OK, you guys. This has turned into a really nice thread so I am going to share one of my secret places with you all .. much against my better judgement. Not that I don't think you all don't deserve it but I hate to think of the place filling up any more than it does already!!

In the Calle de la Bola, there is a little (and I mean little) place called El Mollette that has some of the best tapas I know of in Madrid. And a very nice wine list of open bottles. It fits about 20 people comfortably so be forewarned... There's nothing I can recommend especially but I have tried about everything and been pleased with it all. The tortilla is to "tirar cohetes".

Just as a small aside to MM's star gazing observations - when miche and I visited Madrid a couple of weeks ago, we spent a LOT of time whistfully gazing up at the stars - they were beautiful and very bright. Sigh. The moon was spectacular too. Sigh. The best we saw were at about midnight in Plaza de Oriente, right miche? The view was helped along with a picnic on the grass and the strains of outdoor music in the distance . . . I want to be there again.

Oh, and the tapas we had whilst in Madrid was way cool too.

Jo

Nice follow-up, Jo-Anne. But COULD YOU see stars at night from the INSIDE of Plaza Mayor???

Erm, sorry MM, we were so busy looking at all the new MM stars we were meeting in the Plaza Mayor, we never actually looked up to the sky (sorry!).

The lights were bright in Plaza de Oriente (very bright indeed), but didn't stop us from seeing the stars, so wonder why it should be different in Plaza Mayor? Other than in Plaza Mayor, you can only look straight up, and in Oriente, you can look way into the distance?

Hmmm, sorry about that, not much help am I?

Jo

Referring to an earlier post of mine, I must report with a heavy heart that my beloved Cerveceria Cervantes is currently closed. In fact it has been completely gutted. I just returned from a very brief visit to Madrid and I will soon post the sad evidence. The previous pics are at: See Tapas Here

I'm not too sure how the tapas are, but the atmosphere is great. When I lived in Spain we always went to a group of bars beside Plaza Mayor. We called them "The Caves", because of the interiors. The serve some great Sangria.

Just down the street is a reataurant that was featured on The Learning Channel. It is either the oldest restaurant in the world or it has been in business the longest. I don't remember which. It's pretty expensive, but we talked to one of the waiters and he let us walk around and look at everyhting including the kitchen. It's a very interesting place.

My favorite place to go for tapas is a place called "El Faro" on Calle Abrantes (Metro stop Abrantes). It's far from the tourist area, but worth the trip.

I agree, Cervantes is(was) a big, big tapas bar. Their mushroom canape was superb. They are close now but it seems to me they are going to renovate the whole place, probably make it bigger what is great since it was always too packed.

Regards,
Andrés

The restaurant you alluded to that was on the Learning Channel must be BOTIN,or SORBRINO de BOTIN, off Plaza Mayor.

According to the Guinness Book of Records, this is the oldest restaurant in the world, dating from 1725.

This restaurant has been mentioned in several Hemingway novels. Specifically in "Death in the Afternoon", the Old Lady that is conversing with the narrator states "I would rather dine on suckling pig at Botin's than sit and think of casualties my friends have suffered."

Thanks for the clarification, Cornelio. But I wonder how are their tapas? I'd have to bet that they're overpriced and just average. Anyone else try tapas at Botín?

Our Antonio took me to a great (and cheap) little place outside the south side of Plaza Mayor in October 2000. He bought me/us bocadillos de calamares. Mmmm... I don't recall the name though or even if it still exists.

Richard wrote:

"In the Calle de la Bola, there is a little (and I mean little) place called El Mollette that has some of the best tapas I know of in Madrid. And a very nice wine list of open bottles. It fits about 20 people comfortably so be forewarned... There's nothing I can recommend especially but I have tried about everything and been pleased with it all. The tortilla is to "tirar cohetes"

Ok Richard,I must say Anne and myself paid yesterday a visit to El Mollete. Please, tortilla de patata lovers you must read this: EL MOLLETE´S TORTILLA DE PATATA CON CALLOS is the best ever. Forget about "Las Bravas", forget about Antonio Sanchez, this is it.

Andrés