Member SRedw & I are getting together for lunch on Friday, February 10 at 2pm in downtown. This is open to all/any members.

Since we have a few days, any input on where we'd like to meet for lunch?

Looking forward to meeting you, Shawn!

Saludos, MadridMan

I'll be around!

WHAT?! REALLY? That's fantastic, Mongo! It'd be great seeing you again.

Anyone else? Suggestions on the place?

Saludos, MadridMan

If I can make it, I'll certainly try to attend. I'll keep an eye out for the when and where. So count me in.

rsj

The Cafe de Levante under the new Hotel Victoria looks good and I have heard good things about it. I haven´t been there myself.

I would go to Levante for a drink, but the food looked less than desirable to me. Go across the street to Alhambra for Rabo del toro and a cod/tomatoe salad, think you will have a better meal.

Mongo, do you mean, per chance, the Hotel Victoria 4 on Calle Victoria, 4? If so, I spent one night at this hotel and this café, just below the hotel, is where I had their "buffet breakfast" (which turned out to be a simple continental breakfast ). I didn't get a good feeling of its "modern-ness". It was fine but too new for my tastes.

I'd be willing to go again to the tried-and-true La Sanabresa on Calle Amor de Dios - which seems to be becoming my favorite for simplicity, location, price, and reliable food-quality.

Any other ideas? We have to decide soon!

Saludos, MadridMan

P.S. Mongo, are you staying again at the Hostal Adriano ? If so, maybe I can "collect you" (as the Brits say) there on my way to the restaurant - wherever we happen to go. I'd like to visit Alberto & Enrique there too.

MM, you are correct it is the bar adjacent to the lobby area of the hotel, the bar is kind of cool modern swank to it, but I think it is better as a bar not for a meal.

Thanks for the info/update, gregorio!

If we don't get any other suggestions let's just meet at Restaurante La Sanabresa at 2pm on Calle Amor de Dios. Sound good?

Saludos, MadridMan

If you want to try another restaurant in the same area, and similar style of cook than La Sanabresa, you can go to La Puebla @Calle Ventura de la Vega, 12.

whew, I am out of breadth. That was a lot of restaurantes to visit. Since I am the new guy, and I don't live in Madrid, I'll follow you anywhere. I just have to know where. hahaha

Ok, I'll check back later. by the way, how will I know, any of you? As for me, I'm big and tall with broad shoulders.....no; I am short and have greasy.....no; Hello, I am Nick....Nice to meet everyone and hope to do so in person manana.

later.....

Let's trust Torrales's suggestion of La Puebla @ Calle Ventura de la Vega, 12 (click map link at left) and meet there at 2pm. Sound good?

It's supposed to be pretty good weather so we'll wait around near the door for a few minutes until some others arrive and then we'll go in, looking at the door for more. If you come in late, just come in looking for the table full of United Statesens. hehehe... Shouldn't be too hard to spot. I'll try to be early (1:50pm?).

We'll be certain to give you our review afterwards.

Saludos, MadridMan


Do I still look like that? This photo's like 3 years old!

Ok fellows. I'm in.

MM. I clicked on the map and it lead me nowhere. wait I'll try again. Yup, second try and I see the map. disregard last transmission.

manana

Nick

Heheehe... Gooood. Glad to hear it. Looking forward to seeing/meeting you, Nick/rocketshipjack.

Saludos, MadridMan

See you all there!

I hope you all enjoy your lunch. I feel sorry for not being able to be there, but I work for an American company and, you know, it's 9 to 5 (actually, 6).

I have eaten several times at that restaurant, mostly dinners to be true, and I like it very much. It's homemade-style food, not pretentious, economic, and friendly.

Que aproveche!

I will be there with bells on and purple pumps.

Looking forward to meeting all of you,

Shawn

PLEASE!!!!!!!!!! On behalf of all of us that can only live vicariously through your stomachs - give us every detail of every morsel of food that was on your plate, every sip of wine, the sounds and smells of the restaurant......I BEG YOU!

I have been waiting all week for this lunch from Naples, Florida and I am starving for details.

Dear sparkalina, et.al.:
I can't speak for the quality of food of the others but mine was just fine. And Torrales above was correct, this place ("Restaurante La Puebla") IS very much like the place and quality of food and price as La Sanabresa. In fact, I think the restaurant itself, La Puebla, is even nicer and prices maybe just a little more expensive. (10%?)

I had a Menú del Día #1 (9.20 Euros) and I chose the Sopa Castellana (bread and egg soup) as my first course - it was good but the egg white wasn't quite cooked. My second course was the albondigas (meatballs). Theses were very good too and the sauce was tasty. I had this with a glass of white wine - AND *I* was the ONLY of our group of 5 persons who drank alcohol. Everyone else just had water.

We had the 2:00pm meeting time at the door. I walked by the restaurant door at about 1:47pm and kept walking, seeing a man couched down next to the door and reading a book. Hmmmm... But being so EARLY, I thought I'd have a quick drink at a nearby bar when..... I heard someone calling my name. It was SRedw so we shook hands and headed back to the door to find the crouching man to be member rocketshipjack. We stood around the door and chatted when Mongo and his brother (brother, right?) arrived. We were 5 United Statesens all stereotypically EARLY for our 2pm meeting time for lunch.

We had our choice of nearly all empty tables and they put two tables together to make us more comfortable. Nice. We had good conversations about our lives in Madrid, near Madrid, and traveling TO Madrid and around Spain. I always meet such interesting people and always feel fortunate when talking to them. People who travel - or LIVE abroad - always have more colorful lives and desires.

By the time we were finishing our desserts (I had the sliced strawberries and cream) the place was absolutely FULL!! I MEAN FULL! It was so full that the waiter ACTUALLY asked us if we were finished because there were people waiting for a table. WHAT?! Can you imagine that?? I thought that only happened in the USA but........ ? Of course we could've stayed there not eating and only talking until dinnertime but still... come on. I commented upon walking in to our table that our waiter would probably have his worst day serving 5 United Statesens at the same time. hehehe...

Member rocketshipjack (what a great username) took a photo of us all so I'll post that here in this thread when I get it.

If anyone else has comments about your meal, the place, the service, and/or the company feel free to tell-all.

GREAT meeting you all OR seeing you again!!

Saludos, MadridMan

Ahhhhh....I fell better already!

Thank you so much!

Like MM said, La Puebla, was great. And it WAS strange that the waiter asked us to "move along" because the table was being eyed by some hungry people. On the other hand, I would have wagered a shilling that the tip was the largest tip the waiter had ever seen. hahahaha.

Nice to meet everyone. Maybe we could think to expand our horizons and have lunch up here in the mountains were I live. San Lorenzo de El Escorial, famous for "the grey palace" of Felipe II built in the 14th century, offers some fine eating establishments. After lunch, an exploration of the grey palace, or a quiet walk in the "Parque de Felipe II" to relieve city tensions or a full stomach, is certainly an option now that the days are getting longer.

Ah yes, the photo. Well, I forgot to load the camera with film. What's film? Just joking. Enclosed is the digital image. Wait, maybe I can't enclose the photo. Ok, MadridMan, look for an email with the photo, so you can string it in.

Let's "do" lunch again soon.

rocketshipjack

Thanks for the photo, rocketshipjack. It turned out pretty well!



From Left to Right:
Mongo, MadridMan, Mongo's brother Terry, SRedw, and rocketshipjack (not pictured - taking Life Magazine-quality photo)

Saludos, MadridMan

I'm glad you enjoy your meal. I see you sat at the same table I use to do there, at the far left end of the place (was it the last-but-one in that left side?).

About they inviting you to leave the table if finished, well, it happens sometimes in Spain if there are people waiting and it's not too late to accept new customers. I hope they weren't rude when asking you...

Never a rude moment. It was just unusual.

So, where do we go next? And when?

later

rsj

I'm with rocketshipjack. The waiter wasn't rude at any time but I was surprised with the request. Comparing the two ("La Puebla" and "La Sanabresa") I think I'd still choose "La Sanabresa" as my favorite.

Where next? Stay tuned for a new thread - or start your own!

Saludos, MadridMan

I also enjoyed the lunch. The food and conversation were excellent and it was great to meet new people. The waiter was cool and kinda made me tingle inside when he talked.

Looking forward to doing it again.

Shawn

Excellent photo guys!It's great to see that the good ol' MM gatherings in Madrid are back!

Thanks, El Marques de Concha Espina! They're back and more regular - in the daytime too.

Saludos, MadridMan

I also enjoyed myself, although the lack of wine was certainly uncharacteristic on my part.

I'll be making a return visit in late/mid April. Rocketshipjack has made an intriguing proposal. In all my visits to Spain, El Escorial is a place I have never been.

Love the picture. Looks like a great time. I'll be in Madrid in early April, so if by chance another MM outing is on the books, I'd love to join.

Mongo, I'm in South Minneapolis. How much time do you spend here? It might be fun to meet up and chat about Madrid/Spain or whatever. Let me know if you might be interested.

sm

I cant believe I didnt know about this. I would have liked to go!Next time someone tell me, Dont you guys want a girl around? Shawn, shame on you.
j.

Sorry, janel! We probably shouldn't "spam" everyone on the message board we think MIGHT like to attend these things. hehehe.... Guess you'll just have to check in here a little more regularly.

Hope to see you at the next one! Saludos, MadridMan

Any more MadridMan get togethers planned before the end of the month? I leave for the states April 5 :-(

Well will be the next get together of the MADRIDMAN LUNCH TIME?

When would YOU like to have lunch, neilstrauss23?

Saludos, MadridMan