Madrid = tapas. Tapas = Madrid. Or so it would seem on any given day. We had the excellent fortune to be in town for the annual Gastrofestival that ended last week in the capital. The two week festival featured both 25 and 40 Euro dinners. A third option was the more deluxe 75 Euro “Dine with the Stars” menu.
As well, 66 bars opened their doors with a special 3 Euro tapa and Mahou beer offering, though we didn’t limit ourselves to Gastofestival-specific tapas establishments.
In addition, gastronomy in painting, film, theatre and books offered culinary adventures away from the traditional restaurant and bar atmosphere.
Throughout our stay, we checked out various bars to try the regional tapas. We came across estado puro, a tapas bar featuring two Michelin-starred Chef Paco Roncero’s creations.
[estado puro]
We wound up eating at the Calle San Sebastian location twice, it was that good.
Madrid also has a Museo de Jamon for hard-core Iberian ham lovers.
Extended family took us to Fatigas del Querer in the Calle de la Cruz for more of that wonderful, paper-thin delicacy, along with other tapas. Pitchers of sangria came along for the ride.
Back in our barrio (Tirso de Molina), it was hard to choose from the abundance of Indian restaurants lining Calle Lavapiés.
Another excursion brought us to Mercado San Miguel, where we tasted divine macarons and perused the seafood, olives, and other delicacies. We later stumbled upon another market in the Chueca district, the Mercado de San Antonio.
And to top off any meal, head for churros y chocolate at Chocolatería de San Ginés, recently voted #8 in National Geographic’s top 10 guide of best places to indulge in chocolate in the world. After having had churros in other Madrid locales, San Gines’ dipping chocolate was by far the tastiest.
Hungry yet?
