Short trip to Madrid

[damiano]

I had a short work trip to Madrid, from Tuesday up until Thursday (early) evening.

Thanks to the wonderful thread below and of course the magnificent input from @Maribel I had a blast!

I’m not usually seeking out Michelin starred places but like local places instead, and love love love fresh seafood.

So, of course I had to check out La Castela, a 15 minute walk from my hotel (Totem in Salamanca).

Had two lunches there.

The place starts getting packed around 2PM, and stays full late into the afternoon. Lots of elderly locals, regulars, but most of all people who love food.

I had a seat at the bar and got a small welcome plate of white asparagus in a sauce. Nice start! The first time lunch I started with a media racion (half portion) of black mussels. They have a counter where you can see the fresh catch of the day.

The mussels were good, but probably the weakest dish I had had there. This hasn’t much to do with the quality of the cooking but more with the quality of the produce. Their produce was exceptionally good but somehow the mussels fell a bit short.

There was an older gentleman sitting next to me and he inspired me with my lunch choices. So next up was a plate of the Spanish large prawn carabinero and langoustines, a la plancha. The seafood was exceptional, especially the langoustine. You can just taste an extra layer of sweetness versus lower quality seafood. Pardon the pic!

Is it just me or is the beer in Spain (Mahou) one of the best in the world?? I also had a glass of verdejo.

Next up was a half plate of braised oxtail, a dish I had many times while traveling in Southern Spain. This was a really good rendition, perhaps the best I have had. And then I ended lunch with some tiramisu.

[damiano]

Second lunch at the same place. I had to leave around 3PM to get to the airport - a shame because the place was buzzing again.

Again starting off with the white asparagus. Others got different starters, I saw a bunch of people getting boiled white prawns and others steamed black mussels. I think they just give them out at random.

Again, I chose from the display of fresh seafood. I saw a plate of small white clams (coquinas) and ordered them as well. Excellent choice! They were sold out quickly as many people chose them. Really nice - I love clams in general but these were above average. You also get some good bread with your meal so I used the bread to soak up the juices and oil.

Next up: some of the best prawns I have had in a long time. White and red prawns. The taste is just amazing, fresh, sweet, juicy, and then the char from the plancha. And a splash of lemon. I wanted to get another portion but managed to restrain myself…

Because then I had the baby lamb chops. Similar set up as with the oxtail, so with some wonderful boiled and then grilled potato slices. The chops were excellent!

[damiano]

By the way this is the thread that inspired me.

Madrid 3 days

I almost did, but decided to wait till I got to Valencia to get my fill of fried Cephalopod sandwiches. [309465553_10166944062735714_8735513912479138983_n] The name of this place escapes me, very local mom & pop run joint. Delicious and so filling, cuttlefish I believe.

[damiano]

From that thread I also learned that the nearby Restaurante Castelados is from the same group. I chose this for dinner, a light dinner given the extended lunch I had.

Personally, I liked this place a little less than La Castela. For example, I didn’t see any seafood catch of the day. I had prawn croquetas, then canned tuna with tomato and red onion and finally arroz with octopus.

[PedroPero (PETER)]

Looks excellent(La Castela)! Might have to put this on my radar. Did you make reso’s or walk in? Also, were these choices from a menu del Dia?

[Maribel]

Ymm. We’re going to La Castela in a few weeks. It’s the patriarch of our family’s very favorite restaurant in the restaurant rich Retiro district.
Did you sit in the old Castela or the new one?

[damiano]

For lunch on my second day I picked Carta Marina. I had a work conference across the street and saw good google reviews so I wanted to try it out.

https://maps.app.goo.gl/vTB3D4TYDUADDY9F7?g_st=ic

I came in at 1PM because that was when the conference had lunch, but I was all alone then. People started to get in around 2 PM and the place was full in no time.

Didn’t have a big lunch. Started with octopus and had an arroz with prawns and squid. As a starter I was gifted a small bowl of excellent chorizo. And at the end I got a small glass of a home made sweetish herb digestif from the house. Excellent service! Again full of locals.

[damiano]

Walk in. They don’t have a written menu del dia, I just asked what they had on offer in terms of seafood. They have different offerings every day as the choice was a bit different the second time I came in.

[damiano]

I don’t know if it was the old or the new?? It wa the one at the end of the street. I think it’s the old one?

[PedroPero (PETER)]

Thanks!

[Maribel]

You were up in northern Madrid close to the NH Eurobuilding. I’ll have to check out Carta Marina.
Need to get up to that area more often.

I´ve read good things about the new dining spot inside the Eurobuilding, the Casa de Comidas by Rafael Zafra.

[damiano]

Yes, the conference was ar the NH Eurobuilding. It looked smarter than I expected. Did not have any food there, just some drinks in the evening. Looked like a good hotel, though quite large.

The Totem was magnificent. Sitting there in their gorgeous restaurant for breakfast - that was priceless.

[Maribel]

We love the Totem and especially its location. The breakfasts are superb!

[damiano]

Yes, the location is great, especially since the mercado de la paz is around the corner!

https://maps.app.goo.gl/QSqU6UUrTvBker6G8?g_st=ic

It’s a wonderful little market - as you already know - but for others here a good tip if you want to see some local produce and sample some food and drinks at the numerous restaurants in the covered market.

It’s very small and local, and quite upscale.

[Maribel]

Mercado de la Paz, I can’t tell you how much Iove this market! And it’s just a stone’s throw away from your hotel, the Tótem!

[Annegrace]

Looking at all these delicious pictures of Spanish food has decided our dinner for tonight. Fideu with prawns, sausage and chicken! Wow, love Spanish food and need to go back there some day. We got some amazing tortillas in one of the smaller markets in Salamanca close to our hotel.

[damiano]

I was thinking of getting the fideua at Carta Marina! But I chose the regular rice with carabinero instead… I wish I had taken the fideua now! Hope you enjoy your meal, and yes, Spanish food is amazing.

[Annegrace]

Our last two trips to Spain were a wonderful week of eating in Sevilla and Granada and then visiting Getaria in the basque countryside. Everything was delicious.

[erica1]

Oh, my, LA CASTELA has made it to the top rank on my list for next trip to Madrid!

Maribel, any comparisons you care to offer between that and LA CATAPA, where I was very happy last March??

The coquinas, the lamb, and the oxtail…is oxtail “Rabo de toro” in Spanish, or does that refer to another dish. Your photo of that makes me want to get out of my swimsuit, grab my passport and get the next Iberia flight out of JFK! (Or maybe go IN my bathing suit!)

What is it with me and lamb in Spain?? And lately the braised beef dishes are moving higher and. higher on my list of “essentials!”

Looks as if there is a chance I “might” make it back to Madrid in December, so need to begin compiling my own list! SO MANY choices!

[Maribel]

@erica1,
Here are my comparisons:
La Catapa, as you know, is unpretentious, informal and has changed relatively little in décor since taking over the space once occupied by Laredo. It hasn’t moved far away from its “neighborhood tavern” ambience, despite its Repsol sun and the addition of its top flight sommelier, Nico (from Vejer). It has an extremely loyal local clientele base who wouldn’t want to see it get any “fancier”.

La Castela is the same, although they have enlarged the space now. They are both extremely crowded at all times because they offer fine food and a good value and are two of the most popular “neo tabernas” in the Retiro district.
In fact, I tried to snag a reservation for 5 in the dining room to treat our friends but on Saturdays, one needs to make a reservation 4-5 weeks ahead! So we went to Rafa.

These 2 casual dining spots, again, get extremely crowded, from Thursday (the new “Friday”, now called “juernes”), Friday and Saturday. Neither is open on Sunday. La Catapa is also closed on Mondays.

BTW, La Castela, Castelados (the “sibling” down the street, La Montería and its “sibling”, La Monte, belong to the same family.

Food wise, I see them all to be relatively similar, although La Montería has a “fancier” feel, more elegant decor, soft lighting, more “designer done”, in its dining room since its renovation.

Oxtail is the way “rabo de toro” is translated, although it’s bull’s tail rather then oxen.
It’s what my husband ordered at Rafa (not being a big crustacean fan).