Madrid in the spring sunshine
As part of my birthday present this year Mr. Boo booked a surprise trip to Madrid for the morning after the big day. I felt a bit like Kathryn Thomas having just flown back in from Edinburgh on the Saturday, finding myself needing to pack again on Sunday for an early flight on Monday morning. I don't know how she does it, I was bleedin' knackered, but we managed to drag ourselves to the airport none the less. Thankfully the delightful Ryanair staff were busy fleecing a bunch of students for excess baggage fees so the very nice Service Air man waved us through without so much as glancing towards our cabin size bags and wished us a happy trip. I nearly fell over.
One windy and bumpy flight later we landed in Madrid. The sunny weather felt almost tropical following a winter of freezing the choppers off ourselves in Dublin. A short hop in a taxi brought us to our residence for the next 2 nights, the Vinnci Soho Hotel, on Calle del Prado. The hotel is very centrally located and an ideal base if you want to see the city by foot. All of the main attractions can be reached in less than half an hour, but most in 5-10 minutes. The beautiful Plaza de Santa Ana is within spitting distance and Plaza de la Puerta del Sol is approximately 3 minutes away. Madrids "Art Triangle" is approximately 5 minutes walk in the other direction so perfect for every one's cultural needs be they sights, shopping or art. The hotel itself is beuatifully designed with a modern decor. It was our second stay here and it was just as good as I had remembered from the first time round. The staff are polite and professional, the rooms are very comfortable and the bar is a nice place to start off an evening out with a glass of cava.
Our room in Hotel Vinnci Soho, Calle del Prado
Mr. Boo and myself were both a little exhausted following the excesses of the previous weekend and so decided on a lazy break filled with wandering the cities streets, eating, drinking cava and beer, eating, taking a few photos, eating, shopping and maybe some eating. Having dropped our cases in our room we set out for a wander and a bite. The Madrilenos were all bundled up in winter coats and scarves so we followed their lead but had to derobe pronto as the lovely spring sunshine was proving too much for our Irish bones and we both exclaimed we were 'sweatin' (classy burd, I know) and needed to find somewhere to sit and have a cold drink and something to eat. We decided to head toward the Plaza de Oriente to Cafe de Oriente. We were the only tourists in the place and sat amongst locals enjoying a leisurely lunch. We decided to share a plate of jamon Serrano which was served with crispy bread and some tomato & garlic. It was delicious and we may have had a row over who was going to have the last slice. Following that I indulged in a slice of moist, light, moreish chocolate cake while Mr. Boo satisfied his sweet tooth with an apple tart. Both were washed down with cafe con leche. I am not a big coffee drinker but have never had coffee as nice as the cafe con leche served in Madrid, it's almost worth going back for that alone. Our bellies full we decided to wander back in the direction of our hotel. On the way we stopped at a little bakery and before I knew it Mr. Boo had a box of sweet treats in his hand, they were like miniature iced donuts and tiny delicate pastries. He happily started to stuff his face before catching a glimpse of my shocked 'I can't believe you didn't ask me if I wanted anything and that you didn't get anything chocolatey' face. With his mouth full he offered the box forward and nearly had a strop when I took one. Light with the most delicate crisp shell and perfectly sweet, if I can ever bake to that standard I will die happy.
Cafe de Oriente, Plaza de Oriente
Following a power nap, shower and beautifying session we were all set for a night out. We decided on Entre Suspiro y Suspiro for dinner, a Mexican located on Calle Canos del Peral just of Plaza de Isabelle II. Unless you knew what you were looking for you would pass this restaurant by as it is just a doorway with no major signage and no large windows to show the delight that lies within as you walk past. Once inside though, it is a very special place indeed. The walls are covered in a mix of abstract artwork most of which depict el diablo in some form or other. The colours are bright and punchy meaning you are never bored as you allow your eyes to wander around the walls. The staff are very friendly and make some mean cocktails, we can vouch for both the margaritas and the mojitos. Then there is the food. My God the food. This place is most definitely not style over substance and while some uber cool restaurants rely on their style over lacklustre food to draw customers Entre Suspiro Y Suspiro delights on both levels. While I can't remember the names of the dishes I tried, my Spanish is very limited, I can remember how they tasted. The mix of spices and fresh flavours combined beautifully to provide a real treat for the taste buds. My mouth is actually watering just now thinking back. To start Mr. Boo enjoyed prawns with guacamole and salsa served on flower shaped tortilla shells. I had soft tortilla parcels stuffed with vegetables, served with guacamole and chipotle sauce. I like my food spicy and my dish suited me perfectly, spicy but without rendering my palate incapable of tasting the course to follow. I would happily have eaten both dishes again. For his main course Mr. Boo had tender pork medallions served with rice and a mango sauce. I opted for prawns served on soft flour tortillas with chipotle sauce. I'm not sure that I can describe these dishes adequately so I will simply say that each dish was cooked, seasoned and flavoured to perfection and made with the freshest of ingredients. I'm not sure I would ever be able to visit Madrid without returning to Entre Suspiro Y Suspiro, the food is probably some of the best I have tasted, anywhere.
Entre Suspiro Y Suspiro, Calle Canos del Peral
The next morning we woke late and again headed out for a wander around. For 'breakfast' (it was probably time for brunch when we rose) we headed to Museo del Jamón on Calle Mayor. We stood at the bar amongst the locals (you have to battle for a spot, this place is constantly thronged) and ordered some bread rolls with jamon Serrano, freshly squeezed orange juice and cafe con leche. The deli counter behind us had a relentless queue and I watched as the staff expertly cut wafer thin slices of ham by hand. I was still feeling rather tired so didn't take as many pictures as I should have to show how fantastic this place is so apologies. With a little fuel inside us we headed towards Carrera de San Jeronimo. We walked and talked, took some photos and enjoyed the beautiful sunshine, when our limbs felt a little weary again we decided a break was in order and returned to the Glass Bar in the Urban Hotel which we had passed on our travels. We settled ourselves down at a table in the window and watched as Madrilenos went about their working day, some ducking into the bar to enjoy a glass of cava or beer. Our drinks were accompanied by some complimentary vegetable sushi and a bowl of nibbles, both of which I devoured. Our limbs rested we set out again in search of tapas. We cut through Plaza Mayor and out onto Calle de le Cava Baja. On our previous trip to Madrid we hit this street on a Sunday and it was a hive of activity, tapas bar after tapas bar packed full of locals enjoying their weekend. It was a very different story on a Tuesday, most of the bars were closed, possibly only opening for evening or weekend trade, but we did however find a few open and remembered one as particularly good so plonked ourselves at the bar to try some of the tapas on offer. A couple of glasses of cava and sevorial tapas later and we were ready to head on our way. By a happy coincidence we passed the cutest little bakery on our return to the hotel and well sure it would have been rude not to pick up a couple of cupcakes to try, right?
The Glass Bar, Urban Hotel, Carrera de San Jeronimo,
The Window of Museo de Jamon,
A bakery window.
For our final meal in Madrid we chose El Cenador del Prado. I knew it was close to the hotel but couldn't figure out exactly where so asked the concierge for directions as we left. I felt like a prize idiot when he directed us a few doorways down the street, but was more than a little disappointed to find it was closed down when we got to the door. As I have said my Spanish is limited so I'm not sure if it had closed completely or was simply closed for rennovations. Mr. Boo was hungry and isn't one for waiting around when his stomach needs feeding so he made an executive decision and we found ourselves in an Argentinian restaurant near to the previous nights Mexican. He had a hankering for some steak and this certainly seemed the place to be. Again, the restaurant was full of locals so seemed promising, and while it wasn't bad, it wasn't great and I don't think I would waste another holiday meal returning there. We finished off our night back at the Glass Bar with mojitos and yet more nibbles, I know, I'm a big piggy.
Some tapas, cupcakes and a plate of jamon Serrano
Madrid is a really beautiful city, especially with the glorious spring sun shining down on it, and somewhere I can see myself returning to time and time again. It's a nice short flight and the airport is less than half an hour from the city so ideal for a mini break. The locals are friendly and we encountered nothing but pleasant service while there. Everywhere you turn there is a beautiful plaza or building or fountain, a real treat for the eyes. The food is delicious, and barring that one mediocre experience, we were spoiled with delicious fresh food, expertly prepared. If you haven't been I would highly recommend it, regardless of your holiday requirements I don't think you will be disappointed. As a couple who like to take in some sights, eat good food and enjoy a glass or two of something refreshing we certainly weren't and my second visit lived up to the good memories from our first.
