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Al-Mounia
|
Price:
€35. Wine: €13 |
| Ethnic
restaurants are not Madrid’s strong point but
the Al-Mounia can be counted among the exceptions. Located
just off Paseo de Recoletas, the North African (Maghreb)
specialities in this restaurant include sublime couscous
dishes and tajines. The starters are equally tempting,
if pricey – money is better spent on the sticky,
finger-licking pastries. The decor, evoking a Moorish
palace with ceramic wall tiles and lattice screens,
is fun but unconvincing. |
Calle
Recoletos 5
Telephone number: (91) 435 0828 |
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Botín
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Price:
€30. Wine: €10 |
| Said
to be the oldest restaurant in the world, Botín
first opened its doors below the Plaza Mayor in 1725.
The wonderful old dining rooms retain the original painted
tiles, oak beams and wood-burning oven. Traditional
Castillian dishes are the speciality here – the
roast suckling pig and the tender Aranda lamb are delicious.
Reservations are strongly advised, as it is very popular. |
Calle
Cuchilleros 17
Telephone number: (91) 366 4217. Fax number: (91) 366
8494.
Website: www.casabotin.com |
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Café
Saigon
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Price:
€30. Wine: €13. |
| Café
Saigon opened in February 2001 and consequently made
waves among the city’s young sophisticates. The
cuisine is best described as East Asian, with Vietnamese
dishes featuring. There are shades of the ‘Paris
of the East’ too in the lattice woodcarving, hessian
drapes, sepia photographs and colonial bric-a-brac in
the upstairs dining area. As there is no English-language
menu, the safe option is the reasonably priced menú
degustación. |
Paseo
de la Castellana 66, corner of Calle de Maria de Molina
Telephone number: (91) 563 1566. |
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La
Dame Noire
|
Price:
€20. Wine: €10. |
| The
Black Lady has a great location in the heart
of Chueca, one of Madrid’s most colourful neighbourhoods
and is now the gay quarter. A good deal of its appeal
lies in the outlandish decor, a Rococo travesty with
trompe l’oeil ceiling, red drapes, gilded mirrors,
classical statues and leopard skin chair covers. The
cooking is French inspired, if a touch eccentric –
salted cod in cider may not be to everyone’s taste.
A safer bet might be trout and almonds in an onion sauce,
ox tongue in port or the house speciality of mussels
in cream. |
Calle
Pérez Galdós 3
Telephone number: (91) 531 0476. Fax number: (91) 522
2061.
E-mail: ladamenoire@ladamenoire.com
Website: www.ladamenoire.com |
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Terra
Mundi
|
Price:
€20. Wine: €7
|
| Galician
home cooking is on offer in this delightful restaurant
near Plaza Santa Ana. The restaurant has an informal
ambience with rustic country-kitchen décor, with
pine wood furniture and check tablecloths. The tapas
bar is popular with local office workers, while meals
are served in the adjoining dining rooms. The menu is
inspired by traditional Gallegan recipes; fish and seafood
dishes (including octopus) are to the fore, although
meat also makes a strong showing – the roast pork
in a plum and raisin sauce goes down a treat. Outstanding
among the desserts is filloas (Galician crêpe).
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Lope
de Vega 32
Telephone number: (91) 429 5280. |
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