Friday, January 27, 2012

More than Tapas - a Weekend in Madrid


Back from a weekend in Madrid I just have to share my favorite tapas and a few foodie impressions with you:


Favorite tapa: deep fried little green peppers sprinkled with sea salt. So simple but so good!


Next best - big green olives stuffed with mussels and roasted red peppers. My secret and please don't tell on me: I much prefer Spanish olives to the ones we get here in Provence. 

What a beautiful advertisement - a bakery close to the Royal Palace 

The hands of the baker

and valet service for their client's best friends....

 Ice cold Fino Sherry served out of a kettle by the charming "patronne" of the "El Patio" tapas bar where we also ate

the freshest and very simply grilled fish and

melt in the mouth Jamon Iberico that we had already seen at one of Madrid's best foodie destinations the fabulous

San Miguel market hall

where the ceiling hangs full of this delicacy.
But take note of the price: € 18.50 for just 100 g - it is worth it though...

Tapas bar El Patio: 1 Calle Arlaban, Madrid - not only an excellent and informal place to eat (lunch and dinner) but also the place for bullfight aficionados. The place is like a bullfight museum (even the ceilings are full of bullfight posters) and the owners speak very good English in case your Spanish (like mine) isn't all that great.  

Bullfight memorabilia at "El Patio"

9 comments:

  1. Isn't Madrid fab? Wish I'd known about "ElPatio" when we were there.

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  2. Wow those tapas look amazing. I love the look of the olives especially!

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  3. photos make me want to run off to madrid plus the BNS soup recipe WAS THE BEST...

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  4. Those look like the famous and delicious Padrón peppers that are now showing up in farmer's markets and on restaurant menus here in Northern California. Your pictures makes one want to pack their bags and head to Madrid.

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  5. Wonderful photos. Someday, I hope, we can go to Madrid or just Spain!! Love the Iberico ham...could eat some now. Hard to find in US and very pricey.

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  6. Delicious.... I hope you came back with memories that will last a long time.

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  7. Just stumbled on your blog and am reading older posts... I love, love, love Madrid and have spent almost three years there for work and pleasure. I've never been to El Patio, though. Thanks for the tip. And Where did you have those stuffed olives? They look stupendo! x0 N2

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    1. The stuffed olives are from the Mercado San Miguel. A stall on the right of the central entrance if I remember correctly.
      Thanks for stopping by, NZ!

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