Food Finds, Spain
If you thought I practically starved in Spain given the propensity for spaniards to use meat as a condiment, you are wrong :)). And no, it does not mean I survived on இலை, தழை & புல்லு (Salad to be precise) but managed to find some good food around. If you are a meat-eater, skip this post, all you blessed souls can find good food in any remote corner of this world.
MADRID: Restaurants
MADRID: Restaurants
Breakfast: Croissant & Coffee - Forget the myriad concoctions in coffee/ sizes that confound you, its either with milk/ without milk in regular cafes here. Try "Tortilla" - Not the Mexican version made with corn, this is the Spanish Omelet with onions and potatoes. And please try the freshly squeezed Naranja Zumo, orange juice - I made it a point to drop by the cafe only if there was a Zumex in sight.
1. TAJMAHAL - Indian restaurant, Chueca neighbourhood, Madrid. I went in expecting the regular aloo-mutter, aloo-gobi. Surprise, Surprise .... their Mushroom curry was excellent. I forgot to ask them, but their Red wine (house wine) was hmmhmmhmmhmhmmmmmm. If you are craving for desi food in Madrid, this place is definitely worth it. Moderately priced which makes it even more attractive.
2. PULCINELLA - Italian restaurant, Chueca neighbourhood (Regueros St.), Madrid. Guide books said that this was the Best Italian Trattoria in Madrid & I wasn't disappointed. The appetizer of Grilled Vegetables was awesome. And definitely reserve in advance. They do say 'non-smoking', but non-smoking in Madrid is a farce. Everyone smokes just about everywhere. 2 days in that place & you actually get acclimatized to the smoke.
3. ARABIA - Morrocan restaurant, Piamonte 12, Chueca neighbourhood, Madrid. The decor is great including the waiters dress :). Everyone was clad in namma ooru lungi. Again please make reservation ahead. The Hummus & the yogurt (namma ooru thayir pachadi, neatly heaped in a sea of yogurt & olive oil) salad were superb though I was a bit disappointed with the couscous.
4. MAOZ - Middle Eastern (Veggie) food chain. Very close to Puerta Del Sol & Plaza Mayor in Calle Mayor, Madrid. Try the Falafel & Berenjita (Egg-plant) inside the Pita bread with Patatas Bravas (Potato fries). I even packed some for my return flight the day I left. [Iberian Air somehow classifies Chicken under Veg]. Just walk in & order food. If you are stuck starving for veggie food in Madrid, just hop onto the subway, drop by Sol station & walk over to this place. P.S: They have a branch in South Street, Philadelphia.
Tried none of this, but heard that the Chueca neighbourhood has a 'Bazaar' and 'Asiana' (both serve Spanish/Middle East influenced food). Artemesia came very highly recommended by a co-worker. And La Latina neighbourhood is also supposed to have some good restaurants - 'Casa Botin' - Hemingway's favorite & according to Guiness, the World's Oldest Restaurant .
1. TAJMAHAL - Indian restaurant, Chueca neighbourhood, Madrid. I went in expecting the regular aloo-mutter, aloo-gobi. Surprise, Surprise .... their Mushroom curry was excellent. I forgot to ask them, but their Red wine (house wine) was hmmhmmhmmhmhmmmmmm. If you are craving for desi food in Madrid, this place is definitely worth it. Moderately priced which makes it even more attractive.
2. PULCINELLA - Italian restaurant, Chueca neighbourhood (Regueros St.), Madrid. Guide books said that this was the Best Italian Trattoria in Madrid & I wasn't disappointed. The appetizer of Grilled Vegetables was awesome. And definitely reserve in advance. They do say 'non-smoking', but non-smoking in Madrid is a farce. Everyone smokes just about everywhere. 2 days in that place & you actually get acclimatized to the smoke.
3. ARABIA - Morrocan restaurant, Piamonte 12, Chueca neighbourhood, Madrid. The decor is great including the waiters dress :). Everyone was clad in namma ooru lungi. Again please make reservation ahead. The Hummus & the yogurt (namma ooru thayir pachadi, neatly heaped in a sea of yogurt & olive oil) salad were superb though I was a bit disappointed with the couscous.
4. MAOZ - Middle Eastern (Veggie) food chain. Very close to Puerta Del Sol & Plaza Mayor in Calle Mayor, Madrid. Try the Falafel & Berenjita (Egg-plant) inside the Pita bread with Patatas Bravas (Potato fries). I even packed some for my return flight the day I left. [Iberian Air somehow classifies Chicken under Veg]. Just walk in & order food. If you are stuck starving for veggie food in Madrid, just hop onto the subway, drop by Sol station & walk over to this place. P.S: They have a branch in South Street, Philadelphia.
Tried none of this, but heard that the Chueca neighbourhood has a 'Bazaar' and 'Asiana' (both serve Spanish/Middle East influenced food). Artemesia came very highly recommended by a co-worker. And La Latina neighbourhood is also supposed to have some good restaurants - 'Casa Botin' - Hemingway's favorite & according to Guiness, the World's Oldest Restaurant .
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Snacks:
1. Chocolate & Churro - My TAPAS experience in Madrid was mostly on Churro (doughnut like tubes) & Chocolate. Plaza de Jacinto Benavente (very very close to Plaza Mayor & Puerta del Sol) has a bistro called "Maestro Churrero". Check out their website at http://www.maestrochurrero.com/. Order the basic Churro and a Chocolate - Dip the Churro in the Chocolate & go yum yum yum !!!!
2. Tapas - Means take a bite, sip a drink, have a walk/ take a bite, sip a drink, have a walk ... all through the night. These are mostly bite size food portions. Mostly meat, but sometimes if you are lucky you can get vegetarian food as well. Try TAPASing on Friday nights, you'll be amazed at the crowd hanging out in the plazas & streets. Not just the regular good/bad/ugly girls & guys but the whole family (thaatha, paati, maama, machan, you name it) takes a trip around. Reminded me of 'Kaanum Pongal' in chennai. Most big cities Madrid, Seville, Granada have TAPAS bars open all through the night. Here are a few things to check out:
Patatas Bravas (french fries in a hot sauce)
Patatas Ali Oli (Cold Potatoes with Garlic Mayonnaise)
Berenjenes Fritas (Fried Brinjal) or Berenjenas al Horno (Eggplant baked in the oven)
Pimientos Fritos (Fried Peppers)
Salmorejo Cordobes (Cold Cream of Tomato)
Pisto (Tomatoes, eggplant, pepper and onion cooked with garlic in oil)
Vasu de Gazpacho (Andalusian Gazpachu is Tomato Soup served cold)
Grilled cheese (Queso) with Bread (Small bites taste very good)
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EL-ESCORIAL : Walk around the town & stop by whichever window offers appeasing pastries. I tried Bambas de Trufa & Milhojas de Merengue. Both were unbelievably good.
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TOLEDO: Food in Toledo was very ordinary. Please never, ever order "Veggie Paella". Its boiled vegetables served over Puzhungal Arisi - I practically threw up after the first bite. I was in no mood to experiment, but I did see some decent Pizza places & the ubiquitous 'Doner Kebap' in this city.
Snacks: Santa Tome - Mazapan here is excellent. Sin Rellenos is the basic variety found. Try the ones in Plaza Zocodover & near Santa Tome Church. The local cookie "Toledano" is also good.
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CORDOBA, Restaurants:
1. OLE KEBAB - Middle Eastern restaurant near the Mesquite. Try the Pita Vegetal Con Queso (grilled veggies and Cheese on Pita Bread) & Pita Falafel Con Queso (Falafel with cheese on Pita bread).
2. BODEGAS MEZQUITA - again very close to the Mezquita. Had some very good vegetarian TAPAS items. Also, try the house wine, Pedro Ximenez (P.X.) - Dulce (Dessert) Wine of Cordoba (very very good). Highly recommeded if you are relaxed & interested in sampling Spanish food.
Snacks
CAFE/ BAR HELADERIA: Across the street from Mezquita. Family run place & the ice creams here were absolutely delectable.
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SEVILLA: In my 12 hours of stay there, I hardly found any time to eat. Yet, managed to taste some pastries in LA CAMPANA in Sierpes - best pastry shop (the guide-book claims so) in Seville.
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GRANADA, Restaurants:
1. RESTAURANTE SULTAN: Ask for the Moroccan Soup Harira (traditionally has Beef in it, but also served without beef) & Tajin Tajin (veggies in some gravy) is ok. Restaurant is in Cuesta Elvira just off Plaza Nueva. Owner is very friendly Moroccan.
2. RESTAURANTE ARRAYANES (http://rest-arrayanes.com/indexen.html) Veggie Briwat - Moroccan Spring Roll was awesome. Main course was so-so. Probably because I had the same the previous night in Sultan. The restaurant is just off CALDERERIA NUEVA (famous for Tea shops).
P.S: None of the morrocan restaurants serve alchohol. All you wine piriyargal are condemned to drink 'Naranja Zumo'.
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Snacks:
1. Los Italianos: Awesome icecream shop in Gran Via just near the Cathedral. Try anything & you will not be disappointed.
2. Cafes in Plaza Nueva: Breakfast in Plaza Nueva is a must. Grab a seat & order breakfast. Watch the tourist crowd mull around trying to find a table. While the lone women in the corner stares at her book from behind her dark glasses, a duty bound dad seated beside helps his son with his cigarette. As you set aside the local map diligently picked from the info booth & the guidebook that you had hurriedly borrowed from the library, the waiter unloads the morning coffee gently on your rattling table. Off comes the warm croissants, kneaded in butter & baked at the strike of dawn, now stacked neatly on a plate alongside the melting butter. Then ofcoarse the orange juice, strange as it may look, served in a flute glass. Its a wonderful combination, frothing coffee in a steaming cup puckering your taste buds fresh from the morning mouthwash ritual & the smell of oranges tingling your nostrils as you gulp the freshly squeezed cold juice. Boot polishers pass by, clutching their work table & tools, stealthily sneaking around for that first sight of the dull leather & you quickly tuck your feet, praying he shouldn't pounce on them. By now, its warm but balmy & you dig into your rucksack for sunglasses. Next to you, an elderly group chat excitedly as they drag the steel chairs on the cobbled plaza. Greetings are being exchanged in strange languages all around & conversations rise to a mild crescendo. Gradually amidst the hullabaloo, you are enraptured at the simple joy of it all. Locals hurriedly walk past the plaza, sipping coffee, clutching the newspaper & shoulder bag, leaving you wondering what you had missed back home & a fleeting thought that you hadn't thought about work, deadlines or emails in the last few days crosses your mind.
And you realise that life (with vacation that money can buy) is at its sublime best !!!.
