Restaurants in Spain
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La Pubilla del Taulat
Get inside the eatery in this late-19th-century building quickly, as you’ll find the bar has been stripped of all its tapas delights if you arrive much after 10pm. Tucked away in backstreets still partly lined with low-slung houses of another era, this place is a popular stop. All the classics are present: patatas bomba (spicy meat stuffed potatoes), mejillones al vapor (steamed mussels), chocos (lightly fried cuttlefish slices) and more.
reviewed
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El Cangrejo Loco
Of the hive of eating activity along the docks of Port Olímpic, the ‘Mad Crab’ is among the best. Fish standards, such as bacallà (cod) and rap (monkfish), are served in various guises and melt in the mouth. The rich paella de llamàntol (lobster paella) is superb.
reviewed
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La Tasca Suprema
Going strong since the 19th century, La Tasca Suprema is one of the most traditional restaurants north of Gran Vía. It’s famous for its cocido a la madrileña; if you’re wondering why it only opens for lunch, the answer is that no self-respecting madrileño would eat a heavy cocido in the evening. It also does callos, fabada (white-bean stew), chipirones (baby squid) and home-made desserts.
reviewed
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Taberna del Alabardero
This fine old Madrid taberna (tavern) is famous for its croquettes, fine jamón (ham), montaditos de jamón (small rolls of cured ham) and montaditos de bonito (small rolls of cured tuna) in the bar, while out the back the more classic cuisine includes rabo de toro estofado (bull’s tail, served with honey, cinnamon, mashed potato and pastry with herbs; €20.10). Prices aren’t cheap, but Madrid’s notoriously fussy diners generally accept that it’s worth it. Their sister restaurant around the corner in Plaza de Oriente, La Mar del Alabardero, is renowned for its high-quality seafood and rice dishes.
reviewed
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La Fabula
With local celebrity chef Isabel Alvarez at the helm, fabulous La Fabula offers innovative slimmed-down dishes in a bright, modern dining room filled with classical music. The menu includes tasty rice dishes and creative flights of fancy such as pyramids of wild mushroom with a pinch of salty nougat. Leave plenty of space for one of the delectable desserts. Reservations essential.
reviewed
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Alba Granados
In summer ask for one of the romantic tables for two on the 1st-floor balcony. Overlooking the trees, it is a unique spot, with little traffic. Inside, the ground- and 1st-floor dining areas are huge, featuring exposed brick and dark parquet. The menu offers a little of everything but the best dishes revolve around meat, such as solomillo a la mantequilla de trufa con tarrina de patata y beicon (sirloin in truffle butter, potato and bacon terrine).
reviewed
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El Glop
Step inside this raucous eatery decked out in country Catalan fashion, with gingham tablecloths and no-nonsense, slap-up meals. The secret is hearty serves of simple dishes, such as bistec a la brasa (grilled steak), perhaps preceded by albergínies farcides (stuffed aubergines) or calçots in winter. Try the tocinillo, a caramel dessert, to finish. Open until 1am, it’s a useful place to have up your sleeve for a late bite.
reviewed
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Malacatín
If you want to see madrileños enjoying their favourite local food, this is one of the best places to do so. The clamour of conversation bounces off the tiled walls of the cramped dining area adorned with bullfighting memorabilia. The speciality is as much cocido as you can eat (€19). The degustación de cocido (taste of cocido; €5) at the bar is a great way to try Madrid’s favourite dish.
reviewed
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Costa Blanca Arrocería
Even if you don’t have plans to be in Chamberí, it’s worth a trip across town to this casual bar-restaurant that offers outstanding rice dishes, including paella. The quality is high and prices are among the cheapest in town. Start with almejas a la marinera (baby clams) and follow it up with paella de marisco (seafood paella) for the full experience. As always in such places, you’ll need two to make up an order.
reviewed
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El Rinconcillo
Seville’s oldest bar first opened in 1670 and has been dishing out the goods since before many countries were even a twinkle in someone’s eye. Time has allowed this place to build up an impressive range of little morsels; though to be fair you do probably come here more for the sense of history than for the food. However, the ortiguillas fritas (fried sea anemones) are memorable for all the right reasons and it serves the biggest olives you’ve ever seen.
reviewed
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Balthazar
Balthazar offers a spacious and buzzy dining atmosphere and an extensive menu of Catalan and Mediterranean dishes, which are good without being spectacular. Locals converge here for stylish, economical dining. After all, where else might you encounter a carpaccio de bou amb encenalls de parmesà (beef carpaccio with parmesan cheese shavings) for €6.60? The menú del día also wins the hearts of savers at €8.70.
reviewed
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Lac Majùr
Inside this cosy slice of northwest Italy all sorts of home-cooking delights await, including the house pasta specials, gnocchi and trofie. The latter are twists of pasta, usually served with pesto sauce, from Liguria. Try the mascarpone and ham variant followed by, say, a saltimbocca alla romana (a veal slice cooked with ham, sage and sweet Marsala wine).
reviewed
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Ca la Nuri
With its white and grey tones, and schools of silver fish shapes seemingly skudding like wind-driven clouds along one wall, this is a classic for Catalan seafood and rice dishes. They have various set lunch menus, such as fideuá, arròs negre and seafood paella. Another good one is the arròs de l’avia Nuri (Grandma Nuri’s rice), a paella-style dish in which all the seafood creatures have been peeled.
reviewed
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Con Gracia
This teeny hideaway (seating about 20 in total) is a hive of originality, producing delicately balanced Mediterranean cuisine with Asian touches. On offer is a regularly changing surprise tasting menu or the set ‘traditional’ one, which includes such items as sopa de foie y miso con aceite de trufa blanca (miso and foie gras soup with white truffle oil) and a nice Chilean sea bass. At lunch, only groups are accepted. Book ahead.
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Indochine
This uptown Asian eatery could almost pass for a florist. Once through the French doors and greenery you will be presented with a selection of Thai, Vietnamese and Cambodian dishes. Although somewhat westernised, the food is enticing. You could start with a light green-papaya salad and follow with pescado al estilo camboyano (Cambodian-style fish, lightly steamed and done in a vegetable sauce). Those with flexible legs can sit on the floor.
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Alfonso Valderas
The city's most famous restaurant for bacalao (salt cod) prepared around 20 different ways. If this is your first encounter with this versatile, fish, order it al pil-pil (with a mild chilli sauce). Otherwise, you might want to try the pig's trotters filled with cod. The dining room is grandly elegant, with a magnificent grandfather clock and a baffling display cabinet of antique shoes. Reservations recommended.
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La Bodegueta
For a homey Catalan atmosphere (complete with wine barrels, an old Frigidaire and gingham tablecloths), pop by this cheery spot. Options are limited to classic local favourites, including an array of charcoal-grilled meat dishes, such as a thick entrecot con Cabrales (steak with strong northern Spanish cheese). Balance with a graellada de verdures (mixed grilled vegetables) and wash down with a generous ceramic jug of house red.
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A Curtidoría
Understatedly stylish and a favourite lunch spot with locals, A Curtidoría overlooks four streets from its two dining rooms and specialises in inventive but uncomplicated fish, meat and rice dishes like crab-stuffed peppers, grilled turbot with glazed vegies or entrecote with wild mushroom sauce. It offers a number of vegetarian dishes and a menu for celiacs, and the good menú del día (€12) is also available Monday to Wednesday evenings.
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Els Pescadors
Set on a picturesque square lined with low houses and bella ombre trees long ago imported from South America, this bustling family restaurant continues to serve some of the city’s great seafood-and-rice dishes. There are three dining areas inside: two quite modern, while the main one preserves its old tavern flavour. Sitting outside is better. All the products – fish, meat and vegetables – are trucked in fresh from various parts of Catalonia.
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Bubó
Carles Mampel is a sweet artist, literally. It is difficult to walk by his bar and pastry shop without taking a seat outside to try one of his fantasy-laden creations. Try saying no to a mousse of gianduia (a dark hazelnut cream) with mango cream, caramelised hazelnuts with spices, and a hazelnut biscuit.
reviewed
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Tepic
Chueca’s young professional crowd loves these sorts of places – chic dining rooms, gay-friendly service and international flavours that come with a label, in this case ‘Urban Mexican Food’. Tepic’s signature dish is the Acapulco Tropical, a cheese taco with meat and pineapple, but it’s all good and leaves you with none of that heavy after-dinner feel that spoils the aftermath of so many Mexican meals. Their menú degustación (€26) is outstanding, there are lots of Mexican beers to choose from and the margaritas are spectacular.
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Casa Alfonso
In business since 1934, Casa Alfonso is perfect for a morning coffee or a tapas stop at the long marble bar. Timber panelled and festooned with old photos, posters and swinging hams, it attracts a faithful local clientele at all hours for its flautas (thin custom-made baguettes with your choice of filling), hams, cheeses, hot dishes and homemade desserts. Consider rounding off with an alfonsito (a miniature Irish coffee).
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Alfileritos
Columns, beams and barrel-vault ceilings are happily combined with modern artwork here. The dining rooms are spread over four bright floors below a skylight, and the menu includes such delights as langostinos con mojo (large prawns in a spicy tomato and chilli sauce) and sopa de fresas con helado de pimiento de Sichuan (strawberry 'soup' with Szechuan pepper ice cream), which sure makes a change from the ubiquitous flan.
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Piripi
This highly regarded restaurant is strong on rice, seafood and fish, which arrives fresh and daily from the wholesale markets of Denia and Santa Pola. There’s a huge variety of tapas (we counted 10 different cylinders of salami and sausage arranged on the bar and one of the jovial team of waiters is engaged constantly in cutting near-transparent slices of prime quality ham). There’s a valenciano speciality that changes daily. It’s a short walk west of the city centre.
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Bar Restaurant Almocábar
Almocábar is little touched by the tourist hordes at the top of town. In fact, the tapas are so good that this spot is normally super packed and finding a place at the bar can be a challenge. If that’s the case, try reserving the comedor (dining room).
reviewed