Mad About Madrid

Fresc Co - Madrid's Fresh Fast Food Alternative

Though the US has exported its 'delightful' fast-food concept across the word (Spain unfortunately has not managed to escape this onslaught), quite a few companies have sprouted up around Spain which prove that fast food needless be crap food. Fresc Co is one such example. The company, established in 1992, now has five restaurants across Madrid. Though the food is not exactly your typical Spanish fare, it is fast, good and reasonably cheap.

Fresc Co offers diners a self-service option where they can select from a range of fresh salads, pastas, pizzas, homemade soups, bread and fresh fruit desserts (you can actually see the pizzas being made on the premises) and eat as much as they want. The day that I went there cod was on the menu. Included in the meal you will also have a drink (beer, water, wine or a fizzy drink) and coffee. And all of this for 7.4 € lunchtime and 9.4 € in the evenings. Though I far prefer traditional Spanish food, I must admit that this place did make for a nice change.

You can find Fresc Co in:

C/ Sagasta, 30 - Metro Alonso Martínez
C/ Las Fuentes, 12 - Metro Ópera
C/  Narváez, 9 - Metro  Goya
C/ Caballero de Gracia, 8 - Metro Gran Vía
C/ Silva 8 - Metro Santo Domingo or Callao

Madrid Concerts for May and June

The months of May and June see a cracking line up of Rock and Pop acts in Madrid. They include Steve Earl, Bruce Springsteen, Oasis, Feeder and Garbage.

Steve Earl and The Dukes
Date: 24th May | 9.30 p.m.
Price: 20 euros
Venue: Sala Divino Aqualung
Tickets: Box Office, FNAC and Tick Tack Ticket

Maroon 5
Date: 31st May
SOLD OUT

Feeder
Date: 1st June
Venue: Sala Arena (Princesa, 3)
Tickets: Box Office, FNAC and Tick Tack Ticket

Oasis
Date: 1st June
SOLD OUT

Bruce Springsteen
Date: 2nd June
Venue: Palacio de los Deportes de la Comunidad
Price: 64 and 74 euros
Tickets: Call 902 15 00 25.

Bunbury
Date: 3rd June | 9 p.m.
Venue: Paraninfo de la Universidad Complutense
Price: 28 euros
Tickets: Box Office, FNAC and Tick Tack Ticket

Pereza: Madrid's Top Rock Band

Whilst in FNAC a few weeks ago I noticed a couple of Spanish lads buying a good few copies of the same CD. The band in question was called Pereza and the album - Animales - was the latest release from the band. The next time I went in to FNAC I listened to the album and was immediately hooked. I have been playing the album non-stop ever since - they are probably the most exciting Spanish rock band I've heard in many a year.

Pereza are a band from the North of Madrid who have been playing together since the end of the 1990's and 'Animales' is now their third album. The first song they released off the album was 'Princesas' and you can listen to it and others on the Pereza website.

The band will be playing at the Palacio de Deportes in Madrid on the 11th June and I would certainly recommend trying to get along to see them.

Food and Wine Tours of Madrid

Tour Update and Notice

As Alun has mentioned early in my introduction, we hope in the near future to offer guided tours of some of Madrid’s culinary treasures. Highlighting both well-known monuments to food and more importantly, those little known treasures - we hope to offer a unique perspective on the food scene in Madrid. To start with, we will be offering 2 formats for you to choose from based on your specific interests:

A Cook's Tour
For anyone who likes to buy treats to bring back home, or for those of you who might have a kitchen in the room you are staying in, this is the tour for you. We will take you to 4 different shops in Madrid, where you will have the chance to buy some of the finest food and wine Spain has to offer.

First, a wine shop where we will get a chance to taste some wine while learning a little about where it comes from and how it is made. Second, ever think that Manchego was all Spain had to offer as far as cheese? Well, we’ll prove that theory wrong as we walk up the street to a cathedral of all things cheese. Walls lined with every type of fermented milk you can imagine.  Following this, we will move on to a chocolate shop whose reliquary holds some of the finest chocolates available to mortals! To round it all off, how about a stop at a Market where you can have the chance to buy fresh ham, ripe vegetables, myriad fish, not to mention much more.  All in all, this 3 hour tour will show you some of the finer gourmet treats Madrid has to offer.
Cost: TBA

Tapas, Wine and Fun
Come stroll with us down Madrid’s streets stopping in at a select few bars to try a variety of the typical flavors of Spain. During each stop you will have a choice of wines all of which come accompanied by tapas.  During this time you will learn something of the history of tapas; have a chance to gather some recipes; and also learn something about the wine regions that abound in Spain.
Cost:TBA

While we are in the process of setting up the dates, times and prices for these tours weI want to make sure that no one is left out. If you are going to be in town in the next month or are already here send us a note! We’ll work something out and make sure that you don’t miss anything during your stay here in Madrid!

Please contact us at alunjohn (at) gmail.com with any questions, or suggestions, that you might have.

Till soon, Ryan Opaz

Duran Duran Play Madrid

Nick Rhodes, John Taylor, Andy Taylor, Roger Taylor and Simon LeBon, from the world-famous 80's band Duran Duran, will play Madrid's Riviera on the 22nd May. The Birmingham group will be playing the latest songs from their 'come back' album Astronaut, like Reach up for the (Sunrise) and What Happens Tomorrow, along with classics like 'Please, Please Tell Me Now, Reflex, Girls on Film and Wild Boys (takes you back, doesn't it?). Hard to think that this band formed in 1978.

Date | Time: 22nd May, 10 pm
Venue: Sala La Riviera
Price: 33 Euros (buy from FNAC) or www.ticktackticket.com

Exhibition of Joan Miró Works

The gallery Joan Gaspar is currently holding an exhibition of art by Joan Miró who was a good friend of the artist. The works of art cover the period 1957 to 1975 when the artist was influened by Pollock, Rothko, De Kooning and Motherwell. The Joan Miró exhibition will run until 30th June and entrance is free.

Address: Gral Castaños, 9
Tel:(+34) 913 199 244 -(+34) 913 199 393
Timetable: 10:30-2/ 5-8 p.m..

Tapas Review: Cien Vinos (100 Wines)

Taberna Cien Vinos
C/ Nuncio 17, Madrid
Metro: La Latina
Map

Tapas- What are they and how do you get them? A topic I hope to cover in depth in future articles for Mad about Madrid. For the most part, a tourist in Madrid is faced with a crap shoot as far as what tapas to expect when ordering a glass of wine. One bar may put down a plate of stale potato chips, while the place next door sets you up with a mini feast. How to know what is coming takes time and patience but we hope that with a little guidance from us it will become a bit easier. One thing is for sure, you can always order tapas, and if you know where to go, you can be treated to something exciting and new.

This brings me to Cien Vinos or, in English, 100 Wines. Located in the La Latina area of Madrid, where all the tapas fiends know to go, Cien Vinos is a small, cozy den of gastronomic decadence. It’s a bit hard to find; and if it were not for the bronze plaque outside the front door, you might mistake it for someone’s apartment building. This all changes as you step inside where you are greeted by warm lighting, literally hundreds of wines, and a friendly atmosphere. What makes this place so neat is the way they set up the menu and wine list. Two black boards list the food and wine available for the night. On average, they have 8 pinchos and 8 raciones to choose from. Pinchos being a small bite made for one person, while raciones tend to be a larger portion made to share with a group or as a meal for one. On the wine board on an average night you should run into about 7 reds, 2 whites, 1 sherry, 1 rose, 3 sweet (dessert wines), and one cava, all priced between 1.75-3 euros.

Feel free to choose a table or just stand at the bar and order. When it’s busy, the tables tend to be reserved for raciones only, but if you find a few tables still free you might be able to talk them into letting you ordering a few pinchos instead. I prefer getting several pinchos and splitting it with a friend, as it makes a fun way to explore all the various flavors they offer. 

Arte en Madrid Web Directory

I received an email from Nuria of Arte en Madrid today, inviting me to take a look at her online Art Directory for Madrid. The site is very comprehensive, covering everything from artists and festivals to museums and art 'supermarkets' and I'm sure it will grow even more with the ability for people to add their sites for free. It's only drawback is that all the information is in Spanish - though I think most non-Spanish speakers will be able to fumble around the site! I have already identified a couple of their listed sites which will make for good articles in the future.

My Madrid: Roger Warwick

Roger Warwick is 41 years old and was born in Leeds, England. Having studied Computing at University, he moved to Spain in 1988, originally teaching English to business students. Later he moved to a computer company and finally ended up working for an International Company, where he now works as the IT Support Manager for Spain & Portugal. In his spare time (what spare time?, he asks) he is the webmaster for GoMadrid.com, BuscadorEspanol.com, SearchIberia.com and several other websites. Roger lives in the Acacias area of Madrid.

We invited Roger to answer some questions to add to our My Madrid section - here are his answers:

Favourite bar/café? La Trocha in Huertas. It's a small, narrow bar which can get exceedingly full and stuffy at weekends but is well worth it for the excellent caiparinhas, their speciality, which they've been making for over 25 years. (See also: Trocha Pub - "Place of the Caipirinha")
Favourite dish? There are so many! I generally prefer fish to meat so dorada or salmon "a la plancha" suits me fine. I'm very partial to seafood, so a good mariscada will always put a glow to my cheeks and a shine in my eyes.
Favourite tapas? Tapas should always be given free with your drink, as happens in most Madrid establishments, and also in the province of Granada. I'll eat and enjoy absolutely any small free tapas like this. If the tapa has to be paid for, as in almost all other areas of Spain, I love sharing a plate of "gambas a la plancha" with friends.
Favourite restaurant? Casa Lucio, Cava Baja. Spartan Castillian food of excellent quality. Their speciality is "huevos rotos", the King's favourite! Try the excellent cured ham with a bottle of their best Rioja - you'll go to bed with a smile on your face! Also Ribeira do Miño, Santa Brigida 1. Cheap but good seafood.
Favourite shop? I can't say shopping is a favourite activity of mine, but I coincide with a previous contributor in mentioning FNAC, where the CD's and books can keep me browsing for ages.
What is the best time of year in Madrid? Any time except winter, when it's freezing! Spring is great in Madrid because it brings so much colour to the parks, but is unfortunately so brief. We seem to go straight from winter to summer, then back again to winter - almost continental climate extremes.
Favourite Barrio? The old historic centre - the Madrid of the Habsburgs.
Favourite building? Without doubt what was known as the Palacio de Telecomunicaciones or Casa de Correos, which looks on to the Cibeles square and which will soon become the City Council's headquarters.
My favourite day trip from Madrid is to ... Toledo, because it truly is the city of 3 cultures, has over 100 monuments in its historic centre and lies just over an hour away from Madrid.
A perfect 'night out' in Madrid would be ...A walk through the old centre of Madrid, sampling a glass or two of wine with tapas at any bar that takes my fancy. Dinner at Casa Lucio, Posada de la Villa or similar restaurant in the Cava Baja area. Coffee, liquor, plenty of conversation with good friends, and to bed.
My favourite walk. As above, through the old centre of Madrid, particularly in and around the Plaza Mayor.

Feria de San Isidro Starts in Madrid

The fiestas of San Isidro are the most important fiestas of Madrid and honour Madrid's Patron saint San Isidro. During the month of May there will be a number of events taking place, which include dances and fairs. The saint's day is actually on 15th May and is a holiday in the city.

The fiestas of San Isidro are mainly associated with the bullfights that go on in the City's bullring, Las Ventas. The bullfights which start on May 11th, and go on for over a month, are probably the most important (and best) that you will find anywhere in Spain. They attract the best matadors and, obviously, tickets are both hard to come by and expensive (though I did see some availabel on their website at reasonable prices).

The Plaza de las Ventas is a vast arena which can seat around 24,000 people and is considered the most important bullfighting venue in the world. It is a place where Spain's 'beautiful people' go and you are bound to see the King of Spain, a famous actress or popstars, over the next month. An afternoon of bullfighting usually consists of 6 bullfights and can last a couple of hours. Two of the days will be dedicated to "corridas de rejoneo" - an amazing spectacle with bullfighters on horses.

Curiously, outside the arena there is a statue which is dedicated to Alexander Fleming, whose discovery of penicillin, has saved many a bullfighter over the years.

Tickets can be bought over the Internet (through Las Ventas website).