Hi--We'll be on foot (or taxi) in the central area of Madrid (Puerto del Sol, Santa Ana, Atocha Station) and hope to zero in on the best Patatas Bravas we can find. Do you have any recommendations?
Thanks!!

"what hope to zero in on" means? is this hardcore slang?

a.j.

kitt, there's a chanin by the name of "Las Bravas" and they're all good and about 3 of them can be found around the Plaza Mayor and Huertas areas. Mmmm... Patatas Bravas... Mmmmm.. I love 'em! :p Check out THIS Virtual Tourist writeup of Madrid and check the "Favorite Restaurants" section, detailing the "Las Bravas" restaurants.

Also, of course, the famed "El Brillante" makes good patatas bravas as well. It's located at street level under the Hotel Mediodia.

Hello.

When I want to eat Patatas Bravas I always go to one bar located at the street "Álvarez Gato". This street is more known as "El callejón del gato".

It's nearby La Puerta del Sol. More exactly:
you must go up from Canaleja Square to Jacinto Benavente Square through "calle de la cruz", and when you are about to reach Jacinto Benavente Square, you'll find El Callejón del Gato on your left (it's a narrow street).

This bar has its own history. Outside the bar there are 3 mirror and it's said that our writer Valle Inclán wrote "El Esperpento" inspired by these mirrors.

¡Que aproveche!

aaahh I love patatas bravas and I can't believe I missed the Las Bravas chain. Next time, I'll make sure I keep my eyes open. I found during my recent trip to Madrid that it was a bit more difficult to get bravas in the tapas bars but I did manage to track some down in the end.

Andrés,

"To zero in on" means "to target", or "to locate". It is colloquial expression that is fairly widely used, it is not vulgar.

Regards,
Shawn

Just had excellent patatas bravas at "Jaleo," a tapas restaurant in Bethesda, Maryland. I understand there's another in D.C. proper. They were authentic -- for any of you in los alrededores de D.C. Enjoy!

Thank you Shawn for the information. The thing is that we are supposed to be writing in an international message board and so if you use your local slang there may be people that won't be able to understand you and if so they won't be able to help.

Thanks again
PS: it was you the one who asked where "Torero" was?

Andrés,

It is difficult to understand some of the slang that Americans use. But what better way is there to learn it, than to have it said out here, amongst friends?

Heck! Even people from the UK and the US have problems understanding each other's slang at times, so we all have the same situation.

I'm still trying to figure out why an elevator is called a lift, and a baby buggy a pram -

Those Englishmen! You'd think they invented the language, not Americans -

Wolf (Who's totally illiterate when it comes to Spanish. )

Wolf,

lift -- synonymous with elevate, no?

pram -- short for perambulator

patatas bravas -- can't wait to eat some again!!!