MMDDMM – Back to the beginning – 2 YEAR ANNIVERSARY!!!

At a time of crisis, we stand with our common man (and woman), side by side, we realise our mortality and discover that we are all but mere humans affected by the same tyrant. As we stand here now, we stand together and stare into the eye of that which now affects us all, our common enemy…The economy.  Do we run and cower? No, for the only way to beat a bully is to join forces, take them on and smite them with what tools you have to hand. Our tools for this fight however is our cunning ability to gather friends and break bread regardless of our financial flurries, our hawk eye to see a good deal and the always ever-present “craic” and “banter” to lift spirits on any given Tuesday afternoon.

Now, this, our culinary club that meets each week to explore the multiple pockets of gastronomic gems around Madrid was not always the juggernaut that you now see before you today, no no! You may ask “So where did it all begin?” Well, two Irish men walk into a bar… Only joking, well partly!  It was started by two friends who stepped out to lunch one day, meandered down Lavapies and stumbled on a restaurant that offered a 3 course meal and all wine included for €10, “why not” said one Irish man to another. That afternoon, galaxies were knocked out of orbit as the brainstorming came thick and fast as the seed was sewn and MMDDMM became real.

Two years on as we celebrate our anniversary, we look back at well over 100 restaurants rated and reviewed and all the fun in between with many post lunch watering holes discovered and many friends met along the way. So, “how ironic” you might say, that it was that this, the very first restaurant that those two Irish lads wandered into that faithful day was so aptly named, El Económico.

As it was early days and the reviewing process was only a twinkle in our eye, they escaped without evaluation of what it is that “menu del dia” means to them. So it was only fair to go back to where it all began and fill in such a paramount piece of this pabulum puzzle before we turn to what lies before us on this appetising adventure.

This week, El Económico Soidemersol on Calle Argumosa, a stone throw for Metro Lavapies, was our pre-determined diner and so with the troops in tow we descended on this lunchtime local to sample that which we have seen before but never reported, their menu of the day. So, what was on offer? Well, veggie soup, arroz a la Cubana and salad for firsts with beef stew and Calamares Andaluza for mains with plenty of grape goodness to wash it all down and all for €9. The food was hot, which you may think is an absurd aspect to point out but you´d be surprised by how many restaurants fall short on this fundamental property of the food they serve (obviously, we´re not referring to gaspacho, salmorecho, ect.). The choices however were limited but the quality was pretty okay and the service was certainly friendly and efficient. All this said, it really only made for a better than average experience and when all votes were tallied the best they could come away with was a 3.75 out of 5. So not mind blowing stuff and nor was it as galaxy displacing as we´d thought it was two years previous but they will send you on your way with a full tummy and a smile on your face.

We bade our fair wells and continued our journey along the Camino de MMDDMM as we´d done that first day and headed towards Plaza Lavapies. Deciding to take advantage of the sun drenched terraces for some thirst quenchers before then diving in and out of the sporadic showers that loomed overhead with the ever essential pit stops while en route to one of our favourites… Rastro bar. It was here that we decided to park our saddles for the night as dusk descended on the gang and another fine days dining.

Next week´s adventure shall be posted forth with but until then… I raise my glass to all of you fine people who´ve been a part of what has become and thank you for all of your help and participation, so here´s to you all, cheers!

MMDDMM – Duqing and Diving.

Roughly 2 years ago, a light bulb switched on in the brains of two borderline geniuses. Cheap food for all. Well, here we are, over 100 reviews later and the party shows no sign of stopping. And in memory of this momentous occasion, we would like to invite one and all to join us next Tuesday in the place where it all began. AND, as the following day is a festivo, your excuses as to why you can´t join us for lunch or post meal lubricants had better be pretty inventive.

But before we commence our celebrations of La Semana del San MMDDMM, this week´s adventure must be accounted for. COME ON DOWN La Pomerada on Calle Conde Duque 3. Two minutes strolling distance from Plaza de España, La Pomerada is another bastion of one of Spain´s most celebrated culinary comunidades, Asturias. Blue and yellow flags and bottles of natural cider greet you upon entering this tastefully decorated and spacious eatery. All that is missing is a picture of Asturias´ favourite son, San Fernando Alonso. Once ensconced at our banquet table, we quickly perused our options. 7 starters and 7 mains at a reasonable €9.50. Our choices were ample but the menu consisted of a roll call of all the usual suspects; salads, cremas, filetes, meatballs. We enjoy a different restaurant´s interpretation of a classic but we also liked to be surprised sometimes.

La Pomarada´s dining hall had more than sufficient space to ensure no elbow wars broke out as we tucked in to our first courses. However, a common complaint we´ve made throughout our numerous reviews cropped up, AGAIN. Food temperature. Those of us who chose the crema were served mildly warm dishes. You know how we feel about microwaves but this is one area where it is of much benefit. And the gazpacho should have been re-labelled sopa de tomate, although they didn´t skimp on the usual gazpacho extras. Our second dishes did help turn things around as they were simply HUGE. The secreto iberico was a hefty slab of meat, the albondigas were the biggest balls i´ve seen in a while, and the fish looked like it had been working out before jumping into the oven. And all with a healthy helping of home made fries.

Servicewise, La Pomerada´s camareros were just about competent enough. All requests for mas mantequilla and casera were met post haste. But if someone asks you to reheat their crema, please return said crema to the correct customer. Not that difficult really. The food was good but not good good. They´ve got the quantity angle down ( I was practically bursting at the seams ), but they need a few tweaks in the quality department. Ambiance and decor were quality with a healthy mixture of business bodies and obreros passing through, coupled with our usual self generated ribald racousness and banter. All these ingredients add up to a slightly generous 3.5 out of 5. You´ll leave stuffed but you might have to bring a microwave with you.

With no nasty hidden extras hidden on the bill, we excused ourselves and made our way up to Plaza Guardias de Corps where we basked on La Cajita de Nori´s terraza and worked on our tans and blood alcohol level. With the sun slowly melting away, an executive decision was made to continue the fun in one of our favourite hangouts, J&J´s. The rest of the night, a happy dreamy haze.

As mentioned previously, next week is our birthday. We encourage you all to come along and see where this juggernaut was first concieved. Even if you can´t make it to lunch, we will be cruising through Madrid´s city centre post feast, sampling as much grain and grape as is humanly possible. Come on, you know you want to . And before we wrap up, may i just say a big thank you to ALL of you for your continuous donations to our swearing is caring movement and a special thank you to the head of our media department, Alitas. Her Tarantino-esque productions of where your money goes should be enjoyed by all. Until next time MMDDMMers.

MMDDMM – Ach aye, noo in the highland´s of Madrid!!!

Here at MMDDMM, we do love themes! By this I mean a centre piece to which we venture to any given restaurant, especially if it´s a different culture. This week´s focal point was Scotland and all the glory that comes from this fine Celtic stronghold but was it going to stand up to that which we have sampled from other Celtic kingdoms such as Ireland and certain northern Spanish territories? There was only one way to find out…

 

Now it is rare to come across Scottish gastronomy but as we were armed with the tools for the task and a hunger for haggis it´d be fair to say we were fit for the fight and wandered up into the highlands of Madrid to a disclosed vantage point by metro Tetuan to a calle known to many as General Margallo, St. Andrew´s Cross was where we were going to replenish our famished food foragers.

Surrounded by those who work and play in this, the business district of Madrid and distinctly recognisable by their plumage and strut, not too dissimilar to that of a pheasant, it was just as well we had called on reinforcements from as far away as Dublin, Asturias, Tennessee and somewhere that even they themselves cannot even tell you (a-hem Cristina). We were welcomed with open arms and a smile and led to our table. It was evident that this was quite the popular local to meet, greet and eat as many a table had already been taken.

 

We were swiftly provided with our menu´s, bread and beverages. We were satisfied; the choices for our first course were plentiful with at least 15 to choose from and 5 for mains for €11.50. It all looked good until we found that there were no Scottish dishes on the menu, in fact one of our options was German sausages with sauerkraut?! Had the influence of the Spanish bailout from German banks fed so far into the culture as its cuisine?!?! This moment of ponder came to pass as the wine hit my glass and we proceeded to chow down. Before we knew it we had called for the bill and were sipping our coffees while discussing what we should award this slightly deceptive diner. With all aspects of our criterion called to attention, a 3.25 out of 5 was deemed the most that they could muster. So just above average with a shout out to service being a plus point here.

 

We disbanded and went our separate way with some of us taking the high road to more things not in the slightest Celtic to Monks Irish bar on Calle Capitán Haya where one can find a bottle of wannabe Irish cider or Bulmers as its known (not Magners) for a smidge over €7 (yes €7!!!) while others took the low road to work and responsibility.

 

As we downed our drinks and paid up there was a slight feeling of being wrongly served without the lubrication and the remaining brave souls left this immoral monk and headed around the corner to the Irish Rover to recap on what felt like a day full of all that could´ve been. Not to say that we didn’t have fun, we always have fun, but there was a serious lack of authenticity. That is of course except for the one thing, the sausages were genuinely German!

 

And so, with another menu under our belts, our hunger grows ever stronger to find that ever-illustrious best diner for menu del dia and next week, another restaurant comes up for review. Invitation shall be posted forthwith, but until then all you loco luncheoners… It´s chow for now! 

MMDDMM – A Spanish Gastronomic Revolution.

    This is the weekly communique from the Brotherhood (and Sisterhood) of the Revolutionary Forces of MMDDMM. We call upon all those who want to see a world free from empty stomachs and culinary injustices to join arms, rise up and smote those who would oppose our just revolution, The Deceptive Diners. These scourges of all things savoury and sweet would have us live in a world full of empty promises, emptier bellies and covert charges. Not on our watch. VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!

Like all revolutionary forces, we move from campfield to battlefield to campfield, fighting injustice and defending those who share our ideals and passion. After much searching and trekking, our brave band of guerreros happened upon an establishment that was rumoured to be sympathetic towards our cause, Revoltosa on Plaza del Rey, only a 5 minute donkey ride from Plaza Cibeles. Our undercover contact, codename `Maria`, through morse code and carrier pigeon, had informed us that Revoltosa would more than take care of our ravished revolucionarios and show us that our cause is spreading. Feeling that we were in safe territory, we opted to wine and dine outdoors so we could feel the sun on our battle weary faces.

As Maria wanted to keep her cover intact, she let us get comfortable and ensured no suspicion was raised, less there be deceptive diner spies watching. Once all felt secure, we were presented with our choice of tummy soothers, 3 & 3 for €11.90. We may have previously experienced more choices for lower prices but our cause is about the ENTIRE experience, not just the bottom dollar (DIE deceptive diners, DIE!!). Dishes at our fingertips included salmorejo, orchard salad, macarones, chicken fried steak, grilled hake and honey coated ribs. A hearty selection worthy of our attention. Our hostess insured our table was resplendent with more than sufficient quantities of the nectar of the gods, and gaseosa to placate our mortal palettes.

Revoltosa is new to the MMDDMM ideal and it shows. Service was ok but Maria did have her hands full and gave it her all. Some of her colleagues definitely had the air of deceptive diner sympathizer about them. Still, more converts for us to convert. The food was filling and tasty but didn´t push us over the edge into full on coup d´etat mode. But what gives Revoltosa a deserved 3.75 out of 5 is its welcoming atmosphere, the banter it inspired and the copious amounts of vino it offered us. It took us until late in the evening to polish off all the grape juice that came with our meal. Impresionante!! Revoltosa, we salute your revolutionary spirit and no doubt many of our brothers and sisters will enjoy a future respite from the ongoing battle in your welcoming arms.

Once we were informed the coast was clear, we marched on to what is a beacon in our continuous uprising, J&J´s bookshop. Comandante Dave was on hand to make sure no usurpers observed our raucous revolutionary ravers letting their hair down and partaking in large quantities of 2 for 1 liquores. Revolutions don´t just run on ideals you know!!

Now, like all great movements, what concerns us most is the little people, or as we say, `El Pueblo´. We fight for them and give our help when we can. Thanks to your donations, and with the help of El General Brenners, Comandante Horsebox and Captain Alitas, a massive €275 in food was donated to `Proyecto Vecinos`, a group of like-minded individuals dedicated to helping those in need. Stay tuned for our related broadcast. THANK YOU ALL for your continuing contributions. And please remeber, we are always open to suggestions and recommendations as to where and who YOUR money can help. Together, as one, we can help those who need it most and destroy all deceptive diners and those who believe this is the way forward. My brothers and sisters, VIVA, VIVA, VIVA LA REVOLUCION!!

MMDDMM – Reyning in Spain!!!

MMDDMM – Reyning in Spain, the title of this week´s escapade and indeed we did feel like royalty as we welcomed the start what looks like to be another awesome summer here in the nation´s capital. With a want to branch out further and as we all know, those of us close to the bosom of this gastronomic giantess, we are always looking to push those boundaries! This week however, the stressing of these came in the form of exploring the relatively unchartered territory of Monchloa. Now I know what you´re thinking, “wow wow, hold your horses, you´re not exactly blowing my mind here”, I know but after having sampled only but a few eateries here, it is certainly a barrio that we´d like to see more of so I appeal to you people of Madrid and experienced Monchloan´s, show us your favourite feasting locals!

 

And so, we move our host this week. We made our way to the rincon of cafeteria Reyna, a short hop, skip and a jump from metro Ventura Rodriguez, on the cusp of the said barrio. Here, we were introduced to our playing field or feeding ground if you will, a nicely laid table surrounded by warm rose colour schemed walls that were sparsely decorated in stripped mirrors in the salon area which brought me back to my childhood years, to when I had watched Scarface for the first time, ever reminiscent of the night club scene as I announced to the group “Say hello to my little friend!”. Now, much to everyone´s relief, I had decided to leave my gun slinging days behind in a trade for what I call “Tommy wielding” as our mascot, the toro and Rosita his play mate popped out to say hello and keep all fun at a “PG” rating!

 

So, what was on order? Well, 6 starters and 6 mains for €9.80 so yes same old same old but I did warn that we were getting back to basics and back to our roots but with a surprising twist! Options, which were presented in English and Spanish, were salad, Castillian soup, a mix of different mushrooms and clams (Almejas), spag bog, paella and another that either I can´t remember, wasn´t ordered or isn´t worth mentioning. The mains played host to a variety of steaks, a chicken choice and two fish dishes to which I was pleasantly surprised, the peppercorn steak was awesome. This was not just the average slice of Shergar (an Irish prize winning horse that went missing in the 80´s) that you normally get on your Tuesday three course feed, no no, this was good! As for the others, the rest of the gang were treated to flavour able fish with three of us spouting about the poultry… “mmm, dat be some good chicken!”. This was all obviously accompanied with the usual dose of substandard grape juice with our compadre, Casera, on hand to settle the sediment and our taste buds!

 

It all sounds great, right? Well let me tell you… All that glistens is not gold and to be fair to all our previously dined-in diners, there were one or two bad points. The service was a bit tardy and not very attentive; in fact, I think our waitress was thankful to see the back of us! Poor girl had to deal with a table of eight! A mammoth of a task for her less than adequate ability as we were informed that we were driving her mad! Also, although the clam/mushroom starter was nice, it was lacking a vital ingredient, clams! We felt teased and almost taunted as it left us foaming at the mouth for more almeja! Why say it´s going to be there if it´s not?!?! Oh Reyna, you really are a cunning minx!!!

 

Anyway, we arrived at a score of 3.75 out of 5 when all votes were tallied and to be fair, if I lived in this neighbourhood, I probably would go back, that steak was worth the visit.

 

After having had our way with this Reyna, we swiftly moved to a sun bleached terrace near Plaza Espana to soak up some beers and tintos before catching the last of the 2 for 1´s at JJ´s as the dawn of summer dusked on Madrid and another fine afternoon´s feasting!

 

Next week, we head elsewhere to discover the delights of another unexplored diner, details of which will be posted imminently, but until then, and from me and our motley lot… It´s chow for now!

MMDDMM . Accept No Subsititutes!!!

There is a 5th dimension beyond that which is known to man. It is a dimension as vast as space and timeless as infinity. It is the middle ground between starving & stuffed, between fried & roasted, and it lies in the pit of a man´s stomach and the summit of his esophagus. This is the dimension of food. It is an area we call ´The MMDDMM Zone`.

Another Tuesday has passed and another MMDDMM has been bagged, stuffed and mounted. Our hunting grounds, Embajadores. Our prey, Bar Mira el Sol on Calle Mira el Sol. We were on familiar territory but with slightly inclement conditions for said task. As if a few drops of water could ever stop us!! Bar Mira el Sol falls under the category of `spacious working man´s greasy spoon` eatery. Decor that´s functional and no more – check, furniture from the 80s – check, foosball table for post meal battles – check.

Menu time. 5 starters and 7 mains at a very reasonable 9€. Our wine – average. You know copious amounts of casera will be needed when your wine comes with a plastic cork. Our choices, while numerable, also had a wide variety. Ensaladilla rusa, fabes con almejas ( white beans with baby clams ), liver and onions, chicken curry ( kind of! ), whiting with salad, and many more inventive concoctions. A wide variety indeed! Our crew – the usual mish mash of friendly and familiar faces. Once the long and arduous task of choosing our dishes had been completed, our waitress sprang into action, pen cocked and locked, and took our order, with a few crossed wires in the process. On the plus, she could translate all our dishes, which was of great help for our non-fully spanglicised members.

So, did all the above ingredients come together as one magnificent cocktail of joy? Culinarywise, the selection, quantity and quality merritted a B+. A few ooooohhs and aaaahhs could be heard during `The Ravagement` but overall, everything was only slightly above average, nothing to make Gordon Ramsey start cursing. All requests were dealt with in a speedy fashion and the staff were all smiles all of the time. No added extras reared their ugly heads at bill time and a complimentary round of shots ensured we were sent on our way with a skip and a smile. The Committee´s verdict – 3.75 out of 5. You´ll leave contented but won´t be sending any postcards.

By sheer coincidence, we happened to be on the same street as one of our regular post feast haunts – The Rastro Bar. As usual, Bryn welcomed us with open arms and proceeded to waterboard us with the finest grape and grain money can buy. The rest of the night, a beautiful, blurry, trainspotting-esque vision of debauchery. Thank you Bryn and thank you all for another vintage MMDDMM.

Next week, we invade Puerta del Sol. So don´t forget to sign up so you take part in the raping and pillaging. Until next week my gastronomic guerreros. And remember, MMDDMM is not about life or death. It´s much more important than that.

MMDDMM – Semana Santa Fiesta Feast!!!

Twas a rainy Semana Santa Tuesday afternoon when our gang decided to descend on Calle Pez to put yet another Malasana restaurant, Calle 30, through its paces. Although the dreary weather had kept some Menu Del Dia members away, it certainly didn’t sway those of us who´s hunger was far greater than the fear of a bit of precipitation and nor did it dampen our spirits as we waited in anticipation for what was clear to see from the get go, was going to be a great lunch.

This place was packed and definitely no room for error on estimation of potential reviewers with 2 late comers being turned away as there was simply no room at the inn, sorry Morgan and Diego. Well, at least you had a nice lunch and an already locked and loaded future loco luncheon at Zombie Burger!

With our menu´s in hand, this Argentine steak house with its chic, modern décor proved the perfect setting for a feasting of fifteen food foragers to take their place in another chapter of the chronicles of MMDDMM with a choice of salad, lentejas and tomatoey tagliatelle to start and a full meat course of different cuts of steak, pork and chicken (with a fish option) to keep all our pundits perky! Now, as far as refreshment was concerned, it´s worth mentioning that there was no Casera provided with the wine as there was honestly no need, not to say that this was premium plonk but nor did it leave our taste buds saying “I can´t believe it´s not vinegar!”

All in all, service was efficient and after rigorous amounts of quality control with many mouths munching on all there was to offer we came away with a pretty consistent 4 out of 5, all for €10.90 and with no added extras on the bill! So, this is a deffo rated and recommended but be warned, get there early as this restaurant really gets rammed and as we all know… Nobody likes queuing for lunch!

Moving on, we headed to somewhat of a regular haunt for the crew at JJ´s for their special brand of 2 4 1´sies as we wiled away the evening basking in the glory of an afternoon off work and some pretty potent tinto de primaveras!

On another note, we also bade farewell to another Martes muncher, Catherine. She departs and heads off into the sunset for more adventures elsewhere but not without the reminder, you always know where to find us!

Stay tuned for info on next week´s invite, but until then… It´s chow for now!

MMDDMM – Another Martes Munching!!!

Supposedly, a “wise” man once said “A dinner lubricates business”, this man was mad, a fool or a recovering alcoholic because everyone knows that food is just a mere accompaniment to that which really lubricates matters… And as we say here in Spain, if it´s free, it´s for me! Now if it´s a case where the food is just the substance to keep oneself sober for a little longer then our enduring culinary club is exactly what the doctor ordered. This however cannot be said for all of our eating experiences as we have come across seriously delectable diners but it is true that many have not exactly been up to par.

This leaves us with the question “why”? Well, this can be accounted for by two things. Firstly and above all, it´s company, as we bask in good banter every week with an average rating of 5 out of 5 while meeting new friends, sharing in different experiences and cultures and secondly, the fight to find the finest foodery in Madrid, for ooh say €10, is always fun!

This week the MMDDMM warriors collected at Callao metro before proceeding to meet another promising contestant and roll the dice in this game of gastronomic Jumanji. Mesón Las Descalzas on calle Postigo De San Martin No. 3 was our host and presented us with our choices, four starters and four mains with all our grape goodness included for €10. The starters, which were a mixture of different soups, revuelto with green asparagus (reeked of deliciousness and rare to come across!) and salads kept a smile on all our faces, well, ok, maybe not salad but the rest were good! Onto our mains and with a choice of steak, meat balls, sea bass and hake our crusaders were sufficiently satisfied before topping it off with desert and coffee with no added extras rearing their ugly heads on the bill. It was time to cast our votes and a 3.25 out of 5 was the mark handed down from our eatery experts.

Ok, so bad points… Absolutely no atmosphere which was remedied by our mob of heckling hens discussing the effects that different foods have on our bodies which I won´t go into detail, I´m not sure you want to hear it! The food was grand, not great but grand! Everything was just about average here except for the scrambled eggs and green asparagus but the service was friendly and efficient.

We headed off to go splash some cider and eat smelly cheese as we wiled away our evening with debates that warranted the response “wow, does that really make your pee smell?”, don´t ask me, Nicola would appear to be the expert here!

Next week will be an MMDDMM exclusive where once again the gang are challenged by a sorcerer of their culinary trade and go out of their way to throw down the gauntlet and say “come on in if you think you´re hard enough!”. Well yes Bryn of Rastro Bar, yes we are hard enough and we will accept your challenge as you exclusively open your doors to us! Next week will be a private affair and only 15 lucky partakers will have the opportunity to dine in style at this banquet of kings! YOU MUST RESERVE YOUR SPOT AND CHOOSE YOUR STARTERS, MAINS AND DESERT VIA RSVP SO PLEASE, NO CONFIRMING IF YOU´RE NOT COMING as Bryn is going out of his way to accommodate our motley lot. Invite and menu will be posted without delay. So until then kids, it´s chow for now!

MMDDMM – Food for the Mind (and belly).

Looking for the typical working man´s barrio bar? The sort of bar that you´re guaranteed to get the sort of promise of quality that only the likes of Ryanair can live up to? The sort of bar where the “plumbers crack” is all too common place and won´t knock your socks off but will send you on your way with a smile and wink at no extra cost? Where service is above par but the food is nothing short of a triple bogey? Aha, look no further, I have exactly the right bar for you… Restaurant San Bruno on Calle de Toledo!!!

This week we headed to La Latina once again to put another contender through its paces and asked not what we can do for this buzzing little lunchette but what can this restaurant do to arouse our taste buds and stimulate our sense of how paramount “the customer” really is in the services industry?

So what was on offer? 4 starters and 4 mains for €10 with the usual decent dosage of grape goodness to wash it all down with and certainly not in short supply! I would list out our menu options but frankly I don’t think any are particularly worth mentioning but what I can tell you is that the food was, for the lack of a better word, sufficient!

Now as I mentioned, this was indeed quite the hustling hashery. But that can be accounted for by location, being situated right beside Plaza Mayor, there´s never going to be a shortage of passing trade. On top of this is price, indeed it was cheap and maybe the generosity and well mannered staff ensured repeat business but it was certainly not from the efforts of the kitchen! You may think I´m being slightly facetious but as we have visited many restaurants offering the same deal all around Madrid and beyond, this just didn’t make the grade and won´t have any our mad menu del dia guru´s rushing back for more of the same nor will it have us recommending it to a friend!

Okay, okay, so it wasn´t all bad, the service as I said was good. The staff were friendly and efficient and rushed to the aid of any late comers to quickly get them back on course. When it came to postre time, coffee and desert were included in the menu although the coffee was more reminiscent of burned mud rather than Maxwell house. Also, last but definitely not least, they provided plenty of vino and a round of complimentary pacharooney chupitos which went a long way to giving San Bruno a very modest 3.25 out of 5 when all votes were tallied. So to sum it all up… if you´re looking for freebies with a smile, you could do a lot worse than San Bruno!

Swiftly moving on, we headed to Copas Rotas on the same street where drinks really are cheap as chips and continued on with the same sort of jovial banter that only we know how while getting to know a few new MMDDMM recruits before eventually disbanding and heading off in our own different directions but with dreams of what will be on the menu for next week… Only time will tell for the young gastronomic crusaders!

Details shall be posted for next week´s escapade forthwith as another adventure unfolds… So until then, it´s chow for now!

MMDDMM – Another MMDDMM Grilling

HEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEERE´S MMDDMM, back for another weekly report of another week´s culinary adventure. First off, apologies for the delay. Due to a hectic week of business deals, refurbishment of our I.T. department, and the alignment of the stars, we were slightly behind schedule. But don´t ye worry. Warp factor 9 has been selected. MAKE IT SO.

 

This weeks eatery under the microscope: Parrilla Alhambra on Calle Victoria 7, 2 mins stroll from Puerta del Sol. Slap bang in the heart of Madrid´s restaurant district, an area which MMDDMM has intimate knowledge of, Parrilla Alhambra has been on our radar for quite a while, especially since its sister diner (SOBERBIA) passed with flying colours. So, with the Magnificent Seven gathered, stomachs ready to be locked and loaded, we took our places at the table. Our first plus point met us here – a hearty plate of embutidos (cold meats) and pan tostada ready to placate our palettes. Our first minus point unfortunately found us too – SPACE. We don´t mind dining in close quarters but some of our members looked like penguins with cutlery.

 

Onto our selection. 5 starters and 5 mains for 10.50euros. Reasonably priced is your first thought. But what gave this menu an extra UUMPH was the knowledge that next door, and a part of the same company, was the parrilla, where we knew all the meaty choices would come from. Fabes de la granja (Giant beans & chorizo), grilled cucumber with grated salmon, salmorejo (gazpacho for the more refined), chunky steaks, chicken stuffed with mushrooms, this menu was exceptional, and i mean that. And so was the quality. Eveything was perfectly cooked, presented and feasted on. Even with minimal elbow room to work in, we literally DESTROYED our plates. Our wine was above average and the desserts, in particular the Tiramasu, were srum-diddly-umptious. The service was only just sufficient. There was a little wait between courses and a little more for everyone to have the correct cutlery. Our waiter looked like he had his hands full, but being he was a rather nice and friendly chap, these small details can be forgiven.

 

Our overall opinion? Parrilla Alhambra is an ESSENTIAL STOP on the Madrid culinary circuit. With an exciting and quality menu, classic Madrileño decor, and warm and friendly staff, it more than lives up to and possibly surpasses our previous tete a tete with this company. Applying the patented MMDDMM equation, we arrive at a well deserved 4.25 out of 5. I repeat, AN ESSENTIAL STOP.

 

With all the accounts in order, the strangest thing ever happened next. We all went our seperate ways!!! Maybe due to the aforementioned alignment of the stars, we all had previous engagements to attend. After 2 years MMDDMMing, maybe it was time to give our livers a well deserved rest. But please, don´t think we are going to be making a habit of this. With our C.E.O. back in action next week, and another surefire winner (I got that feeling already) on the cards, order and outregousness shall be restored. Until next week MMDDMMers.