I'm nominated expedition leader for the Friday Night Club's (remember our Cordoba weekend we had in November?) forthcoming weekend trip to Madrid and I have to book a restaurant for the Saturday night.

I don't know Madrid very well, so I'm looking for guidance from you knowledgeable chaps! We are five couples, who will be looking at having a nice "cocina castellana" type meal in a restaurant where we can relax, with no tie and jacket required.

I saw in one post something about Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas (a favourite of MM?) and imagine that this is the sort of thing we are after. One guide has thrown up a few names, such as Los Galayos, again near the Plaza Mayor, La Quinta del Sordo and also Casa Paco, near the Puerta del Sol. If anybody can tell me anything about these, or indeed any other restaurant which would be good for a bunch of us to enjoy a good meal, I would be most grateful.

Forget about "Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas" is very expensive, not good quality and it is a very "turist" place. All the feedback that I got from that place is bad.

This may not be what you are looking for, but Botin's would certainly have tables big enough to accomodate your party. I found the staff to be helpful, but the place is always crowded and loud. When we went, there didn't seem to be any type of a dress code, and you just need to go there once to say you've had the Madrid experience. Calling ahead for reservations is a must, however, and I'd make sure I had the name of the person you spoke to when making the reservations with a party of that size.

I have to disagree with Nuria. I LOVED "Las Cuevas de Luis Candelas"!! Yes, it's kind of touristy, but the restaurant itself is really special with its brick domed ceilings, waiters/waitresses in period costumes and strolling minstrels, old wall murals, and I found the food to be just fine. I was even invited back into the kitchen to see how they roasted the cochinillo in the wood fired oven! It was SUCH a cool place (in 1998)!! We were a table of about 10 people too!

Buen provecho, MadridMan

La Truca's good - and the downstairs can easily accomodate the group. Nothing like your Cordonban gastomonical feast - but definately good. Let us know where you end up

Thanks folks. Food for thought certainly! Botin's is mentioned on a regular basis, so I'll bear that in mind, Artie. Do we have any more fors and againsts Las Cuevas?

Where is La Truca, Puna? I did a search but this appears to be the first time it's mentioned. We're not really looking for a feast, although the size of the tummies in some of our crew may make me out to be a liar!

Rather than a pure gastronomic extravaganza, we are looking to spend a couple of hours in a good atmosphere and nice surroundings, which is why MM's post appeals.

Isn't it LA TRUCHA?

As for the Cuevas: I vote against. Much too hokey and touristy for me, and huge, and I didn't like the food that much.

Anchovey - I can't remember the street name - one of the many off of Plaza Santa Ana - just Puerta del Sol side of Santa Ana and, if you looked at a map - sort of "leaning" at an angle towards Gran Via -

Lousy discription of a location - but good food and wine

rgf - probably! Thanks for the spelling and/or typing correction! Have a good weekend all!

If i weren't lazy I'd get out my map and find La Trucha, which, if I remember correctly, is on the same street as LACON, which I also recommend for large groups. THe last nite i was in spain (sniff) there was a group of at least twnty in there. In fact, they have special menus for groups of 4 or more: it's gallego food (pulpo, empanada, pimientos de padron, etc). If you want me to be un-lazy and check out the street and phone, let me know. We loved LACON. We didn't go to La Trucha because, if I am remembering the place right, it was Andalusian food and we had just come back from Sevilla. Just writing this is making me miss Spain. Tho I have to say (not that you all want to KNOW this), i am still, um, feeling the effects of that bout of food poisoning and now have to go see a doc!!! que triste