Sherry, olives and flamenquito at La Venencia

Just four words: "Enough with that Hemingway", La Venencia is cool in its own right.

Traditional food at El Comunista

Sometimes unsophistication can be good fun. Stuck in time casa de comidas and former communist "resistance" meeting place, dangerouuusssss.

more info here

Chocolate con Churros at San Ginés

"Chocolate con churros with your grandma" is Spaniards' take on "high tea with your aunties", an equally "heady" experience. Hot chocolate Spanish style might be too thick for you...Even so, you should give it a try just to get a glance of those ecstasy faces and chocolaty smiles around you while at Chocolatería San Ginés

Croquetas de Bacalao at Casa Labra

Yummy, Yummy Bacalao-Bacala-Cod Croquetas and Tajadas fritas at Casa Labra, Spaniards luvv their fried food and only use olive oil... the beauty of it is that when they don't, you don't even care and order another round.

I got the pic here

I want a Bocadillo de Calamares in my bowl and then some

While in Madrid checking some art at Reina Sofía Museum, don't forget to grab a Bocadillo de Calamares at El Brillante a quintessential tapas dive: old fashioned decor, old fashioned waiters and real deal food that never goes out of fashion. For Daredevils the "arty" zarajo is a must, if that's a good sign the "Diplomatic wife" below seemed to ignore what she was missing.

I got the pic here

Vazquez Montalban y Anguita no cenan juntos en Córdoba

Maven: Manuel Vazquez Montalban
Area: Córdoba

"Un paseo precioso por la judería anochecida, rodeados de anguitistas por todas partes y el respeto en el rostro de los ciudadanos al paso del señor alcalde hubiera sido satisfacción compensatoria suficiente para tan rápido viaje, de no haberse completado la maravilla con una cena en El Caballo Rojo(...) Dispuso el restaurador una variada cena, entrantes chacineros de la tierra y pequeñas y plurales muestras de una carta sugestiva y culta, por cuanto nos reveló su empeño de de resucitar la Atlántida sumergida de la antigua cocina andaluza. Y así probamos salmorejo, taza de caldo de gallina y jamón, cardos del país con crema de jamón, rodaballo al azafrán, cordero a la miel de eucalipto y variados postres entre los que destacaría la eufonía del Suspiro de Almanzor. También me descubrió José García Martín un vino blanco de Puente Genil, El Castillo de albornoz, excelente de textura y sabor, escaso de aroma, pero eso se corrige con el tiempo. Anguita no probó bocado.
-Lo mío es el arroz blanco y los huevos fritos."

Manuel Vazquez Montalban,," Mis Almuerzos con Gente Inquietante" 1984

 

Celeb Mavens: Simone de Beauvoir (and Sartre) ate so so food in Rouen

Maven: Simone de Beauvoir
Area: Rouen, Normandy

"Between two brothels, each guarded by a tough pimp, was that renowned restaurant La Grosse Tonne; We went there occasionally to sample the Sole Normande and Soufflé au Calvados. Most of the time we ate in the big Brasserie Paillete a quiet and commonplace stablishment"
                                                                                     Simone de Beauvoir "The Prime of Life" 1960