Krachai is yet another seemingly upscale establishment that was first introduced to me by my Dad’s friend, Rafael. This fantastic Thai restaurant, situated near metro Alonso Martinez, offers a satisfying 13€ menu del dia. My friend Diana and I have eaten here on a handful of special occasions; somehow each time it slips my mind to reserve a table. This is strongly advised due to the location’s popularity, otherwise diners are condemned to wait in line. The wait was worth it today. This spot is cozy, dimly lit, and has two floors. The ambiance is calming and the servers are highly attentive and efficient.

Diana and I were well aware of what we would be ordering off of their menu del dia by the time we were seated. We both got the mixed appetizers which consists of the chicken and peanut sauce skewer, a spring roll, and a crispy shrimp dumpling. Diana followed this up with the spicy red curry with chicken strips, vegetables and jasmine rice. My main course was a yellow curry with prawns and vegetables. I am a huge fan of shrimp in all of their various forms.

I voiced that all of my life decisions were validated due to their preceding the moment where this indulgent feast was in front of me. By the time the rice expanded in our stomachs, our desserts arrived. I had a scoop of strawberry ice cream, and Diana a small flan, in order to end our experience on a sweet note. I strongly recommend this location and its menu del dia when you have a craving for Thai cuisine.

From now until March 11th, you can see an award-winning Spanish mico-theater performance called ‘Always On My Mind’ (named after the Elvis Presley song) every Wednesday night at Bar Lambuzo, one of our favorite spots in the city. The twenty-minute performance takes place in the downstairs wine cellar of this Andalusian tavern near metros Santo Domingo, Opera and Sol. You can reserve your ticket on Lambuzo’s Facebook page for 9pm, 9:30pm or 10pm, for 5€. And best of all, you can grab a drink at the bar upstairs and bring it down with you for the show!

Here’s a short video to give you an idea of what the show is about.

Until quite recently, kebabs and falafels had the monopoly over nighttime snacks in Lavapies. My favorite new Tex-Mex hole in the wall is hidden due to its awkward branding.

Perdizione, a pizza franchise with another location in Legazpi, has partial ownership of this site—the sign above the door says “Perdizione Pizzeria” which causes passersby to be none the wiser that inside can be found hearty and filling burritos and other Mexican treats.

For 4 euros you can get an enormous burrito of cochinita, vegetables or chicken, and for an additional €1.50 you can add on nachos, guacamole and a beer. Tacos cost 1.50. I smiled when I saw that they offered Negra Modelo, my Dad’s favorite beer from his native city of Mexico D.F. The staff of this location have always been super majo.

Once I earned regular status I offered my council to the owner—this establishment needs to focus on its strengths and prioritize the burritos and its branding as a Mexican joint.

Info

For more on Mexican food in Madrid, check out: 

Madrid’s Best Mexican Joints

Also in Lavapiés: 

Baobab, an Authentic Senegalese Restaurant in Lavapiés

Tribuetxe, a Basque Pintxo Bar in Lavapiés

Cafelito, a trendy spot for coffee lovers in Lavapiés

Restaurante Badila is my number one. My favourite place to eat in Madrid. I’ve flirted with other restaurants during the years I’ve lived here but I keep coming back to this one, it’s just SO good. I’ve dragged pretty much all of my visitors here (some of them multiple times) and Badila never fails to disappoint. It’s really only taken me so long to write a post about it because I was wrestling with the idea of whether to share Madrid’s best-kept secret, but here we go. The secret is out.

This gem of a restaurant is tucked away behind Plaza Tirso de Molina, on the corner of Calle Cabeza with Calle San Pedro Mártir. Its interior is light and airy, with simple decor and a host of delicious wines on display. There’s only room to squeeze in about ten tables, so the atmosphere is informal and unpretentious, with lovely owner Miguel waiting on tables himself. But the real star of the show here is, of course, the food. Oh, the food.

The menu consists of updated versions of Spanish classics, with a smattering of international dishes, all based on the tried-and-tested formula: simple, home-cooked fare prepared with the freshest ingredients. Miguel shops around for the best stuff on offer each morning, so the menu changes from day to day and from season to season. It’s a menú del día format for both lunch and dinner, with around six or seven options for primeros and the same for segundos – far too much choice for someone as indecisive as me!

On our most recent visit, my boyfriend ordered the ensalada mixta con frambuesas y queso de cabra (mixed salad with goat’s cheese and raspberries) to start, whereas I opted for the salteado de espárragos con carabinero y crema de lechuga (a divine concoction of asparagus, red shrimp and lettuce – it needs to be tasted to be believed!).

For my second course, I went with my old favourite: escalopines al cabrales (pork fillet with cabrales cheese sauce). I must have ordered this dish over a dozen times at Badila but I can’t help myself, it’s just so damn tasty.

My boyfriend chose the redondo de ternera a la austriaca (stumped on how to translate this one, very tender veal in a delicious sauce?!) which he hadn’t tried before. Initially I told him off for ordering something fairly unphotogenic but quickly forgave him because it tasted absolutely amazing and I ended up stealing half of it.

Naturally, we managed to squeeze in dessert. I had a slice of wonderfully gooey chocolate cake and my boyfriend went for his favourite cuajada de queso (describing this as milk curd just doesn’t do it justice) which I didn’t even manage to get a photo of because he ate it so quickly.

The menú del día costs just under 14 euros per person and is worth every penny. The portions are very generous and everything is well thought-out and unbelievably tasty. Even the bread here is delicious, unlike in many Spanish restaurants. The price of the lunchtime menu goes up to just under 18 euros at weekends and the evening menu is slightly more expensive at around 20 euros.

Badila is open every day for lunch from 14:00 – 16:30 and on Friday and Saturday evenings for dinner from 21:00 – 00:00. They only take reservations for dinner, so if you go at lunchtime I’d recommend either going early or going late otherwise you might have to wait for a table. As you’d expect, a place this good does get pretty busy!

Info

• Facebook
• Address: Calle de la Cabeza 7
• Metro: Tirso de Molina
• Telephone: 914 29 76 51

I think it was first on Instagram when I saw something from Cup of Couple. It was a fantastic breakfast setup with an exquisite-looking cup of coffee. Then Lovely Pepa posted another. Ever-curious, I clicked on top of the pin and found the address. What luck! It was only five minutes from my apartment. So one Sunday afternoon, I entered The Little Big Café for the first time. It’s now one of my favorite spots to write, read The New York Times, or to just clear my head. In fact, it was here where I wrote my Helena Rohner article.

Opened last year by Max and Cris (both with experience living and working abroad), the area of Chamberí between Moncloa and Argüelles now has a perfect oasis.

Now, you’ve already heard about Little Big as a place for the best brunch on a budget in Madrid, and let me tell you, it is absolutely heavenly (my go-to is the tosta de huevos a la plancha al estilo árabe on whole-wheat bread). But this cozy café great for more than brunch. Open from 9 am to 8 pm during the week, you can go to Little Big at almost any hour.

And with that there are several menú options (and let’s face it, a menú del día is one of Spain’s greatest little pleasures). In the morning until 1 pm, you can enjoy the breakfast menu (menú de desayuno). This includes one breakfast plate (I love the bocatín de jamón on whole-wheat…) and a coffee or tea. To round out my special breakfast, I always get one of the make-your-own smoothies. While you can put in yogurt or milk, I prefer to get mine with water so it’s more like a juice.

There are two lunch-time menus, the TLBC (which has a sandwich, salad, and drink for €11), or the menú del día (with two courses, a side dish, drink, and dessert for €10.50). And then on the weekends, the brunch menu is also an amazing meal (you’re way full afterwards).

If you’re just craving something sweet for your afternoon snack, then the baked goods at the counter and window are calling your name. The banana bizcocho is gluten and sugar-free, but everything else,  in spite of the fact that I can’t eat them, looks fabulous. One of my roommates had the cake made with beer and loved it.

Then, of course, let’s not forget what first my caught my eye in the first place on Instagram: the coffee. With a plethora of variations…

you’ll see why their slogan is: “a little café with a big heart.” With to-go cups and a VIP program where you can put your Polaroid on the wall, this is also a place that coffee lovers can love. With the VIP program, you can make The Little Big Café part of your heart the way the owners have seemed to have conceptualize it.

As evidenced by my presence on the wall, the little café with a big heart has become an extension of my home and my little big pick-me-up.

Info: 

You may also like: 

Coziest Cafés in Chamberí

Best Brunch on a Budget in Madrid

Best Cafe-Bookshops in Madrid, Round 1

Best Cafe-Bookshops in Madrid, Round 2

Toma Café — Fuel up, Feel hip

In my youth (to be said in granny-esque tones) I had many love affairs, with many different tipples. You name it; I’d tried it (and more than likely I would have had the hangover to show for it). Malibu and Pineapple, Archers and Lemonade, Amaretto and Coke followed by a brief dalliance with Vodka and Cranberry. They’d all been enjoyed (or endured) until I finally met my drink soulmate; the G&T.

Being a Brit, it’s fair to say that they’d had always been on my radar, but upon moving to Madrid my unabashed obsession with them reached fever pitch. Clearly encouraged by the sheer abundance of gin bars that positively litter the calles of pretty much every barrio. To this end I’m going to share my gin aficionado tips on where to grab the best G’Vine in the city.

La Prudencia

Situated on one of my favourite streets in Madrid, this small but perfectly formed bar is ideal for a romantic rendezvous due to its gorgeous low lighting and shabby chic decor, as well as being the perfect place for a few pre-club copas. It was here where I first sampled a Brockman’s gin (one of my current faves in case you’re curious) but should you fancy a gin that’s served exactly as it should be then put La Prudencia on your list. The bar is piled high with fruits, herbs and even rose petals which the expert bar staff use with flair. They explain why certain flavour combinations have been matched and don’t make you feel like a numpty for asking. Most gins start at around 10 euros which (given that they’re the size of your head) is in my opinion, money well spent.

The Gin Room

Now here’s a bar that is slightly out of my comfort zone (and by that I mean it’s not in Malasaña) but if you’re looking for reason to get out of your skinny jeans and into an LBD whilst sipping on a gin, this place is it. Extremely slick and stylish, The Gin Room has a gin list quite literally as long as my arm. Whilst the atmosphere there was slightly lacking on my last trip, the gins certainly packed a punch. By default I always tend to revert back to G’Vine (it’s French and fabulous).  Here it came served with grapes which complimented the delicate floral flavour of G’Vine perfectly. Before the night was through I’d managed to blitz about 70 euros on six gins (not all for me might I add) so this is definitely not the place to visit when there’s too much month left at the end of your money. Saying that, as a payday treat it’s a great place to enjoy a glamorous gin o’clock.

Shuzo’s

Shuzo, Shuzo, Shuzo, it almost pains me to share this hidden gem for fear that I’ll never be able to perch on a bar stool there again. First things first, it is tiny (we’re talking the size of a wardrobe) and secondly the array of gins that they stock is a gin lovers delight – I think I genuinely clapped and whooped on arrival, admittedly it doesn’t take much! This bar has the old classics such as Hendricks, Bombay and the like as well, as some very quirky brands such as Monkey 47, an unusual (yet potent) gin hailing from the Black Forest in Germany. The atmosphere here is laid back but rest assured you definitely feel as though you are ‘someone in the know’ upon entering into this wee Aladdin’s cave.

So folks, there’s three to get you started and remember — it’s always gin o’clock somewhere in the world…so bottoms up!

Looking for more on Madrid’s best cocktail bars? Check out:

1862 Dry Bar — perfection served in a glass!

Madrid’s best cocktail bars — Martinis, Cosmopolitans and more… 

La China Mandarina, a bistro situated in Plaza de Cascorro, was previously an antique shop that underwent a loud and prolonged renovation over the course of several months. Upon its completion, I peered in through its glass windows in an attempt to scope it out. I’m always on the prowl for affordable & pseudo-classy locations to write about. La China Mandarina is a large space, dimly lit, with a long communal table in the center. The crowd in the establishment was young and well-dressed. The interior design of the place was a little bit swankier than the older businesses in the zone that remain frozen in time.

Their 11€ menu del dia changes daily, offering a broad spectrum of healthy & gastronomic snacks. The menu that was available on the day that I entered consisted of a thick and spicy lentil soup followed by a plate containing three small portions, a salad with apples and olive-based dressing, a couscous curry with vegetables and a salmon tartar. I traded a wine/beer in favor of a cafe cortado. I was tempted by their delicious desserts on display although in this instance I exerted restraint for once.

I learned that the location offers a brunch for 16€ on weekends which I will absolutely return for. I can imagine the spot, like all businesses in this area, being thumping on Sundays due to Rastro traffic. The location doubles as a coffee shop with wifi during non-meal hours which allowed me to chronicle my foodie experience while it was fresh in my head. With their gastronomic menu del dia changing every day in all likelihood it will be impossible for me to sample all of their offerings. This ambiguity as to what else they can whip up in the future furthers my desire to return.

Info 

Looking for more spots in La Latina and Lavapiés? Check out:

Cosy Wine Bars in La Latina (with gluten-free options!)

Taberna Lamiak, a Basque pintxo bar with Tuesday-night wine tastings 

Tribuetxe, another Basque pintxo bar you have to try

Baobab, an authentic Senegalese restaurant in Lavapiés

You have until March 1st to see the Abello collection being held at Palacio de Cibeles (on the first floor). General admission costs 6€ and we’ve heard it’s excellent.

When I am scurrying between my private lessons I sometimes get swept up in a blinding hunger. Empanadas are often the most practical solution because they can be both served and consumed quickly, leaving me full, satisfied and capable of fighting onwards. Pecados Argentinos is a shop situated in Plaza de Cascorro that sells delicious, filling Argentine empanadas as well as other products from the land of silver.

Earlier this year I was dabbling with the idea of relocating next to Buenos Aires and I made a point of befriending the staff of this establishment so that I could pick their brains as to what life there entails. The staff of this shop are a group of lovely ladies that greet their clients with terms of endearment such as mi amor and cariño. The Porteño accent is my favorite of the various forms of Spanish that I’ve been exposed to—when they speak it’s almost as if they’re singing and my instinctive response is to melt. Several times I have entered this location while rushing between point lessons and have lost track of time due to the hypnotizing nature of their accents during our small-talk.

The establishment offers 11 different types of empanadas and my intention is to eventually sample all of them. My favorite thus far is filled with mushrooms and both mozzarella and parmesan cheese. Another that has aided my recovery from crippling resacas is their empanada of chicken, mozzarella cheese and caramelized onions. I’ve also enjoyed their staple empanada, which is filled with tuna, red pepper, & onion. The empanada stuffed with mushrooms makes my mouth water.

Not to mention their typical Argentine desserts filled with dulce de leche…

The next time you find yourself navigating the Rastro flea market, I strongly recommend you picar a few snacks from this charming establishment.

Info

Looking for other spots in La Latina and Lavapiés area? Check out: 

Tribuetxe, a Basque pintxo bar

Los Chuchis Bar, downright good food in Lavapiés

Cafelito, a trendy spot for coffee lovers in Lavapiés

Lavapiés and its market — the real food emporium!

Cosy Wine Bars in La Latina

A few evenings ago I was trading notes with an enthusiastic foodie friend who pointed me in the direction of Mastopiero, a gourmet pizzeria in Malasaña operated by Argentines. As you might already know, the Porteño accent just slays me. I was not led astray when I followed up and checked out the establishment for myself. A cozy and intimate space, Mastopiero is dimly lit and smells absolutely delicious.

Their carta offer a broad range of gourmet pizza variety. I like to consider myself to be an imaginative person yet I never would have previously fathomed that pulpo gallego on a pizza could be a thing. Of course when I saw that as an option I ordered a pizza that was half octopus. I asked the staff to surprise me with the other half and their creation entailed spicy peppers, chorizo, olives, and caramelized onions.

The literal icing on the cake of this experience is that diners are given a free slice of chocolate fudge cake accompanied by creamy dulce de leche to top off their experience. If it were possible I would totally have an IV drip of their dulce de leche installed into my body. The service in this establishment was absolutely stellar and I am confident that I will return soon to sample their other pies.

Looking for other nice spots in Malasaña? Check out:

Aiò, a piece of Sardinia in Malasaña

Toma Café, Fuel up, Feel Hip

La Paca, the perfect Malasaña café

Pepe Botella, a coffee place where you can think 

Naif, the king of burgers in Malasaña