 Few cities in today’s times manage to maintain that dexterous balance of being urban metropolises with a melange of cultures and correctness and yet exhibit a strong sense of originality and traditional flavour. Madrid, in many ways, is a trendsetter for others when it comes to being Spanish and international altogether.
Before even getting to Madrid, I had a mental itinerary drawn out. I knew the places I wanted to see, the things I wanted to do and the fun I wanted to have. So here go a few must-visits:
Sangria at Plaza Mayor
This is perhaps the most touristy thing to do but it is still a must to tick off the list. Be careful as the bar charges are exorbitant, so prefer the one that has more people in it. Also try and see if they are speaking Spanish. That is a good sign because it means that locals frequent it and hence the place would be more sensibly priced. The only reason you will need to tip the annoying person who plays the accordion on the square is because you want him to stop and leave. Another option, if you are the BYO (bring your own) type would be to sit anywhere on the ground inside the square and form your own little huddle. It is not uncommon to find groups of students squatting around, generally chatting and having fun. On weekends there are a lot of buskers out on the street — acts of all sorts. The weirdest I saw was a group of Asians with a stool offering on-the-spot body massages. Guess you have to be really tired before you can enjoy a massage sitting upright on a stool while being a public display of sorts, succumbing to a massage that I can best describe as a random battering. Back to the basics, the bar that I ended up at cost me a fortune for my Sangria — almost 7 Euros! The only consolation I had was that the Sangria was good — fruity and refreshing. Come to think of it, I never had a bad glass of Sangria in Spain.
Tapas at La Latina
La Latina is the name of an area that is very popular with the locals for tapas. The bars are lined up shoulder to shoulder and each offers the same basic variety. The best thing is to have some Sangria (all bars don’t sell it though) and an assortment of tapas. For the uninitiated, tapas is essentially bitefood. The platter may be vegetarian or non-vegetarian, fried, poached, boiled, steamed, baked or just plain raw, and is mostly served cold. Sure you have the occasional hot tapas but that is not the norm. Many tapas bars exist in Madrid but this is the quintessential tapas quarters of the city. Come Sunday and the biggest flea market (of Europe if I am not mistaken) opens shop right here in this area. As you come out of the metro station, you will see the big Teatro La Latina at the corner. There is a very funky bar right next to it, to your left as you are facing the theatre, but it only picks up after about 11 pm. Before that it is a slightly posh drinking hole with a chic atmosphere. Continue further to the left and the bars get a lot more “local” in look and flavour. Being an area where the locals hang out, it is never too expensive and the dishes aren’t tourist-driven.
Gran Cafe de Madrid, Calle Mayor
A small old school café, understated and almost inconspicuous from the outside, be careful not to miss it. It is right off Plaza Mayor and yet very affordable with an unmatched ambience. The food is simple, nothing to die for really but wholesome and filling (which is good if you have been walking). You know this is not one for the tourists because the menu is solely in Spanish. The decor is something of an ornate French bistro meets a classic English pub, with a quirky mirror ball slap in the middle of the roof to keep you all guessing. It has a very ancient feel to it, as if time stood still here as it passed on by outside. But the good thing is, plonk yourself in one of those old looking sturdy chairs and you will feel the same as the world seems to slow down around you. A menu with a starter, a main course, a drink and a tea cost us 12 Euros a piece and that is serious value for money, even by Indian standards!
La Mayor Cervezas, Calle Mayor
 Spain is not exactly a beer Mecca but this quaint little bar is the perfect thirst stopover. An impressive array of beers and also, when I went, one of the few bars to stock Duff, which is a must-have for all Homer Simpson fans. The locals and the regulars may stick to autochthon brews or else, Chimay. For some reason, no outlet that I went to in Spain has effected the ban on smoking in public places. Either that or else they have changed the meaning of public places to include only toilets, although I am sure I saw someone smoking there as well. The result is that for non-smoking entities like me, going out is like having our lungs stuffed and our throat choked with ash. Most bars leave you smelling like one giant ash-tray. Lonely Planet recommended a bar which was not only the pits but also located in the pits of Madrid. I suggest you avoid it, El Juglar on Calle Lavapiés.
Balzac on Calle de Moreto
This charming plush eatery is home to some very fine Spanish food with Provencal influences. For the adventurous, the chef does some rather wacky takes like Wasabi ice cream (although it is now considered rather common). Fish and seafood are a must-try here and special attention is also endowed on the vegetables, which are cooked in the best possible manner to preserve flavours and textures. Apart from this, the wine list and even the tea list will leave you confused with all the possible international choices. My advice: Stick to Spanish wines; they will be the most satisfying.
Chantarella, Calle de Luisa Fermanda
 If you are looking for rich meaty, heartwarming food made with seasonal produce, this is the place to be. The name of the restaurant is derived from that famous and extremely flavourful species of mushrooms, Chanterelles. The restaurant is all about ingredients and techniques but I can’t stress that enough in writing; you will just have to take my word for it and go there and try it. Don’t worry when locals never speak highly about this place; it is but only an effort to try and mislead you, be assured. The place is tiny and there are only that many tables. Reservations are not just advised but seriously suggested. The address mentioned here is for the tavern which is the original location. You may, however, I am told, try the new one on Calle Dr Fleming which is also tiny but good. The more classic dishes like the salted tuna are more likely to be found on the menu of the first as the second may be a bit more contemporary. Either ways, don’t miss the Iberian pork confit offerings at either.
Spain is all about molecular gastronomy and although Madrid did host the summit, it isn’t always considered the veritable hotpot (or liquid nitrogen tank if you may) for it. Still there are a few commendable places for the curious. El Chaflan (Avenida Pio XII) is a good one to get your teeth wet on this highly debated concept of cooking. Else, for something more cosy and yet funky, try Asiana (Travesía de San Mateo in Chueca). The Oloroso Sherry sprinkled artichokes are something sublime and surreal at the same time. The Steak Tartare with apple ice cream, however, is just plain bizarre to encounter the first time round and although very tasty, it remains too difficult to absorb and accept as a dish for some. In short, if you are here, leave your anticipation behind and prepare for the unexpected.
Monuments to Visit
If you can actually find time off from all these gastronomic delights, and wish to burn some calories, I would suggest two museums and one absolutely lovely pair of statues. The pair of Don Quixote and Sancho Panza stand side by side at Plaza de España, at the base of the statue of their creator, Miguel de Cervantes. People come from the world over to click this duo: The master leading on his noble steed with the trusty squire following on a little mule. Apart from this light-hearted detour, the Museo del Prado and the Reina Sofia National Museum would be the two museums that are definite entries for any serious art-lover’s bucket-list. Guernica by Picasso is something to be seen to be perceived, absorbed, digested and revered. However, would suggest reading up a bit before being hit by its entirety; you risk not getting the whole full-blown effect otherwise. Outside of these, the best idea would be to take the metro to Sol, get out and start with Puerta del Sol. This is the zero kilometre mark and so this is where all Spanish roads are measured from. From here, start walking in any direction and preferably in a spiral manner, and you will pretty much work your way through most of the charming centre of the Old City. Club Town
This may not be Ibiza but it is not the capital of Spain for nothing. From Moma to Macumba to Arena, there are some massive clubs to let your hair down and get groovy. Obviously my choice of funky words shows how I am way past such. However, I did manage a night-outer and my pick of the clubs would have to be a small yet popular one called Stella on Calle Arturo Soria. The best would be to arrive early, otherwise the place gets packed and they don’t let people in till those inside leave, which, I assure you will not happen anytime soon. Don’t worry about entry to the more uppity clubs — they often include a drink coupon in the price so effectively, you don’t end up paying too much to actually enter the space.
 Spain, like many other European countries, believes in free pouring which means they do not necessarily measure the alcohol they pour with a peg measure, more like a twist and turn of the wrist. This translates into extremely potent drinks, so if you have a flight early next morning, be very careful.
 Finally, if you must, go see a bullfight. If you do it before a meal, it will make you lose your appetite. If you do it after, you may bring up and hence waste a good meal, not to mention drench a few hundred bullfighting enthusiasts, not that they don’t deserve to be covered in such. They say either you are into it or you aren’t and no points for guessing where I stand on this. Don’t get me wrong on this. I am still a non-vegetarian and I still wear and use leather, I even eat foie gras readily. But, I guess, even as non-vegetarians, we all have our limits of acceptance.
Watching a bullfight then was my way of checking, establishing and ascertaining my own personal threshold of what constitutes cruelty to animals. A sport where more than a dozen bulls are killed a day whereas less than 10 matadors have died in the last two centuries, the odds seem rather, how else can I put it, rigged. Not much of a sport, more of a Bollywood film then, but with a lousy plot, beginning and end. A classic example of why tradition is not always the best way forward.
That then is Madrid. Colourful, vivacious, effervescent, layered and always alive. I left saddened at the prospects of not knowing when I would return but heavy with memories of all that I had tasted and discovered. |
Madrid
Spain
