. The decoration is superb (which is even more surprising as there are on the bottom of a office building), high ceilings, very good service and good food. They have good combo menus but the "a la carta menu" is also good. Has one of the best noodle soups in town, called "Sopa de arroz Vietnamita" (which could also be a main), very good green salad with duck, great noodles (3-4 types nromally) and good fish and seafood plates, among other things

A recent discovery and not very well know is Asia Xang
+34 914 134 920 Paseo de los Cerezos 2. Very closed to the corner of Ramon y Cajal with Alfonso XII, on a very quite area, very easy to park on the street (a plus on a busy weekend in Madrid) and with an amazing terrace in the summer (just by the street, quiet and relaxing and always great temperature at night) but the inside of the place is also nice and well decorated. I have never had a problem finding space but could be quite busy on the weekeds. It has a number of combo menus, ranging between combining chinese and thai to a more japanose one. Decent sushi, great dim sum (probably the best I have had in Madrid), great squid and St Jacques grilled with a light soi sauce, good teppanyaki de solomillo y el "maki california". Service is always friendly and you can eat for 30 Eur a piece, even cheaper if you try,
Definetly you should give it a try

Others worth a try could be

China Crown, Calle de la Infanta Mercedes 62 28020 Madrid - 91 572 14 64
A bit more expensive than the others, around 40 Eur, but good food, and always a nice atmosphere and a bit different plates than the usual ones

Don Lay, Paseo de Extremadura 30+34 914 634 546

A wear looking restaurant (as it was an old meson castellano in which they have basically change nothing but the name), it does serve a great sunday Dim Sum. My cousin whom is Taiwanese always takes us there. That is a good recommendation for sure

Lisbon: mostly where to eat and some more tips

Classic Lisbon

Restaurante Pap`Açorda
R. da Atalaia 57
1200 Encarnação, Lisboa, Portugal
213 464 811‎
This is in the barrio alto. Difficult to find. Usually great food and trying to be hip. The service has an attitude but you can fund a posh night here and the location is great to walk around after


Pastéis De Belém
R. de Belém 84
1300 Santa Maria de Belém, Lisboa, Portugal
213 637 423‎
This is the place for the pasties de belem (custard pie as the English will say). Just on the right side (in you have the sea on your back) of the monasterios dos jeronimos and across the Belem monument to the famous Portuguese explorers. The pasties are just amazing, take a whole box with 5 just baked inside, close your eyes put one on your mouth and you will be in heaven

Restaurante Porto de Santa Maria
2750 Guincho
Portugal
214 871 036‎

If you want fresh seafood and a taste of quite luxurious restaurant this is the place. However you need a car as it is easily 30 minutes from Lisbon, but actually probably 20m drive from Estoril.
It is on a almost deserted beach so a great place to take a stroll after lunch or feel really special at night looking at the stars after a great crayfish

Hotel York House – As Janelas Verdes

R. das Janelas Verdes 32
1200 Santos-o-Velho, Lisboa, Portugal
213 962 435‎

this is a small boutique hotel. It does serve food in a little terrace outdoors by the pool. The place is just fantastic for a very relaxed dinner with no noise or nothing to bother you around

As Docas

This is the area right under the 25th april bridge, which is full of restaurants (mostly old warehouses converted) and plces to go out at night

Some of the nice restaurants are:

-Restaurante Espalha Brasas
Doca de Santo Amaro, Arm. 9 - 1350-353 LISBOA
Portugal
213 962 059‎

Restaurante Doca 6
As docas, Lisboa
Portugal

The not well known tip - NOT to miss
An amazing place for fresh seafood is Cervejaria Ramiro‎ Av. Alm. Reis 1, 1150 Anjos, Lisboa, Portugal‎ - 218 851 024‎

Enjoying a good rice place in Denia (Alicante), Spain

I have had the chance to spend a good number in Denia in Alicante, about 4 hours drive from Madrid. I am not a huge beach guy but I like Denia and its sorroundings (specially the Mongo mountain, always changing always different depending on the angle and place you look at it

Apart from that, the food is excellent and there are tons of great places and not very expensive ones to enjoy the fish but specially to enjoy the regional speciality RICE!!! And not just paella which may what many people from outside Spain knows but many other ways to cook it like

- Arroz Negro (Black rice, aka rice with calamari and calamari ink)
- Arroz a banda (First you cook the broth with fish, once you have it you clear the fish and you just cook the rice on the broth with shrimp and calamari and you serve dry and with Ali Ali (let´s say like a garlic mayonaise), hmmmm
- Arroces caldosos (rice with broth, almost soupy)
- Fideuas (cooked similarly with with small noodles instead of rice)

So here you have a couple of recommendations for places, both of them already in the road "carretera de las marinas a denia", both almost by the beach in Las Marinas

Restaurante Jamse
C/ Passarell 3
03700 Denia
965 783 506

Nice and simple outdoor covered terrace, paper cloth and napkins and plastic table and chairs, but you come here for the food. Good service and in 2 years I always see the same waiters, always a good sign. when you reserve over the phone (and you must or you will never eat here and in season it is always full) they ask you for the rice you want and when you want it. So if you reserve for let´s say 15, you go there 1430, order some starters (try the tellinas, really small clams cooked with butter and lemon, or/and sepia or chopitos (different calamari/ squid) and then by 15 the rice comes in a big pan ready to be served. You will left full so take it with time and enjoy,
We love the arroz a banda here and once we try to fideua (which was different than the typical one having the noodles much thicker ones)
You will eat for 25 Eur per peson (maybe 30 if you order dessert)

Restaurant L´Estanyo
Llac Sanabria, 6A.
Tel.: 96 647 42 42 (Denia)

The setting of this restaurant is a bit more scenic as Jamse as it is by the beach and you can see the sea by some of the tables and it has a truly outdoor area. As Jamse, you wont eat here without a reservation. Tables are a bit more set up and less plastic and also good service (although sometimes the noise in the room maybe not allow you waiter to even hear you)

Apart from some of the starters already mentioned, we love here the escombro, which is actually very deep fried calamary, really amazing
Here we usually go for the arroz caldoso (the soupy one). I really like the one with crayfish. Also the arroz a banda here is really good
At night this is also a good spot for a drink and a tapa if you don´t feel like dining

Enjoy and let me know next time you are around Denia

Around Zamora and the border with Portugal (I)

We had the chance to spend a couple of days between Zamora and the border with Portugal recently and we come across different places that could make an excellent short weekend trip to do some sports, enjoy nature, relax and obviously eat and drink well, so here we are

We started stopping for lunch in Zamora. I had some other restaurant in mind (El Mirador) but it seemed it was closed. So taking a look at other choices I come across an interesting proposition called “Villa Claudia”
It is not the easiest place to find (not even with the GPS) so before you go there just check on google maps or some other map how to get there. But it is worth it

Villa Claudia
Ctra. Almaraz,
Carretera Almaraz, Km 1. 49027 Zamora.
Teléfonos 980 52 99 96 / 658 99 31 38
http://www.villaclaudia.org/

The building is al old farm, quite large although the dining room seems small and a bit dark; probably quite cozy in the winter. Very nice prepared tables, simple but elegant. Nice and attentive service

Menu is not too large, but it can cater to all gastronomical moods. More oriented towards salads and sharing entrees in the summer and lots and interesting looking spoon plates (”Pucheros y Cazuelas”) for the winter (Cocido (garbanzo pie stew with pork and beef), fabes con almejas (been with clams) and different rice types))

The salads we shared were nice, fresh and interesting combination of flavours, although we went for the classic ventresca (tuna) salad with peppers and lettuce (Ensalada de ventresca con cogollos de Tudela y pimientos
Asados). We also tried a very nice and compensated carpaccio de pulpo (octopus carpaccio). Even if most of the spoon plates are the winter there was still a small but still yummy summer election. I went for the Morcillitos de Ibérico con setas y hongos (pork leg with mushrooms), really good, the meet was very soft and it was almost melt in your mouth and very smooth flavor with the mushroom taste. Having said that, hope you are hungry when ordering the plate ☺

Don´t know why we did not feel like wine so we went for Sangria (it was not in the menu but they did one for us. Really strong and nice taste), but the selection of Toro region wine was really large and it is worth to mention it as this region is producing great wines in the last years

Will think about repeating the visit next time in Zamora although this time we should good in the winter and try the stew

A great restaurant in Avila: El Almacen

On my way up to Oviedo (Asturias) with a couple of friends from the US, I wanted to stop in one of our favourite historical cities within one hour of Madrid (Toledo, Alcala de Henares, Segovia, Avila) for lunch and enjoy some nice food and views. At the end I decided to stop in Avlila and I did look for restaurant choosing at the end to stop at El Almacen

El Almacen
Carretera Salamanca 6
05002 Avila
920 211 026

To start with the location is great, just at in front of the Muralla de Avila (the medieval wall from the XIII century), right after the “Cuatro Postes” (Four postes) monument in the old cross roads in Avila and the roads to Salamanca and the Barco de Avila (N110 Avila – Toledo)
The restaurant just went under a large renovation recently and the result is excellent. One of the sides of the main room the restaurant is all windows which allows you to eat while enjoying the amazing view of the walls and the latest addition of the new festivals building of Avila
The style of the room is modern and tries to avoid a bit the typical castillian meson style while still providing you with a very cozy and although the entire restaurant does allow smoking (which is usually a NO NO for us) at least the distance between the tables is very large and allows you to enjoy your meal with no thinking of the smoke bothering you. However I have read that as they also allow to smoke cigars sometimes you may not be able to really enjoy your meal. Being such a nice restaurant and having 2 very different rooms in the restaurant it is difficult to imagine we they have not taken care of this
The menu is large and offer different ways to add modernity to traditional plates. We love the nidos de morcilla (pig blood nests with small rice noodles), see how he plays with the idea of the “morcilla de arroz” but combining the rice outside the morcilla and with a red pepper souce (although I may admit I have read some other blogs and people did not enjoy them as much as we did) to cold soups for the summer (tomato cold soup) and great spoon plates in the winter. Very well presented all of them and ideal both for sharing a couple of them or enjoy one of them yourself
For the main we did focus mostly on the meet and choose different combinations of Solomillos de ternera or Lomos de Cerdo (beef or pork), apart from the typical but always great ways to cook the lamb and small pig that is done so well in Avila and Segovia, like the cordero and the cochinillo. The Solomillo is offered perfectly cook, with great meet quality and very well done sauces as a blue cheese (excellent!!) one or a sauce of uvas y vino blanco (Grapes and white wine). The lomo was done with a suca eof foie and hongos (mushrooms), equally good. If you don´t fancy meat, there is always a choice of at least 5-7 fresh fish plates. We did try the Atun Rojo (Red Tuna fish) and it was really excellent
The selection of desserts is also really good but please note that you have to choose them at the beginning, as some of them take some time to be prepared. While the chocolate fondue was OK, the emborrachado de almendra (Almond Drunk cake), was an amazing way to combine almost paste (marzapan style more or less) with cold and hot. Really superb
We did choose the wine house, price at 10 Eur. Artazuri, 2005 Navarra. Great wine, with the right level of complexity, smooth, a bit of red berries and apple, and it did complement the excellent meal (both meat and tuna). Overall the wine menu was very good and well priced
For a price of 40-50 eur each, I believe it is really a great culinary experience that combines with the amazing s

An amazing restaurant in Salamanca where you will not imagine, A gas station on an industrial park!!!

wowwww, this is all I have to say!! Just kidding but what can I say after what we experienced in Salamanca. We had a meeting with our (mmCHANNEL´s) strategic partner Unkasoft in Salamanca where we have been before several times. Last time we did eat at the Hotel Montalvo, within the industrial park with the same name. We have a very good "menu del dia" deal so no complaints. However Hugo Lanchares did promise that next time we will have a very nice lunch and I know he is a person who does enjoy food and wine
So last week when Tony told us to folllow him and we parked outside a gas station (Repsol) within the industrial park (just 5 minutes from Unkasoft headquarters) I was a bit surprised. We did enter through the gas station (whom for those who don´t know are nothing very fancy to say the least) and come up through the stairs and then we open the door. Surprise surprise :-)

An amazing and well decorated room, modern, clean, well designed. With a room for kids to play and very spacious. Shelves with books (on cooking, salamanca region, restaurants of Spain,..). On the table every details was perfectly designed (cutlery, colours (combining browns, whites and blacks), very original chargers (stone ones) and make you feel in front of a delightful experience to come
the food was excellent. Carlos (the chef) prepared a menu for us, that being very well priced, had an aperitive, 2 entrees, main (choice of meat or fish) and 2 desserts. Everything was great. Plates where very well decorated and presented, original combination of flavours and forms (squid cut like corn pieces on a cookie base with ink and pesto, caneloni of ox tail ("rabo de toro"), salmon hamburger (I can´t wait to try to cook the recipe at home)
Carlos did come at the end of the lunch and chat with us which just added that little detail to finished up an amazing experience we had at his restaurant. The bill arrived and we could just think on when we will be coming back

Carlos Barco Restaurante
Poligono industrial Montalvo III C/ Segunda N. 9 (Encima de la gasolinera repsol)
Carbajosa de la Sagrada (Salamanca)37188
Phone number: + 34 923197884
SPAIN


Link to Carlos Barco restaurant web site

Link to a blogger from Salamanca with lots of details on Carlos and his restaurant

Istanbul II: drinks, tapas, an amazing dinner and more drinks in Pera

Pera is a great neigborhood near Taksim but it seems very local and it is one of the key nightlife spots for young (and no so young turks)
But before nightlife there are a lots of things you can make happen in the neighborhood
If you want to snack a bit and have some Raki (fresh grapes drink mixed with water and ice that Turkish drink all the time specially in the summer and that I love) go to Pera and get lost of the streets behind the Marmara Pera hotel in the Pera neighborhood where any of those places with tables outside serve great Turkish tapas and drinks. It is also a great place to go out at night and have drinks and listen to live music.
Here in this neighborhood is also Babylon, a multi-purpose performance space/club, is the trend-setting live music venue of Istanbul. Lots of jazz, blues and interesting performances. Check www.babylon-ist.com for the dayle live music performances

For a good dinner (but really really expensive for Istanbul prices) and even better drinks with probably the best view of the city go to the restaurant at the top of the Marmara Pera Hotel, Mikla. Very posh and the food is served well but in small plates and you probably won´t be full and your wallet empty. However I do think their cuisine is good and some of the fish plates just superb. But if you are not in the mood to spend that type of money (around 90 Eur for dinner) then just go there for a drink. The bar is great in the winter and if cold you can just watch the view from the inside. In the summer the views become superlative, you can go upstairs to the outdoors terrace (where the pool just complements the ambiance) and sip very well done Mojitos while watching one of the best views you will have in your life
http://miklarestaurant.com/

Mexican restaurants in Madrid (in Spanish so far)

Taqueria Birra - Sencilla, si hace bueno una terraza en una plaza preciosa (Plaza de las comendadoras), tacos riquisimos (el picante de pollo y bacon es amazing, but hot as crazy also y buenas margaritas
La puso Antonio Castro hace 14 años desmontando en México una cantina de 1818 y trayéndose su tramoya auténtica, las cocineras y los meseros, el producto genuino y la sabrosa promiscuidad de una de las cocinas con más personalidad del mundo.

Xaman Ek
Avenida Alfonso XIII, 39, Madrid, 28002

Muy posh pero increible forma de combinar la cocina mejicana tradicional con cocina de fusion. Por ejemplo un carpaccio de pulpo con guacamole, el clasico polo al mole, todo todo esta muy muy rico. Es carillo pero para una cena especial es increible. Aparca el portero

La Panza es primero
Hay varios por la ciudad pero a mi gusta el que esta en el barrio de chueca. En la calle libertad 55
Pequeno, estrecho siempre lleno, todo lleno y decorado con luchadores mejicanos. Buenas margaritas (buenisimas) o el agua de limon si no quieres alcohol. Me encantan las cazuelitas, los tacos, el guacamole rico
Me gustan los centro (para dos o para uno si hay mucha hambre) de pollo por ejemplo el de flor de calabaza. En la esquina esta tambien esta dentro del mismo grupo el Barriga Llena. Mas tranquilo y con mas espacio pero igual con menos sabor

Tambien del mismo grupo y a 50 metros esta el sabor a mi, en Augusto Figueroa 55. Me encanta para desayunar tipo brunch una gran tortilla con todo dentro, zumo y cafe. Deliciosa manera de empezar el dia

Hay varios mas interesants como el Buen Recaudo tambien en chueca (corte tipo Xamn Ek pero mas barato) o La mordida en la calle Belen (cerca de Alonso MArtinez) con buenas cazuelitas aunque las margaritas defraudan en mi opinion (y es un poco caro para lo que te ponen). Aun si me gusta pasar de vez en cuando

Por ultimo una tequilaria en la callle recoletos, no me acuerdo del nombre pero tiene mas de 200 tequilas

A few tips on Barcelona - Food I

I usually spent a couple of weekends a year in Barcelona, apart from the WMC fair (one week in February) and some short business trips, so I have some favorites and fewer favorites in the city

For a good lunch I like to pass by the restaurant at the market of Barceloneta. The building was completely re-done and the restaurant faces the main square (and it is part of Husa restauracion group). It has an outdoor terrace and a large “comedor” with lots of lights. They always have a nice menu. Rice is very good, lots of shrimp, cigalas, muscles, etc.. You can even buy your fish at the market fishmonger and bring it to the restaurant for them to cook it. The menu goes with 4 starters to share and a main (fish, rice or meet), with dessert, coffee and wine and water for 25 Eur per person.

Near Barceloneta in fact you also have on the Joan de Borbon street lots of choices around fish & seafood oriented restaurants. Very simple on their décor they all have great and fresh fish and seafood.

For dinner I like many places. One of my most repeated choices is Semproniana in C/ Rosselló 148, 08036 Barcelona, Spain+34 934 531 820. First thing it will catch your attention is the Funky but very warm decor. It is mostly made from collages from cans, food stamps and similar material. Also take a look a the table décor like the napkin holder made out of a twisted fork, so far so on. Amazing and very creative cuisine, from very interesting entrees like the Brazo de Gitano (crepe of catalan sausage (Butifarra)), the cold and warm (foie with a cheese ice cream) just amazing and a very good combination of fish and meet. Leave some space for the desserts, as they are the right way to finish this delicious experience. The wine list is very good, more than 200 references and you can find good value for money or interesting and rare bottles (all mostly Spanish)

Another choice for dinner is to go to Born neighborhood. The choice of nice restaurants here is large and I can say that I have never had a bad experience with any of my choices. You can have a nice dinner for 60 Eur for 2 excluding wine. One of the restaurants I like is Arrel del Born in Fusina 5. Plates are large if you want to go with a group of friends and share or just enjoy yourself. For the main you can go for the rice (5 types of it), the portion are very large be careful here ☺ or the fish (tuna, sea bass) is really fresh. Desserts are mostly chocolate based and they really add a touch. The atmosphere even on a Saturday night is fairly casual so jeans and a nice shirt will do. And near by there are several clubs to have a drink if you still up to it (or you can always catch a taxi and go to Mirablau for a great drink with an amazing view of the city or come here for a coffee in the summer fairly late to see the sunset while shipping a coffee)

And my final choice is brunch at the Gran Hotel La Florida in the Tibidabo mountain. The views are best in the city, if warm enough (being Barcelona this could happen almost on any given month of the year) you can eat at the terrace and the food is really fantastic, service attentive and you will not go hungry. It is not cheap but your companion will be really impressive and you will be really pleased. Make a reservation, as it is usually quite busy on Sundays.

Some vegetarian options in Madrid

If you are vegetarian and contrary to what people think Madrid is becoming a great city for you. Obviously if you eat seafood and fish your options multiply by 100x but even if not there are many options for you. As Andrea does not eat beef or pork I do get to sample of these restaurants mny times and I have been through the veg. dilemma myself a good number of times

Let me give you some tips, combining Italian restaurants (pasta and pizza are always a safe bet for you and some vegetarians restaurants or restaurants with vegetarian menu):

- Pulcinella: in my opinion the best Italian in town. There are 2 restaurants one in front of each other (one is smoking and the other is not), both have 2 seatings (21 and 23). Great italian decor and good service. Pasta is amazing so does risotto. Also all the plates with tomate are a killing. Try the provolone with tomato, quite melted and combined with bread, just amazing. All the pasta with "calabaza" are great and also unique in Madrid. But anything you will ask you will have a great dinner (have not tried the pizza but they say they are also very good). And the plates are huge so ordering 2 pasta plates will be more than plenty for 3 people
For Friday and Saturday you need to reserve for sure
C/ Regueros 7
28004 Madrid, Spain
+34 913 197 363

- Tono i Pepino: more on the italian restaurant from Napoli. Table cloths with red and white squares. Very good pizzas, with thin crust and large size. Quite a large restaurant, probably easier than Pulcinella to get a table without reservations. Andrea loves this place (I still prefer Pulcinella)
Probably less than 35 eur

Fernando VI, 29
Madrid
91 308 7370

- El Septimo: what a lovely place this is. Great decor (reminds a lot to the decor at La Vaca Veronica but on a larger scale), colorful, great service. It has a large menu, always with seasonal plates and combining platos de siempre (croquetas, ceviche, etc..) with interesting ingredients like apple (aka croquetas de manzana (apple)). Lots of nice salads (try the ensalada Agli), always a couple of soups or creams on the menu. A lovely vegetarian lasagna. And nice coffees to stay chatting for a while. Good price also. Don't miss it

www.elseptimo.com

C/ Diego De León 7
28006 Madrid, Spain
+34 915 622 940

- La Isla del Tesoro: I have not been here for years, but still remains one of the most recommended vegetarians in town (in fact it is the top pick for vegetarians in the Lonely Planet). Interesting proposition in terms of daily menus with international cuisine menus (monday Greek, ... Thursday Bolivian,... so far so on). I was always very full after eating here for a very good value. Check their website for the combination of menu by day and cuisine

www.isladeltesoro.net

C/ Manuela Malasaña 3
28004 Madrid, Spain
+34 915 931 440

Enjoy!!

A night of food and wine to remember

Past thursday we have the opportunity to attend the first event of the Gastronomy Club in Spain which we just started
We prepared an event that was almost 2 events in one in order to be so impressive that we will make sure that even being the first even it will be a success and fully booked. Well we failed here as we only managed to fill half of the planned capacity. However what can I say about the event, it was just amazing, unforgetable

We started the first hour and fifteen minutes was about white wine (including champagne and port) and cheese and what we call in Spanish "maridaje" or the marriage of flavours between the cheese and the wine

Out the 4 wines and the 4 cheeses I want to mention to of the combinations:

The third white wine is my initial recommenation. The name was "Ossian" from Tierra de Castilla (Segovia in this case) with the typical Rueda grape - Verdejo and done under ecological agriculture principles (no chemicals) . The wine has spent 9 months in oak barrels. Really intense flavour, vanilla and small flower touches, improving as it dies on the back of the mouth and capable to increase the flavour of a very intense Italian pecorino cheese, of sheep milk of 8 months.

The fourth one was an increadable cheese to start with. I dont think we left a single drop of cheese. For the Spaniard who dont know this cheese it can be compare with the "Torta del Casar" from extremadura
The name of the cheese is "monte da vinha amanteigado" of Vimiero (Alto Alentejo)
Maturity of minimum 20-30 days done with sheep milk. Soft, creamy intense flavour, extraordinary. Probably the winner of the night

So which wine would you use to battle and even better marry this amazing cheese with? Well the answer is let's marry portuguese with portuguese so we went with a Port. Port from the Osborne house, 20 years. The swetness but strong texture of the port went very very well with this cheese

An slovenian trip

Went for a very nice dinner in Ljubljana. The name of the restaurant was Cubo. At first because of its location, in a warehouse area near an office part in Ljubljana is not very promising. But the inside is just another world. Very nice ambiance, good lighting, very good service, knowledgeable wine waiters (wines below were recommended by them and I give them a. A good mix of light starters (not that easy to find in the region, very plates are usually too heavy) and good fish (did not try the meat). The risotto wasn’t great but I give a very high review to the overall experience.

Belaquela Klivel; mix of grapes chardonney, rebola and a mix of local grapes. The wine is from 2002 and it mixed well with a light seafood or risotto. Average in terms of appearance and bouquet, but very nice taste. Dry and with a bit of personality

Then I move to try a red wine from the region. Usually in the CEE I prefer overall whites over red. However this red particularly was very nice. Mainly because I ordered tuna and it is always complicated to choose the right one. The name is Sutor, from 2003. The grape is a Merlot (which I am not a huge fun). It was a soft bouquet, good taste and average appearance. Went well with the tuna

Some tips for restaurants in Madrid (1)

Many times when people visit Madrid or they have friends over this fantastic city they always ask me for recommendations
Before I even come back to madrid I created a small list of tips for hotels, restaurants and places for drinks. Now I will probably update this one but let me start from the "classic" one:

Some ideas about restaurants

Luxury/ Romantic

Combarro
Calle Reina Mercedes, 12 (+34 91 554 7784
The place maybe is too big for a really romantic dinner but it is very nice and the seafood takes another dimension here
This luxurious restaurant serves Galicia's best seafood, cooked according to traditional recipes. Try the octopus a feira (steamed with olive oil and paprika), empanadas (tuna-filled puff pastries), sea bass or bream. As you walk in, the first thing you will notice is a glass floor with an aquarium underneath that is full of live seafood in genuine Atlantic seawater. The restaurant is divided into several dining rooms decorated with antiques, wooden floors, ochre-coloured walls and costumbrista paintings. Valet parking.

A couple of other 2 nice seafood restaurants with maybe a bit more couzy atmosphere are Gran Barril (Calle Goya) or La Taberna del Puerto de Fernan Gonzalez (better downstairs for raciones that in the restaurant, in barrio Ibiza, calle Fernan Gonzalez)

Menta y Canela
In Plaza Cuzco Now
Tfn: 91 359 11 94 y 91 359 69 33
Great food and you can get a very nice table in the garden (depending if the weather is good)

Good value and romantic

La Vaca Veronica
Dirección: Moratín, 38.
Zona: Centro.
Metro: Banco de España.
Tfn: 91 429 78 27.

Small place with very nice service, this place is really romantic and has excellent food (pasta fresca (pasta con carabineros is excellent), good fish and excellent cakes)
Also near the Santa Ana and The Palace hotel area. You will need to reserve

Excellent meet cuarto y Mitad. Bolivia, 21 (fairly near Santiago Bernabeu)
Madrid
28016
This place is really easy going and it could look like you got to the wrong place but meat best meet in Madrid and you really need a reservation for this one

Specializing in grilled meats since it opened in 1986, the best thing on the menu here is the Galician beef. It is best accompanied by fried potatoes and peppers. For starters, you can choose from a selection of salads, egg dishes, pork, sausage, and cheeses. Wash it all down with a fine wine or champagne from the excellent cellar, and try a homemade dessert. You are surrounded by a simple, tasteful decor of white walls and checkered tablecloths. There are two floors with enough room to sit 180 people and a lovely outdoor terrace in summer. Valet parking.

Taqueria Birra
Dirección: Plaza Comendadoras, 2.
Zona: Centro.
Metro: Noviciado.
Tfn: 91 522 80 49.
Tipo de cocina: Mexicana.

The location is superb, in one of the most lovely squares in Madrid. The terrace is usually open since marhc and really good mexican (not tex mex but traditional). Really spicy if you want
Tapas

Best tapas is to go to the area of the hotel Palace and in the back of this hotel there is 2 streets full of great bars with good beer and wine and excellent tapas


Also another great place for tapas in the other part of old Madrid (near Palacio Real) is El Almendro (the tapas here are more Andulucian style, with eggs, jamon, salmorejo, and buen fino)
C/Almendro 13 (Metro La Latina)
Madrid,
Telephone: 913 65 42 52
is an institution in the Latin district that combines an historic Madrid feel with tasteful modernisation. A young and hip clientele mix with the seasoned veterans, favouring the crafty new wines to tired old beer. But the house sherry is still popular with both sets and the tapas is the best in town.