My last few posts dabbled in a bit of non-food-related tourist mumbo jumbo (you get the point, i.e., that I also see the sites when I visit places, not just the dining table), so here, in Madrid, I will get back on track. As a quick note, Madrid is awesome and, I think, way cooler than Barcelona. It is also turning out to be culinary delight with a variety of great options, including many sans jamon (I haven’t had a piece of pork in almost three days!).
I arrived yesterday and on the recommendation of well known food writer/chef friend, whose opinion I regard highly, I visited Taberna Toscona for dinner. The restaurant is a little above my price point considering that I have to fund an entire year of travel, so I just stuck to one dish that was specifically recommended – a salad of tuna and marinated peppers. The clean, “minimalist” ingredients allowed the flavors to jump off off the plate. Needless to say, I sopped up every last bit of the marinade, including a significant amount of olive oil, with a generous portion of bread. Delicious.
Thanks to a “hot tip” from Jane P., a fellow food lover, this morning I visited La Mallorquina, a famous pastry shop, for breakfast. What a treat! I had a chocolate “napolitana” and a cortado to go (note the lovely plastic take-away cup used often for even hot drinks) and grabbed a spot on Puerta del Sol to chow down. No question I will be back tomorrow for breakfast, and probably the next day, though next time I’ll stand at the bar.
365bitesaroundtheworld 