This glass pavillion is right along Paseo de Recoletos near Plaza de Colon. For some reason, I was reminded of the Orient Express when I first visited this restaurant. Maybe because it is long in form like a choo choo train. The head waiter Luis beckons you to enter.....

The tables are neatly arranged along the long pavillion. A bar sits right in the middle. The first time, i only tried their hot chocolate which isn't bad. The second time, Luis gave us churros on the house!

That 2nd time was soon after the Three Kings Parade and we must have looked famished after battling the cold the last 5 hours. One of us downed 2 cups of chocolate in a few to regain warmth. Then dinner.

Dinner was a simple affair. No time to wait for paella but we needed our arroz. No problem. The tropical babes got their rice. Along with salchichon y croquetas y huevos. When served, I was reminded of our local longsilog. ;-)

It is hard to resist dining here, or simply having coffee while watching passersby from the glass windows. El Pabellon de Espejos is right across the Bibliotequa or National Library where I normally wait for Bus #45 to get home after an afternoon in the library.

My visits were almost like a ritual too. And each time, Luis would offer to take my photo ;-) Go visit and look for Luis. He might even give you complimentary churros to dip in your chocolate. Buen provecho!

Si, Señor! They do serve CRISPY PATA in España. Anyone with a drop of Filipino blood would have a tough job passing up this chance to savour crunchy, crispy pata. And con arroz! Each order is good for 3 pax. Maybe even 4 because very likely, you'd order other Filipino favorites too.

We could have ordered more but chose instead to save the other favorites for next visit. How could I have missed this place? EL CAVVALEN is right along Calle Bordaderos, 2. Just a skip and a hop from Chocolateria de San Gines and Iglesia de San Gines.

I'm sure Filipinos visiting Plaza Mayor dropped in for the famous churros con chocolate in San Gines. I suggest you have those for breakfast, then roam around Plaza Mayor and nearby sites (Almudena Catedral, Palacio Real, Opera) then walk back towards Puerta del Sol via Calle Mayor.

The Filipino owners hail from CAVite and VALENzuela, Bulacan but called Madrid their home the last 30+ years. Filipinos based in Europe visiting Madrid and Filipino tourists longing for homecooked Pinoy food would feel at home here.

El Cavvalen is also available as a party venue for birthdays and other special celebrations. The basement is good for 30pax, maybe more. A karaoke screen is guaranteed to make for a lively party.

Me? I'm sure to be back for their dinuguan, lechon paksiw, bopis, sinigang, kare2, palabok, halo-halo. Their reasonably-priced 7€ set meals are definitely cheaper than the menu del dia offered elsewhere. Reserve your parties here. And do pass the word, ok?

(Disclaimer: This is NOT a paid advert. Just ramblings of a satisfied diner)

Buen provecho!

Desayuno along Calle San Bernardo just out of the Noviciado Metro Station. It's a Cerveceria but I was there for an early (by Spanish standards) breakfast.

Only €2.50 for a complete desayuno of coffee, ham & egg sandwich plus freshly-squeezed naranja. Breakfasts are served till 12:30pm for those who love late mornings.

As you can see, coffee is served in a glass. But I'm not complaining. Seated by the bar with a non-English speaking barrista, I got my coffee right.

The only problem eating by the bar is you get tempted with the display of boquerones, pimiento padron, olivas and anchoas. Well.... you can always go back ;-)

It's NOT everyday one eats in a palenque but this is one such time. Mercado de la Paz in the posh Salamanca District of Madrid is like any other mercado but for shoppers garbed in more expensive suits and wraps.

It doesn't look much from the street but one walks in past La Niña Cafeteria where you can choose a spot to people-watch while sipping your café cortado and eating your sandwich vegetal.

And then there's the other major distraction. Nothing but a jamon stall. Inside the mercado, one finds more distractions. Frutas, more jamon, quezos, pescado, nuts, etc.

I also spotted the biggest eggs I've seen, next to ostrich eggs. Those goose eggs are huge!

Here in Madrid, I have been charmed by the lovely mercados y palenques. Don't ask me the difference between the two. I honestly don't know. But whatever and however it's called, I do enjoy shopping, eating and people-watching in these "social hubs".

If you are tracing Jose Rizal's favorite haunts in Madrid, you'd likely come upon Viva Madrid at Calle de Manuel Fernandez y Gonzalez, 7. Its murals, glazed tiles and the Rizal marker will grab your attention. And more.

Do step in and grab a table inside by the columns. A Pinoy waiter will likely lead you to "Rizal's Corner". Order a paella negra, if you like, and while waiting for it to be served, have a bebida and some pintxos.

We went a second time, hoping to order the same paella negra but no paella come New Year's Eve :-(   The gambas, ravioli, albondigas y patatas did not disappoint though. All good that we found their "to share" portions too small. 🍷🍴

Good ambience, lovely interiors, packed with history, good food. What else are you looking for?

For more on travel and food adventures, do check out lifeisacelebration blogsite.

http://marilil.wordpress.com

Touted as the oldest restaurant (per Guinness records) in the world, it is still called by its original name. Casa Botin. Founded by a French man by the name of Jean Botin in 1725 but has since been renamed Sobrino de Botin.

Sobrino means nephew in Spanish. Jean Botin's nephew inherited the restaurante and has maintained the old favorites in its menú : cochinillo asado (roast suckling pig), sopa de ajo (more than just a garlic soup!) and cordero asado (roast lamb).

The cellar is where you'd find Ernest Hemingway's "favorite corner". It is claimed that he wrote much of one of his novels here. In fact, the restaurant and its signature dish of cochinillo is mentioned in Hemingway's "The Sun Also Rises".

Another related story is that of the famous artist Francisco Goya working here either as a waiter or dishwasher before he became a painter. Who knows? Thing with really, really old places is that many stories and legends are weaved into it that it's hard to separate truth from fiction.

Casa Botin is just off Madrid's Plaza Mayor in Calle Cuchilleros, 17. Don't miss the cochinillo asado for its tender meat, crunchy skin and very flavorful. Buen provecho!

For more on travel and food adventures, do check out lifeisacelebration blogsite.

http://marilil.wordpress.com

One of many restaurants within the Plaza Mayor of the medieval town of Cuenca, Spain is Restaurante El Coto de San Juan. Some refer to it simply as San Juan Plaza Mayor. You won't miss it as soon as you go past the arches into the square.

I had my eyes on Meson Casas Colgadas but that would have set us back 30-35€ each. In comparison, El Coto de San Juan offered Menu del Dia for only 10€ each including primero y segundo plato plus bebida (drink) y postre (dessert).

For bebida, I had my vino. First plate was a choice among paella, callos, caldo and macarones. Second plate was a choice among pescado (fish), calamares, ternera (beef) and cerdo (pork). Salad and bread on the house.

The callos and paella alone would have been a good meal. First time I almost skipped the salad just so I can deal with my second plate of Emperador fish. The calamares was also a generous serving.

But I did pass on the postre (dessert) which was a flan the size of a cup! I gulped my vino and ordered a cafe cortado instead. No charge, because it replaced the postre that came with the meal.

Bill for lunch for two? La Cuenta = 20€ only. No ++. No tax or service charge. Not bad, ei? It may not be the best dining place in Cuenca but for the price we paid, it's not bad at all. I even liked the callos! :-)