I've been places. Time to talk about them. Let's start in Madrid, at the place where any respectable tapas crawl on Calle Cava Baja should begin, Taberna La Concha. Come for the Vermut cocktail and a couple small plates before meandering to other spots.
We arrived around 1:30PM, in the middle of "la hora del vermut," or the hour of vermouth, the time in a tapas crawl when the day drinking begins with the popular apertif which opens up the senses and appetite. Not a fan of vermouth? Thought it belonged way in the background of a gin martini or not at all in a vodka one? Well, Spanish vermut is a different animal and you will acquire a taste for it quickly, it just goes so well with the food.
We had vermut several ways while in Madrid, and at Taberna La Concha they make it very much in the spirit of the Marianito cocktail which hails from the Basque region of Spain. At La Concha they start by spraying a martini glass full of ice cubes liberally with gin, then they pour their own house brand of vermut (which is available for purchase by the bottle for take home), next adding a sploosh of Campari, garnishing with a lemon peel and local olive (the local Campo Real variety I think) on a toothpick. This is very refreshing, and has a bit of a kick compared to some other vermuts you will get around town so stick to one.
Still don't want a vermut? La Concha also has an extensive wine selection.
For tapas we ordered:
07. Foie Gras garnished with marmalade on toast. None of us thought the Foie was great, but the toast and mixed varieties of marmalade made it passable, still I would pass on it next time.
22. Pork Cheeks in red wine sauce. The pork was so tender, and the red wine sauce was more like a heavy gravy. This was outstanding.
We were going to start with just the two tapas, planning more spots to hop to, but I asked the waiter if that was enough, and he suggested that for five people, even if we were going other places, another tapa would be good, so I asked him what his favorite was. He recommended:
23. Madrilenian style callos (tripe). You're a stranger in a strange land, sack up and eat what the locals tell you to. It is transformational every time. The tripe had a few pieces of blood sausage included which were phenomenal and it was served in a local style sauce which was very special. We were sopping the sauce up with the free bread it was so good.
Honestly, just the two tapas and included bread and local olives would have been sufficient. We ended up ordering a second round of vermut and combined with the third tapas plate our will to crawl on to other establishments was seriously impaired.
The service was decent. They try to shoo the tourists to the basement. I read ahead that it was not the place to be so I resisted and were allowed to stay upstairs where there are only a few tables and a bar. They serve the locals promptly and I understand why. The Madrillenos are there for la hora de vermut before moving on, many of them on their lunch break, so time is important. Don't feel neglected as a tourist, be patient, they will take good care of you.
The whole experience cost the five of us about 60 Euros. Very reasonable.
For a slice of real Madrid, Taberna La Concha is a must! read more