Nope, no meal. I’ve taken the route but in Renfe´s Prémium class, which gives you a meal and drinks served at your seat. Your car will be a former Preferente car, which has a 2+1 seat configuration, more leg room, quieter ride.
Here´s the difference between all the Renfe fares. (I’m a Renfe specialist! )
There will be a bar/cafe car though on your train.
But this past March I didn’t travel Málaga-Madrid on Renfe’s AVE, I was on the new, snazzy red Frecciarossa IRYO. The catering is slightly better.
Oh now you tell me! Just kidding, In the morning I usually order cafe con leche/latte, but the hotels automatic coffee maker makes a really weak cup of latte, hence the addition of a shot of espresso.
A shot of booze in my morning coffee would send me right back to bed
Ah that’s a shame! Aren’t there any local coffee bars nearby where you can just pop in for a few minutes for your fix? For breakfast I typically order caffe cortado when in Spain. At home (and in Italy) I drink espresso but I find the espresso quality in Spain a little bit lacking (apologies to whomever I’m insulting here ).
By the way, more than once I’ve seen locals in Spain drinking beer with their breakfast (at 9AM!). That was in Barcelona though…
Another great alcoholic drink typical for Spain, and in the same vein as the tinto de verano, is the clara: 50/50 mix of beer and Fanta lemon soda.
Lots of local coffee bars nearby, but I’ve been taking advantage of the “half board “ meal plan included in my room rate. It was such an amazing deal, I couldn’t pass it up( but maybe I should have in hindsight). That and the fact that I just have to waddle my ass downstairs to get my fix, but I’m probably missing out on the experience.
Excellent dinner at La Cosmopolita tonight and the weather was perfect to enjoy it on the lovely terrace.
Started with their famous Rusa salad (1/2 portion). Creamy and delicious with crumbled ham on top.
Next up was Mollejas de Ternera(sweetbreads), if I see these on a menu, I have to order them and these were some of the best sweetbreads I’ve ever had. Sautéed in a caper butter sauce m, which I mopped up like a fiend with their excellent bread, and it was served on a bed of spinach, so so good.
I was thinking of ordering another savoury dish, but I had to save room for the tarta de queso made with payoyo cheese. Light and creamy, a bit sweeter and not as runny as the one at Fismuler but still delicious.
Also had a couple of really nice glasses of white wine that I didn’t catch the name of.
Service was excellent, the food delicious, top notch meal.
I just cancelled my reservation at La Antxoeta for tomorrow, I need a break between fancy dinners, and I think gout might be setting in
Haha! By the way, you’d love the place in Barcelona where I’d see them drinking beer in the morning. It’s at Ciutat Comtal - it’s like a mixture between a frantic Asian seafood place (most of the staff is Filipino) and a Spanish tapas bar. Because the place is packed all day every day their seafood is always ultra fresh. And they have a superb dish of thin fries with egg yolk.
By the way, this thread is becoming so much fun!! Thanks @PedroPero
When I lived in Madrid 1982-1984, it was not at all uncommon to see locals drinking beer or even cognac with their breakfast around 9 am at one of the many cafes that were on just about every street.
All of those small cafes uses Italian espresso machines and the coffee was excellent. They used the espresso machine part that froths milk to heat water for tea; they did not use it for milk. Milk was kept warm for cafe con leche (half milk) or cafe cortado (splash of milk) in a separate device.
I spent many days at the Biblioteca Nacional. They had a large cafeteria back then with tapas and prepared food much like one of the smaller cafes elsewhere, and a rather large carta/menu. Half of the carta was beer, wine, cognac/brandy.
Many patrons ordered alcohol in the morning and throughout the day. Of note, I never saw anyone who seemed anywhere near drunk.
Loved Ciutat Comtal!!! So much so, we went twice during a one week visit.
Portion size and pricing is just right to sample a range of the menu items. Great rooms and bar buzz, good food and staff. The floor manager poured us complimentary shots of Rojo Classico Vermouth, a nice finishing touch to cap our first dinner there.
Look everyone, I’m health-ing . Just kidding, this was just part of my breakfast downstairs.
I overheard the server tell someone that the breakfast buffet for non guests was €20! Yikes
)
Really love a carajillo with Baileys after dinner!!
Just kidding, In the morning I usually order cafe con leche/latte, but the hotels automatic coffee maker makes a really weak cup of latte, hence the addition of a shot of espresso.
