Dining

Madrid is considered to be one of the most favorite places where you can taste some delightful cuisine. Research has indicated that the Andalusians, Galicians, Asturians and other immigrants who have settled here have largely influenced Spanish cuisine.

The Cocido Madrile?o is the most popular and favorite dish. This is a stew made with chickpeas that also includes cabbage, celery, carrots, turnips, potatoes and chicken, beef, pork. All these ingredients are combined into a huge juicy meal.

Callos or tripe is another dish, which is a favorite dish from the local cuisine and is included in the menu of some famous restaurants in Madrid.

If you are fond of ordering for sopu before main course, try the savory Sopa de Ajo that is a type of a garlic soup. For starters order Caracoles, which include snails, Tortilla de patatas that is potato omelet. You could also ask for Besugo al horno along with that, which is very similar to baked beans.

Bacalao (cod) is the main ingredient that used extensively in Madrid cuisine.

For desserts try the torrijas, which is a type of French toast, the barquillos refers to rolled wafers and bartolillos con crema which is a type of small pie served with custard.

Local specialties include:

- Callos, tripe with hot sauce

- Cocido madrileņo (tradional Madrid stew with chickpeas vegetables and different kinds of meat)

- Tapas

- Fish and Seafood

- Bocadillo de calamares, a sandwich made with fried squid

- Regional cuisines

- Paella is a dish made with rice and is a specialty from Valencia.

- Tortilla de patatas a spanish omelette, made with potatoes and onions fried in olive oil)

- Patatas Bravas, fried potatoes in a spicy sauce.

- Zumo de naranja (orange juice) available freshly-squeezed in most cafes and bakeries, and is a must-try for OJ lovers.

A. Top Restaurants

Asador Fronton

Tirso de Molina 7 (upstairs at back), Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/369-1617

Price: $16 to $30

This restaurant started a long time back and is quite famous. This Basque restaurant serves exceptional meat and fish. This restaurant has a cheerful and attentive staff. The appetizers include anchoa fresca (fresh grilled anchovies) and pimientos rellenos con bacalao (peppers stuffed with cod). You should order for the huge, and delicious chuleton (T-bone steak), which is baked on a charcoal grill and lightly sprinkled with sea salt. This will easily suffice for 2 people.

Prior Reservations is necessary

Dinner is not served on Sundays.

Botin

Cuchilleros 17, off Plaza Mayor, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/366-4217

Price: under $ 23

This restaurant is one of the world's oldest restaurants and has been in existence since 1725. The restaurant is a little expensive but the food served here is excellent and the staff extremely charming. The dining area is spread over four floors of tile and, wooden beams. The specialties include cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig) and cordero asado (roast lamb).

Casa Benigno

Benigno Soto 9, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/416-9357

Price: under $ 31

This restaurant serves exclusive Mediterranean cuisine. This is situated in a secluded area, which is in the northeastern Madrid. This is best known for its rice dishes, including arroz a banda (rice with seafood) and the best paella in town.

Closed August, Holy Week, and Christmas week.

No dinner is served on Sunday.

Casa Ciriaco

Calle Mayor 84, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/559-5066

Price: under $ 31

This is Madrid's most traditional restaurants and is famous for its simple home cooking in an unpretentious environment. Their specialty dishes served here are the flagon of Valdepe?as or a split of a Rioja reserva to accompany the specialty of perdiz con favas (partridge with broadbeans). The judias con liebre (white beans with hare) is also another popular dish.

Closed on Wednesdays in August.

Casa Lastra

Olivar 3, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/369-0837

Price: under $ 31

The specialties include fabada (Asturian ham and white-bean stew), fabas con almejas (white beans with clams), and queso de cabrales, Spain's super-tangy blue cheese which is made from a mixture of milk from cows, goats and sheep. For desserts try the baked apples.

Closed on Wednesday and in July.

No dinner is served on Sundays.

Casa Mingo

Paseo de la Florida 2, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/547-7918

Price: under $ 16

This is a bustling place and you sit for your meals on long plank tables with other diners. The menu is sparse and the only items you will see on the menu are succulent roast chicken, salad, and sausages. You will find that small tables are set up in summers on the sidewalk. It is wise to reach early otherwise you might end up waiting for a long time until you get a table.

Reservations not accepted.

No credit cards.

Casa Vallejo

San Lorenzo 9, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/308-6158

Price: under $ 23

This restaurant has everything from a homely dining room, friendly staff, creative menu, to reasonable prices. This place is actually a very affordable food joint. If you decide to visit this place, you should try the tomato, zucchini and cheese tart or artichokes and clams. For the main course order duck in prune sauce or meatballs made with lamb, almonds, and pine nuts. The fudge-and-raspberry pie alone is simply delicious as a dessert.

Reservations essential.

Closed August. And Sunday.

No dinner Monday

Nabucco

Hortaleza 108, Chueca, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/310-0611

Price: Under $ 16

This place is decorated and designed with walls in pastel shades. The service is quite fast and if you order for fresh bread sticks and garlic olive oil, it will be on your table in a few minutes. The spinach, ricotta, and walnut ravioli are outstanding. This is likely to be the only Italian restaurant in Madrid where you can order for a barbecued-chicken pizza.

El Borbollon

Recoletos 7, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/431-4134

Price: under $ 31

The specialties include various crepes, carr? (a prime cutlet or chop) of lamb, fresh sea bass, turbot, and hake, plus rich game dishes in season. Alfonso Castro, the knowledgeable sommelier also proffers good wines and brandies. Dinner reservations are preferable.

At lunchtime, food is served at the bar.

Closed on Sunday and all through August.

For Contemporary cuisine:

El Cenador del Prado

C. del Prado 4, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/429-1561

EUR12 to EUR24

The name actually means "The Prado Dining Room," and the surroundings will remind you of a Baroque salon and a plant-filled conservatory. The Cenador's original menu comprises of French and Asian touches, as well as exotic Spanish dishes that you will hardly see in any other Madrid restaurant menu card. The specialty is patatas a la importancia, which is sliced potatoes fried in a sauce of garlic, parsley, and clams. Apart from these you could also order for shellfish consomme with ginger ravioli, veal and eggplant in bechamel, and venison with prunes. For dessert, you must try the bartolillos that in simple words are custard-filled pastries.

Closed on Sunday and for a week in August.

No lunch is served on Saturdays.

La Broche

Miguel Angel 29, Chamberi, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/399-3778

Price: over $ 31

The modest dining room is spick and span and the soft yet abundant brightness provides a cheerful ambience to the dining area. The wine list is superb. Tourists can try a peppery Priorat along with a beef or venison delicacy.

Closed on Sundays and for a week at Easter.

No lunch is served on Saturdays.

Japanese Cuisine

Ginza Sushi Bar

Plaza de las Cortes 3, Madrid, Spain

Phone: 91/429-7619

Price: under $ 31

This is Madrid's first Japanese sushi bar and is situated opposite American Express and the Palace Hotel, near the Thyssen and Prado museums. The place mints a lot of money as their plates are priced between 300 and 900 ptas. There is a sit-down restaurant upstairs. The staff is quite jolly, and this is Spain's best place to try out the fresh fish, which is cooked to perfection.

Prior reservations have to be made at the bar.

Closed on Monday.