Taberna del Capitan Alastriste - Madrid

 This is a very traditional restaurant. The kind of restaurant to which you'll bring friends visiting Madrid who want to try the typical gastronomy of the city. It goes back to the 18th century. At the time it was "a popular place in the Villa frequented by soldiers, ruffians, poets and swordsmen." The dining rooms are found in original caves. The history behind makes it mystic...as it happens with many other rests in the area of Cava baja and Cava alta in Madrid de los Austrias.

Their specialty is Cochinillo (suckling pig), excellent. Also you’ll find a variety of traditional dishes perfect to share before you dig into the main. Pimientos de padron, migas, chistorra. They cook in a rustic oven de leña, which gives an extraordinary flavor to food. The service and price are right.

I have to recommend also La Posada de la Villa just across the street where the speacilty is roasted lamb.

Enjoy!!!

Calle Grafal, 7. Website here

 

Pimientos de Padrón, unos pican y otros no! Green peppers, you eat them in one bite

Espai Kru - Barcelona

Eating at Espai kru is an amazing experience. Alucinante! Both your eyes and taste buds will take pleasure from this meal, I assure you. This could easily be the best fish and seafood in the city. The very best one may be Rias de Galicia, its parent restaurant which is just downstairs. The difference is that at Espai Kru you'll find anything but traditional simple seafood. The restaurants are collaborators with Ferran and Albert Adrià, they are part of Tickets and 41º. You can get an idea what having that kind of seal of approval means, awesomeness in your plate!

 Espai Kru's setting is kind of informal but pleasant. The great winner is the ingenious food inspired by the times "before fire"...most of the menu is based on cold and raw products and served as tapas (little dishes).  Sashimi, tartare & carpaccio. I really recommend you to go and experience it for yourself. Enjoy!

Good seafood comes with a high price tag so expect to pay between €50 to €65, including wine. 

Great Oysters with Ponzu sauce and Salmon roe. Heaven on earth, mouthwatering

Salt-Baked Sea Bass

Or lubina a la sal. I want to share this recipe with you because I know, believe me, how many of us think cooking fish is something difficult and we run away from it! Well I have great news: it isn't! It's actually easier than making other recipes that require seasoning and a cooker's touch and attention - well at least in this case. The principal ingredient in this recipe is the sea bass and it's essential that it's from the best quality since it will make this recipe fabulous or not

You'll need (4 servings):

- Around 1kg sea bass (as the one below)

- 2,5 kg of coarse salt 

I will explain the recipe step by step with the pictures. 

You want your sea bass to be ready and clean to go to the oven - I prefer to ask for this at the market.
So first, pre-heat your oven at 200º
 Place the coarse salt on top of a roasting tin large enough to fit the fish comfortably 

Potatoes Provence - Recipe

This is a perfect side dish for white meats and fish, so good with duck. They are very aromatic and flavorful!

Arzábal - Madrid

Arzábal is my recommendation this week. It's a great tapas and cozy restaurant located next to the Retiro park. It offers great service and great food. The food can be described as just traditional tapas made with high quality ingredients with a twist in their preparation. 

Their menu seems complete and not lacking options, but I end up ordering the same dishes every time I go. I love it anyways! They have two menus, one for the bar and one for the tables, the best option is to order from both regardless on where you're seating and share. For a table (which is the best option for me) make a reservation...it tends to be super crowded on weekend nights. 

The house wine is Terrible, actually really good, red one is a Ribera del Duero and white one is a Verdejo from Rueda. 

Dinner for two, including wine, €70. Enjoy!

Croquetas de boletus...one of their best bites and one of the best boletus croquetas in the city! a perfect dish to start ... Do try the Jamón Ibérico ones as well, they are made with sheep milk. Thelicious 

Restaurant Massana - Girona

A Michelin starred dinner for Valentine's? Yes!

Having a tasting menu dinner is one of the best experiences for me. Better yet if the restaurant has amazing food and a well deserved solid Michelin star. Massana's menu is a combination of flavors, ingredients and presentation than turns the dinner into a real experience. This restaurant is in Girona, a beautiful city in Catalonia, close to the spectacular beaches of Costa Brava. Even if you're not close enough to dine at Massana this 14th you can treat yourself and your loved one to a tasting menu dinner at a local restaurant!

The menu consists of seven tapitas, seven plates and two desserts. Overall the dishes were of high quality and the service careful. Massana follows to some extend the molecular trend of other top and starred restaurants in the area, with some deconstruction, foams, gelees... Chef Massana visited the dining floor a few times and stopped at some tables, a nice touch.  I don't have pictures of all the dishes included in the menu, but I do have some yummy ones. Enjoy!

Bloody Mary

Bombon helado de "clara" y cabello de angel de limon
This is a sorbet of clara, which is a drink mixing beer with lemon soda, and lemon angel hair on top

Roasted Bone Marrow - Thelicooking

Either you LOVE it or HATE it! Yeap, that's the case when it comes to bone marrow...it's greasy and full of flavor, I personally love it! 

I had a craving this week so I started researching how to make it at home since it was hard to find the dish at a restaurant. It turned out to be pretty easy. I went to my local butcher (@ Mercado San Antón) and asked for the bones -either beef or veal- also they were surprisingly cheap. So I was headed home with excitement and a bag full of bones :p 

Ingredients:

- beef or veal bones cut

- coarse salt

- cilantro

- one small onion

- 1 tbsp of capers

- 1 lemon juice

- olive oil 

- french baguette or toasts 

This is how they look. You want them to be cut around this size. Place them in a baking sheet with their wider side down so they don't fall and you don't risk losing the precious interior. If they are bloody (it's ok, they are bones!) don't worry you can place them in a bowl with water and change the water a few times. After that, press the marrow down with a paper cloth to absorb the remaining blood

Santo Resto - Madrid

If you're looking for a nice and cosy dinner I have a great suggestion in Madrid. Santo Resto is a small restaurant offering quality comfort food. All based on seasonal and mediterranean products with a spark of Brazilian flavor...interesting....and thelicious!!! Their food is great, their service is great, and although their menu is not too large -quality reigns over quantity- you will not know what to order at first! 

Good for a friends night out, Santo is located close to the Opera and the Royal Theatre of Madrid. The price for dinner is between €25 and €35, and they are open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch 13h-16h and dinner from 20h30. Enjoy!


Si buscas un lugar bueno y acogedor para cenar tengo una gran recomendación en Madrid. Santo Resto  es un restaurante pequeño que ofrece calidad y comida con encanto, que gusta. Todos sus productos son estacionales y mediterráneos con una pincelada de sabor Brasileño...interesante y thelicious!!! Su comida es buenísima, su servicio también, y aunque su carta no sea muy extensa -calidad sobre cantidad- no sabrás que ordenar!

Está muy bien para salir con amigos. Se encuentra cerca de la Opera y del Teatro Real de Madrid. El precio por cenar es entre €25 y €35. Abren de Martes a Domingo para almuerzo y cena, de 13h-16h y a las 20:30h respectivamente. A disfrutar!

To start we had their amazing antipasto. Actually all of their first dishes are made for sharing! Veggies, the freshest mozzarella di bufala, and cold meats make this a great dish

Xmas Dinner with Friends

There is no better company than family and friends. Since I’m travelling soon to be with my family, my friends in Madrid and I organized a Christmas dinner party to celebrate the anticipated holidays together. So I thought it would be the perfect occasion and excuse to introduce “Thelicooking”. Thelicooking refers to the posts in which no restaurant is included but I cook the food at home, at my no fancy and small kitchen. I don’t have a lot of recipes to share with you since I’m learning in the process…but I’m sure these ones won’t disappoint. We surely enjoyed it!

No hay mejor compañía que familia y amigos. Como viajo pronto para estar con mi familia, mis amigos de Madrid y yo organizamos una cena para celebrar la Navidad, anticipada, pero juntos. Así que me pareció la ocasión y excusa perfecta para introducir “Thelicooking”. Thelicooking se refiere a los posts que no incluyen un restaurante, sino comida preparada en mi casa, por mi, en mi pequeña cocina. No tengo muchísimas recetas para compartir con ustedes ya que voy aprendiendo en el proceso…igual estoy segura de que estos platos no los decepcionarán. Nosotros lo disfrutamos mucho!!

Our Xmas Menu:

Starters                                                                     Entrante
  Choice of Butternut Squash or Spinach Soup              Sopa de Calabaza o de Espinacas 
  Dates with Bacon                                                      Dátiles con beicon
  Cream Cheese with sweet & sour peppers dip            Dip de queso crema y pimientos agridulce

Main                                                                          Principal 
  Pork tenderloin with wine sauce                                Lomo de cerdo con salsa de vino tinto
  Mashed potatoes                                                       Puré de patatas 
  Creamy Spinach                                                        Espinacas
  Salad with strawberries and goat cheese                    Ensalada de fresas y queso de cabra

Dessert                                                                      Postres 
  Chocolate muffins                                                     Chocolate muffins
  Cheesecake (made by my friend Tony)                       Cheesecake (de mi amigo Tony)

Fresh peppers for our dip

The peppers need to be cut delicately small