April 2008
Monthly Archive
Sat 19 Apr 2008
The Aloque holds a special place in my heart. It’s one of the first wine bars in Madrid, dating back to long before wine bars became trendy and numerous in the city, and it still has among the best selection and most carefully chosen cellars – by Paco Parejo the owner and enologist. Its located in Lavapies, an area more known for its multicultural and ethic diversity than for its wine bars. The menu is excellent but simple, with a list of 10 or so ‘Raciones’ (plates of food for sharing) and another 10 or so ‘tostas’, pieces of toast with delicacy on it. It doesn’t change that often, some of the items have been there for since I first tried the Aloque 12 years ago, but thats partly because in this bar the food is chosen to accompany the wine and not vice versa. We’d recommend almost anything, but are particularly find of the iberico pork fillet, the jamon (thats an easy one) and the croquetas. Most items on the menu are under 20 euros, and the tostas are usually under 5 euros.
Aloque
Torrecilla del Leal 20
Madrid
,
Madrid
,
Spain
+34 91 528 36 62
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Thu 17 Apr 2008
I went for lunch today to the SushiOle in Chueca, and for 10 euros, incluing beer and desert, what a pleasant surprise! There’s a choice of 4 starters and 4 main courses all of which fall into the category of Japanese-fusion. I don’t think I’m going to try and describe the food, since the website (http://sushiole.com/) has a full menu with great pictures and all the prices (the 10 euro lunch menu only seems to be provided on the Spanish version of the website). This restaurant is a chain and there are currently 4 locations for it, all provided on their website.
Wed 16 Apr 2008
Posted by Patricia O'Riunda under
Agenda ,
Recommended ,
Zona ColónNo Comments
Fecha: 19 de abril de 2008 al 27 de abril de 2008
Lugar: Teatro Fernán-Gómez (C.C. Villa) – Sala Guirau
Precio: Por concierto: 20 €. Abonos (Válido solo para los tres primeros conciertos), Para 2 conciertos: 36 €; Para 3 conciertos: 45 €. Grupos de más de 20 personas 15 €. Otros Precio y descuentos especiales: Consultar (91 4800308)
El Teatro Fernán Gómez. Centro de Arte de Madrid, ofrecerá a lo largo del mes de abril la continuación de la muestra de “Músicas del Mundo en Madrid”con el siguiente programa:
19 de abril – 21:00 h. Chico César “Dúo”
Chico César es la estrella con más proyección de la música pop brasileña desde 1996.
>> Comprar entrada <<
20 abril – 19:00 h. Transglobal Underground
Transglobal Underground son un grupo de productores y músicos británicos de origen indopakistaní, precursores de la fusión de la música world con los ritmos más urbanos y bailables.
>> Comprar entrada <<
26 abril – 21:00 h. Trilok Gurtu & Arké String Quartet
Arkeology es fruto de la unión entre dos mundos aparentemente diferentes, el ritmo y la vitalidad del músico hindú Trilok Gurtu, uno de los percusionistas más destacados del mundo y el sonido clásico de un cuarteto de cuerda reinterpretado por los italianos Arké String Quartet.
>> Comprar entrada <<
27 abril – 19:00 h. Toumani Diabate (Solo)
Presenta su nuevo disco “The Mande Variations” (2008). Toumani Diabaté es indudablemente uno de los maestros de la kora y al mismo tiempo uno de los más conocidos en Occidente.
>> Comprar entrada
Tue 15 Apr 2008
An article in the NYTimes with lots of recommendations and feedback: Madrid Hostals as an Alternative to Hotel
you can also see our accommodation section for Madrid in Softguide Madrid with user reviews, comments and maps for a large range of hostals: アイウエさたちつてねぬ
Sun 13 Apr 2008
La Sala started out as a small bar which became famous for its shrimp, and has grown into a large restaurant that’s something of a local institution. The menu is mostly seafood, but there are salads and a few meat dishes as well.
The shrimp, served in 1/2 or 1 kilo portions, are the cold-water north atlantic variety which are far superior in both taste and texture to the more comment and larger warm-water farmed ones. I also had anchovies, which are made on site and excellent, cockles done on the grill, also recommended, and croquetas which were a little disappointing.
The plate of shrimp shown in the picture (1/2 kilo) cost €35, the anchovies €16, the croquetas €10, and I don’t remember what the cockles cost. The whole meal for 4 with a bottle of Albariño and shared deserts cost about €30 per person.
The location 50 km outside madrid is probably not on most visitor itineraries but if you’re traveling north, and in a car, its a good choice – if you like shrimp and seafood.
Reservations are essential on weekends. Family friendly with lots of space for buggies.
La Sala
Carretera De Los Molinos (M-614) 2
Guadarrama
,
Madrid
,
28440
Spain
+34 918 542 121
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Thu 10 Apr 2008
From 7th to 29th April, enjoy dance in different spaces in Madrid.
See full information on Madrid official site.
Download the complete program pdf.
Wed 9 Apr 2008
Posted by Robert under
Chueca ,
ItalianNo Comments
Take aways aren’t that common in madrid, so I was pleasantly surprised by La Vita e Bella. There are 5-6 different pre-cooked pasta dishes which change from week to week, pizza by the slice or whole and salads, all for take away.
I’ve only tried the pasta, but like virtually all the dishes I’ve tried. Al-dente paste served with simple tasty sauces.
La Vita e Bella
Calle Pelayo, 22
Madrid
,
Madrid
,
28004
Spain
+34 91 532 17 41
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Sun 6 Apr 2008
El Mercado de la Reina serves well made, market based spanish food, stylishly presented in a modern atmosphere. Dishes include ‘Raff’ tomatoes with olive oil (for those of you that don’t know this variety of tomato, they are particularly flavorful and sweet), fried ‘Padron’ peppers (small green pepper which are occasionally hot), eggs with french fries and spanish cured ham (jamón), a number of types of scrambled eggs, numerous meat and fish dishes.
There is a bar at the front where you can have a drink and a few tapas, where recommend you try the spanish vermouth, and a restaurant at the back for full meals.
Sun 6 Apr 2008
Posted by Robert under
Huertas ,
ItalianNo Comments
Small italian restaurant in the heart of huertas. We enjoyed our meal, no major complaints about any of the dishes we ate, but we all felt it was a little expensive for what we got. It’s very crowded, with small tightly packed tables.
We shared fried buffalo mozzarella with a tomato and parmesan sauce as a starter. Main courses included linguini alla pesto, Parpadelle with white truffle and egg, and eggplant and zucchini rolled in fresh pasta with a creamy tomato sauce. We shared a pana cota for desert. The bill was around € 30 each, including a bottle of wine shared among 4.
Menu includes a good selection of starters, pasta dishes (fresh and dried pasta), risotto, meat and fish. No pizza.
Come Prima
Calle Echegaray 27
Madrid
,
Madrid
,
28014
Spain
+34 914 203 042
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Thu 3 Apr 2008
Posted by Patricia O'Riunda under
Food ,
Recommended ,
ShoppingNo Comments
Jamón is ham. Ibérico ham is one of the jewels –maybe THE jewel- of Spanish food products. Ibérico means that it is pork meat from an Ibérico pig, a local breed of pigs that only exists in the peninsula and whose main characteristic is its elongated legs and black hoofs, reason why these hams are sometimes also called pata negra. These pigs are traditionally fed with the acorns of the holm oaks, cork trees, and gall oaks which grow abundantly in Spain inland: in Teruel and in the meadows of the Southwest -the regions of Extremadura, Guijuelo and Huelva.
The hams are classified in different qualities, depending on the diet on which the pig has been fed. The best quality are the Ibéricos de bellota (acorn Ibéricos): these pigs are bred freely in the pastures, they ONLY eat bellotas during the season, and grass the rest of the year. These pigs produce the top quality meats, marked with a red label—.
The ones who are fed with a mixed diet (acorn, grass and dry food) are medium quality, they are called de recebo and are marked with the blue label
The ones fed just with dry food get the yellow label. Consequently, the prices vary greatly from one quality to the other.
You can buy Ibérico ham in shops specialized in pork products or in top range supermarkets. Note that if you buy the best quality -which is worth tasting- you’ll have to pay the price anyway, so we recommend to go to well stablished businesses.
Some in central Madrid:
López Pascual, Corredera Baja de San Pablo 13, –Malasaña -
Cuenllas, Ferraz 3, Arguelles -
Ferpal, Arenal 7, –Sol
Jamón 10, León 10 –Barrio de las Letras – Ver mapa
Juan Pedro Domecq, Velázquez 53 1º izq. –Salamanca – Ver mapa
Wed 2 Apr 2008
Posted by Patricia O'Riunda under
Malasaña ,
RecommendedNo Comments
c/ Escorial 3
Quiet, cosy and kitsch-chic café at Escorial 3 -upper Malasaña- to have a coffe in the afternoon or a drink in the evening. Huge Warhol-style paintings of the Spanish folklóricas cover the entrance in contrast with the prudish interior design of the lounge, which reminds of a 70s French provincial salon. The pleasant, non-stressing colours, the comfortable armchairs and the music which allows conversation make it a good place to go with someone you enjoy talking to. Some evenings they have poetry readings and other art events.
Wed 2 Apr 2008
En la plaza de la Paja hay un nuevo buffet-restaurante-selfservice-take away-tienda vegetariano: Viva la Vida. Al igual que su nombre vitalista, la comida de este vegetariano no tiene nada de sosa ni de aburrida. Todo está elaborado, aliñado o especiado con gracia y buen hacer, una cocina con inspiración oriental, árabe y mediterránea, y con la base de la macrobiótica, eso sí, reinterpretada. Todas la legumbres y los cereales del buffet son orgánicos y muchos de los otros productos utilizados.
Viva la Vida se gestó hace años, cuando Magdalena, una de las socias, montó un restaurante ilegal en la terraza de su ático, luego abrió un restaurante en Malasaña con otro socio, y Viva la Vida es el resultado de esa experiencia. El de la plaza de la Paja es su segundo Viva la Vida, el primero está en la calle Huertas 57 y es más pequeño.
En Viva la Vida hay platos como las deliciosas lasañas, la paella marinera de algas, las albóndigas de mijo en salsa verde, los crepes de caviar de amaranto, deliciosas ensaladas, como la de bulgur con frutos secos y vinagreta de fresa, una sección de grill con variedades de croquetas, falafel y hamburguesas. Además hay ricas salsas y varios tipos de pan que permiten hacerte tu propio sándwich. En cuanto a la pastelería, también es deliciosa: tarta de zanahorias o de chocolate y nueces. La comida va al peso: hay un precio para todo lo salado (1,80 € por 100gr.) y otro para los dulces (2,20 € por 100 gr). Uno puede servirse, pesarlo, pagarlo y comer allí mismo (todo el sótano es un divertido salón tropical –kitsch), salir a las mesitas que tienen en la plaza o llevarse la comida en las cajitas. Hay salados y dulces aptos para veganos y para celiacos.
Viva la Vida
Costanilla de San Andrés 16 - Plaza de la Paja
Madrid
,
,
Spain
913 663 349
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