WHAT TO EAT & DRINK
Tapas
Without a doubt when you come to Spain you must have tapas. We didn’t truly understand how tapas worked until we experienced it for ourselves. If you pay for it, its not a tapa regardless of what the menu says. It is complementary and usually given to you when you order an alcoholic beverage. The other thing that was not quite so clear was that tapas vary from place to place. So to get the full experience, try to have only one drink at each stop. Spanish potato omelette was very popular and sometimes served on bread. It was always fun to see what we would get!
Las Brasas de Vulcano & Taberna la Fragua de Vulcano
Perhaps a bit gimmicky, we liked this restaurant and bar so much we visited twice. They share a kitchen and bathrooms but you will get a much more extensive food menu eating in the restaurant. The oxtail was outstanding and we found the prices reasonable given the very large portions.
We really enjoyed the Taberna as well. The staff kept us entertained. Our drinks never stayed empty for long and the tapas kept coming. We honestly never noticed a language barrier. We are fairly certain the nearby Taberna la Pompeyana is owned by the same people. The decor inside is, well, interesting to say the least.
Tapas Tour
Food tours are fun because you get an activity and a meal for a single price. Given food tours are marketed to tourists specifically it can be a bit price prohibitive. We chose to do the Original Tapas Crawl because it was a little outside the more touristy areas of Madrid which gave us the opportunity to explore some areas we wouldn’t have visited otherwise with the assistance of local expertise. It was 2.5 hours long with about 10 stops, including alcohol for $75pp. We were a small group with 2 guides, so plenty of personal attention.
Jamon Iberico
Jamon Iberico, or Iberian ham is considered some of the finest ham in the world. Jamon Iberico de Belotta is especially coveted as it comes from a young pig exclusively fed acorns. Be sure to stop in a ham shop and peruse the offerings. We lucked out and and met a nice young lady who used to live in Miami and spoke English. She gave us interesting information on the different hams and stellar recommendations.
Vermouth and Digestifs
Even if you aren’t a big fan of vermouth I urge you to try it here. Sweet red Spanish vermouth is completely different to what you’ve had previously. Somehow it tastes sweeter than Italian Vermouth even though it typically has 25% less sugar. Its served with ice and a slice of orange. A glass of vermouth with a sardine appetizer was only 3.50 euro at the Taberna la Fragua de Vulcano.
After dinner digestifs are very common in Spain with the two most common being licor de hierba (an herbal liqueur) and licor de limón (lemon liqueur). We saw someone order this at a bar. A plastic unmarked jug appeared and the barman poured what looked like straight thick olive oil into the glass. We spent some time discussing and contemplating what this concoction was and finally asked our server at dinner. She brought us 2 complementary glasses to finish our meal. Given it is 100 proof, it was very strong with a hint of licorice flavor.
Inclan Brutal Bar
The first time we tried to eat at the Inclan Brutal Bar there was no availability. We saw some very interesting cocktails being served and therefore persevered. We were finally offered a table if we could be in and out in under 90 minutes as there was an impending reservation. Learn from my mistake and make advanced reservations online. We were able to make it work and it was quite the experience. The prices are high for Madrid but everything on the menu is absolutely over the top. The Burrata served over strawberries with basil emulsion was amazing!
La Casa del Abuelo
This bar first opened over 100 years ago, in 1906. Initially famous for donuts and sweet wine, they are now a destination for shrimp lovers. They have a small cooking area at the front and you can watch your shrimp being made to order. No heating lamps here. The garlic shrimp is cooked perfectly and served up in a dish with the sauce still bubbling. They also continue to serve sweet wine under their own label.
TRANSPORTATION
Central Madrid is fairly compact and easily walkable. We opted for a Airbnb within a few blocks of the Sol metro. We were planning on purchasing a card for unlimited metro use for the week but, after speaking with the sales person at the airport, she advised us to buy trips individually because our accommodations were so centrally located. Prices start at 1.50 euro. It was easy to take the metro directly from the airport but there is an airport surcharge built in so the 35 minute trip works out to 5 euro each way. We probably only used the metro 3-4 other times throughout the week.
