One of my favorite bar/cafes is EL MO�O. C/ Jorge Juan, 34. 91.575.63.06.

Atmosphere, mellow & welcoming. It is a place you can sit at a table with 7 or 8 friends and still hear one another. Great in the day and at night before going out. The impecable modern interior, just right for any occasion. Employees, cool. Jamon de bellota, delish. House wine, worth a try.

Hi LA, jer here.

Wow! I am on Calle Jorge Juan at least once a week or so to buy computer stuff at a great place at #57 and I never ventured on over to El Mo�o, never even knew it existed. Will have to check it out.

Gracias amigo

Saludos,
jer...

a great place for croquetas caseras (homemade) is right in jer�s hood (Plaza Mayor). Los Galayos. c/ Botonera, 5.
Im always looking for a great homemade croquetas de jamon. Galayos is worth the visit. You can find it by entering Plaza Mayor from Calle Mayor (my street) and Botonera is acoss the plaza on the left.
They also have a satillite bar, Plaza Mayor,1. Yum Yum.

Another great place for BAKERY ITEMS and awesome coffee is EL RIOJANO, C/ Mayor 10(?).

I know Jer likes La Mallorquina, but Riojano is a bit less crowded, the people are nicer, and their goodies are like mom used to make. There is a tiny room in the back to enjoy your cafe con leche, a Herald Tribune, and the best Bu�uelos in Madrid. (they are only making Bu�uelos til Nov 7). yummy.

Hey LA and all other Spanish cuisine lovers.

Great idea for a topic LA, I have my work cut out for me on the visual side of things.

Well, the Los Galayos (click for the photo) home made croquetas (click here for the photo) are indeed a godsend and the atmosphere is very nice with the Plaza Mayor right next door. The food is indeed nicer than most of the restaurants right inside the Plaza which tends to be very touristy and serve up frozen croquetas and such to the unsuspecting visitors

As fot the pastries, great you mentioned El Riojano (click for photo). Confirmation of location at C/ Mayor #10. I have been there but prefer the hustle and bustle of La Mayorquina (click for photo). The reason that El Riojano (click for photo) is not as busy is because that small room to have coffee and sweets in the back is not visible and most people do not know it can be a sit down place. Thanks to LA, they do now . As for the Bu�uelos (click here for the mouth watering photo), they are amazing, I never met a Bu�uelo I did not like. For those of you new to the game, a Bu�uelo, PICTURED HERE, is a round bite-sized pastry filled with either vanilla creme, chocolate, coffee creme or other treats

Ok, time to stop writing about this stuff for a while, I am going nuts!

Saludos,
jer..

Hey LA, if you can do 2 in a row so can I .

Right across from Los Galayos (click for the photo) on la Calle de los Botoneros we can find a great "locals" place called La Camrana (click for the photo), great for the typical Bocadillo de Calamares (Calamar Sandwich, click for the photo) and order of Patatas Bravas (photo). Great place to hang out and soak in the local "feeling". 2 calamar sandwiches, an order of bravas and 2 beers or soft drinks for 1.050 pesetas (about $6), can't go wrong here

Saludos,
jer...

p.d. Hope these posts have been visually pleasing

Talk about walks down memory lane! I think I may have mentioned that I lived on Jorge Juan(at 100, across from the burned-down Palacio de Deportes, boo-hoo) for most of the summer of 1962. Don't know about the place mentioned above, but when I brought my daughter for my first return visit AFTER 27 YEARS, we walked down to the Quinta del Berro from my old place. En route back, we stopped in a place(name now forgotten) where an old gentleman treated me to a pachar�n as my daughter rolled her eyes in disbelief. I since have managed to 1)bring home a bottle and 2)break an entire bottle in Passport Control coming home---very aromatic!! I can buy it here, but it's not the same. For those who haven't tried it, it's a sort of anisette with sloe berries and perhaps some other herbs. The brand that seems quite popular is Zoco. If you don't have wistful memories of drinking any sort of anisette, it probably tastes like Nyquil to you. Best over lots of crushed ice.

You really have to quit posting all of those great food photos, or I shall have to run away from home!! I remember croquetas with delight, have never tried to make them and probably shouldn't. Heck, I gained a lot of weight in that one summer because of the pastry shops alone....I remember trying to preserve some kind of treat on the metro during rush hour and having it be totally squished---and probably licking it off the inside of the bag!

As long as you're often in the neighborhood, would you please take a photo of my old building if it's still there, Jer. You don't have to post it; just send it by email if you prefer.

Sue, thanks so much for spelling that wonderful anisette drink. We drank it after dinner several times, but for the life of me, I could not clearly understand what my host called it!! By chance is any brand imported here in the states?

Hey Sue, sorry about those mouth watering photos, I just can't help myself. I will see what I can do about the shot of your old stompin' grounds . Next time I go visit the In-Laws (well.. almost) in Manuel Becerra, I will take my trusty camera and make a pit-stop.

I guess one could gain weight just surfing my message board huh . Oh well, everything in moderation I guess but you just can't refrain from clicking on those food photo links can ya, jejeje

Hi ToniG, many people love the little shot they give you after a meal here but I am not big on liquors so I usually pass, you are welcome to mine!

Saludos,
jer...

Glad to hear some folks out there are into the spanish cuisine. Next time you are in Madrid try mixing english tea time with spanish art. When you visit El Prado take an afternoon break and walk across the street to the Ritz and have tea in the grand room. Its a fun scene for those of you who are into tea and like tea time chillin�in european elegance . I find a lot of a Spanish business people there. I like it cause it makes me feel like I have a great job here in Madrid...and besides, tea at the Ritz goes well with art.

Madrid al cielo.