Will do and thanks for this information!
@erica1,
The Cava Baja really isn’t interesting to me anymore, as it tends to be “party central” on weekends and there are so many airbnbs (some legal and some not) in the area that it is inundated.
An exception would be Juana la Loca at the top, but it gets so packed with people on weekends that it’s 4 deep at the bar. One absolutely must reserve.
Two other recent notable exceptions that are trying to bring back serious diners to the area–Barmitón and Trèsde, which have been lauded by food critics and me here (right now I can’t find my post on them). They are both found on the Cava Alta, along with Toguita, which is Asian.
Here are a couple of articles on the “resurgence” of that area:
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It’s all super crowded nowadays though. I went to Arzabal for the customary torrijas I have after Retiro Park on a Sunday afternoon and it was no less crowded than Juana La Loca.
On a sidenote, Arzabal looks exactly the same as it did a decade ago. I guess with the crowds they don’t really need to update the decor.
mikey8811,
We spent this afternoon in the Retiro district after attending the Chagall exhibit at the Sala Recoletos Fundación Mapfre and a bit of shopping.
Sunday afternoon in the Retiro is a madhouse.
We made this decision spur of the moment, when that’s never, ever a good idea on a Sunday, but Henry, the gracious maitre at La Monte saved the day and secured a table for us at 3 pm.
The joints are jumping in the Retiro in the few places open on Sundays.
We started with our “aperitivo” at La Máquina on Jorge Juan, packed to the rafters at 1 pm, then on to La Raquetista on Doctor Castelo for another aperitivo (La Raquetista has smallest bar area in all of the Retiro), then had lunch at La Monte because its mothership, La Montería was closed. At La Monte there are only high tables and stools at the bar.
At La Monte (we were already full from the many (4) complimentary aperitivo nibbles at our first 2 stops), we had off menu the artichokes with ham, drizzled with AOEV from Sierra de Cazorla, grilled and delicious, really good artisanal bread plus picos, and for the main we shared an arroz meloso (creamy rice) with zamburiñas (scallops). Luckily our lovely waitress counseled us not to order 2 rice dishes, and one is a very generous serving for two.
Arzábal doesn’t look the same to me, as they’ve done a major renovation (or major sprucing up, most definitely updating the tired décor), thus the price increases.
However, it´s the same noisy, crowded space as it once was and becomes very night clubby after 10 pm.
Speaking of torrijas, as we are now in Lent, Cuaresma, you’ll find them on the dessert menu everywhere, and at every pastelería, like the venerable El Riojano, since they’re a specific Lent/Easter dessert.
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And the torrija of brioche at La Monte is nicely accompanied by vanilla bourbon ice cream. Torrijas always need ice cream, imo. Again, everthing “chow worthy” in Madrid on a weekend is super crowed, which means prior reservations are absolutely necessary. We were very lucky to snag a last minute table (well, calling this morning…) at La Monte. Every place in the Retiro was packed to the rafters.
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Any cant miss dishes at
Any can’t miss dishes at
Catapa
Castela
Monteria
?
Late Feb sounds like a good time to visit. You still get some of the cold weather produce by the looks of it (game still available?), truffles and some of the Spring ones like the guisantes lagrima.
Looking at some posts of the current menu at Etxebarri, it looks better than Autumn
La Montería: any game dish (kitchen excels in them), like solomillo de venado con vino y foie
La Castela: rabo de toro, chipirones encebollados (squid with onions), milhojas de ventresca, stewed chickpeas with langoustines
La Catapa: in addition to the guisantes lágrima, if they have them off menu, potato and truffle croquettes, jamón de mar, rabbit ribs, if available
At La Catapa there will be almost as many off menu items as there are on the printed menu.
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Thank you!
Which restaurant or shop in the retiro/salamanca area has the best tarta de queso?
Also which vendors are best in the Mercado de la Paz?
@Hungryhungryhippos
Well, the “best” cheesecake in the Salamanca district, as in the most highly coveted and the most “talked about” in the local press is ALEX CORDOBÉS at Velázquez 60 .
His is a very small shop that has become famous for its creations.
He says that on some days he has sold 1,000 of these tartas de queso.
He’s 32 years old, self-taught and has received lots of proposals from different countries to expand the business but has turned them all down.
His Christmas time, unique “Roscón cheesecake”, was a highly coveted item, going viral on social media and only sold on Fridays, just 50 of these for sale each Friday and each costing 50 euros! On those cold Fridays, according to press reports, the line outside started at 5 am and the employees gave out hot chocolate and rolls to those waiting in line. I didn’t attempt this!
Here’s a photo of that creation
I went on a regular day, stood in line for 15 min. before the shop opens at 10, thinking that I could purchase just a cheesecake slice, but no individual slices are sold, so I bought the smallest one, the traditional one for 2, weighing 320 grams. There are 9 different types. This one was fantastic.
The shop is closed on Mondays. Opening hours are 10-9, Tues-Sat and 10-2 on Sun/holidays.
His latest creation was his caviar cheesecake, sold online only, he made only 50 and each cost 250 euros!
Another cheesecake that I like is the famous “runny” one from the restaurant Fismuler that is now sold at the Mallorca pastry shops. But it’s a whole cheesecake for 6 people and the price is 33.50. The one I go to is also on Velázquez at number 59.
My favorite vendors at the Mercado de la Paz:
LA BOULETTE for charcuterie, cheeses, conservas with 2 stands
Outside the market towards the Ayala entrance is ÁLVAREZ SELECCIÓN, which also has great Iberian ham, conservas, almadraba-caught bluefin tuna canned from Herpac.
But PETACA CHICO, selling all varieties of atún rojo (blue fin) now, has a stand as well inside the market.
I purchase beans from FRUTAS MARI CARMEN inside the market (fabes, verdinas, alubias de Tolosa, etc.). Their fruit is gorgeous.
By the way, the guisantes lágrima from the Maresme (Catalunya) have a longer growing period than the hugely expensive Basque ones. That’s why I’ve been able to have them this month.
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I’ll be reserving a spot at Fismuler for my upcoming trip(mid September) and I’m 100% having a slice of their cheesecake! 
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@PedroPero
I really enjoy Fismuler. I could eat there once a week.
Also there’s the veal scallop, escalope San Román with egg and truffle which is a great dish, but it’s too big for one, but you could always take half of it back to your room.
At the other places owned by the Grupo La Ancha the dish is called the Armando and it’s one of their biggest sellers for take-away. When I eat at their Las Tortillas de Gabino, I see many patrons taking the Armando bag home.
You’re headed to Andalucía, too, correct?
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Just piggybacking on this thread to ask for suggestions for Sunday evening in Madrid.
We are visiting with a couple of ‘newbies’ and are taking them to our previous favourites. They leave on the Sunday (a day before us) so we want to try something new (to us). We’ve tried some of the Dani Garcia places but find them more ‘continental’ than Spanish (although enjoyable).
Thought of StreetXO – but they don’t take reservations and your comments on packed places imply we could have a very long wait to get in!
Any suggestions for Sunday evening?
I just finished my list of Madrid restaurants, chow worthy, open on Sunday nights, and it’s a small list!
Sunday lunch is much easier than Sunday night!
I agree with your Dani García restaurant group assessment. We do go to his seafood centric Lobito de Mar on Calle Jorge Juan on a Sunday (actually we were just there at the bar), but you can expect a bit of upselling from the wait staff, especially of those very pricey crustaceans, so the final bill can soar.
We dined recently at his new Tragabuches, very Andalusian in look and feel and not bad at all, so not “continental”. Nice two floor space, our service was fine, and again, very andaluz.
Yes, you will have a long wait to get into StreetXO.
What I usually recommend for a Sunday night:
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La Bien Aparecida on Jorge Juan, the most “gourmet” of the Cañadío of Santander group. Chef, José Manuel de Dios is very talented. It has1 Repsol sun.
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Asturianos, a classic, hyper-traditional place where the chefs and sommeliers hang out on their Sunday evenings off. Doña Julia Bombín is famous for her stews, especially her fabada, and her son is the very talented somm.
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El Paraguas, another Asturian but very high end, on Jorge Juan, if you want to go that route, and it’s great for people watching, where the movers and shakers hang out.
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La Máquina, another Asturian, on Jorge Juan, also drawing in a fashionable, well-heeled crowd but with lower prices.
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If you’re up for a chuleta, there’s Rocacho Plaza Brasas y Bar, the newer branch in the Salamanca district on the Plaza Marqués de Salamanca, near Tragabuches. They serve beef, oxen and cecina from the grilled meat temple, Bodega El Capricho in León. They also serve nice rice dishes, and at the bar at their high top tables, one can even order an individual rice dish. It has a stylish dining room.
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Sounds like I’ll have to go to cordobes. Thanks so much for the market recs too I’ll have to stop in and grab some meats and cheeses!
If I’m not able to stomach a whole cake are there any in the area serving individual slices?
Maribel,
Thank you so much.
We are on the waiting list for Desde 1911 on the Friday (with Rafa as our backup - that was formerly our Sunday evening go-to, until it changed opening hours) so will probably skip Lobita de Mar on the Sunday (although we haven’t tried it yet).
Your other suggestions are all new to me - will research (and, of course, report back).
Edited to add:
ALL of the suggestions look great - thank you again.
Early favourite is la Bien Aparecida - because of their excellent winelist (which includes the Do Ferreiro Cepas Velhas - almost unobtainable in North America - that’s the one I usually buy and return with).
Yes, 7 days in Madrid,5 on the way in, 2 on the way out, with 6 days in Malaga in between. The escalope San Román with egg and truffle looks amazing, but you’re right about the massive size 
Plenty of other great dishes to chose from I’m sure
@Estufarian
La Bien Aparecida would be my number 1 choice by far. And it’s the most elegant of those on my list and the one most likely to impress your friends.
Rafa used to be my ace-in-the-hole for Sun. night until they stopped opening on Sun eve.
