I moved out from Los Angeles a little over 2 months ago and one thing that I miss is Mexican Food.

I heard of a Restaurant called El Cuchi, but after 3 days of searching for it, I found out that it has been closed and is now a Belgium(?) restaurant or something.

I found a small one down the street from there, but I wasn't that impressed.

Does anyone know of one that offers really good Mexican food like back in the US? I would appreciate it!

BTW, I love Spanish food, but there are some foods that I miss from home.

A California friend, who now lives in Madrid, took me to a little Mexican place which he likes on Calle Mayor, 68 (near Plaza de la Villa) called "El Chaparrito". It claims to be 100% Mexican Food. The food was pretty good and relatively cheap. The place, very casual.

Keep in mind that they don't seem to have "American Style" Mexican restaurants in Madrid and they don't usually give you a free basket of tortilla chips upon sitting down at the table. (just as the "American Style" Mexican restaurants are nothing like the Mexican restaurants IN Mexico and the food is surprisingly different too, no doubt altered in the USA to appease the American pallet)

So far, in the 3 or 4 Mexican restaurants I've tried so far in Madrid, I've been a bit disappointed. Can't wait to go back to the USA where "they have what I like".

Saludos, MadridMan

Ok MM .. I´m going to start a debate here since you´re a champion of "authentic" Spanish food . Don´t you think it´s better that they serve Mexican food as it should be and not as the Americans want it to be ? I don´t mean to be agressive , of course not , just interested .

I agree 100%. Mexican food SHOULD be served as Mexicans would make it in Mexico - no matter where in the world they serve it, even in Spain. But marketing has a lot to do with it too. If Spaniards, whom tend to NOT like their food spicy, get served such food, they may not like it and never return. That's not to say that authentic Mexican food is always spicy, no, but some of it is.

Saludos, MadridMan

I agree with what you say too MM . I just have the idea that if you don´t want to eat spicey food then don´t go to an Indian restaurant . If you don´t want to eat raw fish then don´t go to a Japanese restaurant . I´m sure the Hard Rock Café here in Madrid does great Tex Mex food . as does Peggy Sue´s near me .
Wow it´s a hot one again here and I´ll be eating SPANISH food in Calle Ibiza jejejejejejejejeje

El Chaparrito was the one that I went to. I ordered a carne asada taco and a chicken hard shell taco. The soft taco was okay, but the hard shell taco was pretty much a frozen el paso rolled up taquito. Judging by those, I was a little suspicious about the rest of the menu.

I'll give it another shot someday with a real entree and report back once I've tried it.

I walked down a street on Fuencarral one day and saw a Mexican place, but didn't try it because I was on the hunt for El Cuchi at the time.

I think the Mexican food in Los Angeles is pretty authentic as half the population there is Mexican.

Also, in case anyone is interested, I heard that there is a Taco Bell at a place called Isla Azul Commercial Centro. An experiment o see if it catches on here (I suppose like Starbucks, McD, KFC, and Burger King). I need to find a way to get there...

Good reminder on Hard Rock. I recall they also had really good burgers there. It will come in handy when the time comes...

colenot,
I'm sorry for your sake that you searched for El Cuchi only to find it closed, but based on my experience there, it wasn't very good anyway. I went there a LONG time ago back in my semester abroad days, and it was rather average. I'm from an area with a large Mexican and Mexican-American population, so I really missed Mexican food, too, when I lived in Spain. Hopefully you find something authentic and delicious in the near future!

Well it's good to hear that I didn't miss out on El Cuchi. Seems like we both had the same craving for the same authentic type of Mexican food so I trust your judgement!

I miss Don Antonio's in Los Angeles!


Stay tuned. I'm on the hunt...

Just found a promising one here!

http://madrid.salir.com/taqueria_del_alamillo


I hope to give it a shot soon!

I know there is one on 3 Calle de las Fuentes. I've never been.
It called La Molida (Comidas y Bebido de Mexico)

You can see it on Google Maps.

It's just above Calle Mayor at Plaza de Herradores.

I may try it later this year. It's next to the flat I'm renting.

It'll be hard to impress as I'm Mexican AND I live in California.