3 Nights in Madrid: Tapas, Fish and more Tapas

Asador Donostiarra Madrid, Spain

When I found out I had a business trip to Spain, the first thing that came to mind was: Paella. That savory, scrumptious, rice dish with shrimp, chicken, peas and whatever else the chef can conjure was all my mind could think of. My mouth was watering as I landed.

I didn't end up having paella the whole 3 days I was there; I had no chance to sneak away from the work dinners. I did however get to sample some amazing Spanish meals in top notch restaurants.

Hake fish with Garlic

 The first night we went to Asador Donostiarra in Madrid. As soon as you walk in you can see the walls are crammed with pictures of celebrities and politicians which have visited the restaurant. Once we sat, plate after plate of appetizers, or tapas like they call them locally, were served. Aged cheese, scrambled eggs with green chili, spicy sausages, cured meats with fruit, the list just goes on! After that the main dish was served. I ordered Hake fish with garlic, which turned out to be divine.  

Monkfish at El Telegrafo

 The second night we went to El Telegrafo, a restaurant which specializes in fish and the inside mimics the interior of a boat. They served a specialty, Monk fish, which I had never tried before. It is very strong but with a unique texture.

Dessert was rice pudding, which was a pleasant surprise. Rice pudding is very popular in Egypt and i hadn't had it in ages. It was served in a cute presentation with a caramelized sugar topping. 

Rice pudding with a caramel topping at El Telegrafo

Tiramisu, Chocolate covered bananas with cream and profiterole

The last night we went on a tapas bar frenzy, running around Madrid trying out different places. We had pretty much the same tapas as offered in the other restaurants and all I could think about was having paella- SIGH. The dessert at the last bar was phenomenal; the best tiramisu I have ever tasted. I had an exhausting 3 day, 18 hour work day trip, but the amazing food made it worthwhile. And since I didn't have paella, I guess that's a good excuse as any to go back!

Have you been to Spain? What local food was your favorite?