Instagram Shots of Madrid

Taken by Laura Molineux 

How To Eat Like A Queen On A Student Budget In Madrid

El Tenedor is a website where you can reserve tables in restaurants all over Spain. For those that know me, I love a good bargain! I get it from my mama...her nickname is actually Bargain Boxer! I also love good food. It is really hard in Madrid not to get sucked into the touristy restaurants. They end up costing you a small fortune, and the food is usually not that great. So when I found El Tenedor I was over the moon. They handpick some of the best restaurants in the area, and give you a discount up to 50% off if you reserve a table online. You need to order a minimum of 2 dishes per person, and it doesn't include drinks, however, I have had some pretty tasty meals in Barcelona, Madrid and Valencia, for a fraction of the usual price.

If you totally love gourmet food, but can't afford going for pricey meals all the time, then check out El Tenedor.  

http://www.eltenedor.es

Picoteo Devicio

 Taggliatelle with prawns

Vegetable Tempura

Mini Hamburger

Parmesan, pesto and pine-nut foam. 

Chocolate cake with strawberry ice-cream

 Torrijas

 Apple tart with dulce de leche ice-cream

"Platos exquisitos y muy elaborados a precios económicos..."

So we decided that we were going to go to this very good Tapas bar for dinner on the 2nd night in Valencia. Stupidly we didn't ring up and reserve, and instead just sat outside the restaurant for 1 and a half hours, munching on Doritos and dip and playing Uno.. Despite our positive attitude, our hearts were crushed when they said they were fully booked for that night. So we returned on the Saturday,expecting an epic meal, as it was ranked 5th best restaurant in Valencia on Trip Advisor. And that was what we received. 

Very very cheap, excellent quality tapas dishes, with a modern twist. Megan and I decided to have 10 dishes between us, so we could taste a little bit of everything. BAD IDEA. We were stuffed by the 5th dish, but Megan kept on ploughing through. My favourites were the parmesan, pesto and pine nut foam, crunchy battered aubergine covered in honey with humus dip, spicy tomato taggliatelle with huge griddled prawns, pasta nest topped with a fried egg and chorizo cream, and finally the caramelised apple pie with dulce de leche ice cream.

I hugely recommend this place to anyone in Valencia. Make sure you ring up and reserve as they are extremely popular. Tasty, elegantly presented, stupidly cheap food. What could be better?! 

Lolina Vintage Cafe

I'm currently sitting in a very sweet cafe in Malasaña updating my blog. Nestled in a flowerbox-adorned corner on Calle Espíritu Santo, their décor is kitsch and the food and drink is delicious.

Reasonably priced, fresh food including an excellent Spanish Tortilla with salad, toasts with different toppings including goats cheese and cranberry and they also serve very good fruit juices. 

I also recommend trying the Frappuccino with a ball of coffee ice cream on top.  

This is one of my favourite places to come in Malasaña if I need a few quiet moments, with my laptop, doing work for university, or updating my blog. 

Ginger

Situated on Plaza del Ángel just up the road from Sol. Stunning in the evening, very impressive at night, with the whole area lit up with lilac lights.

Traditional Mediterranean cuisine with a contemporary twist.

Astonishingly low prices for the prime location, luxurious art deco surroundings and gourmet menu. The meal was immaculately presented and delicious, the service polite and attentive and the bill wasn't too hefty either. 

Reservations are required, but there is a very quick turnover, so you won't be waiting long for a table. 

Recommendations:

Steak with mash and aubergine mousse

Artichoke salad with shavings of Jamón Iberico

Deep fried octopus in a crispy batter

Prawn Tempura 

Bykono

Sorry if these 'collage' images are annoying you, but i've just become obsessed with this app!

  

I've never really eaten a lot of Sushi, it kinda freaked me out a bit, but my more adventurous housemates introduced me to Handrolls. Which are called Temaki's in Japanese. 

They are wrapped up rice veg, meat or fish in a nori seeweed cone. And they are even served in a very sweet bamboo boat shaped container. 

Japanese fast food seems quite popular amongst young hipsters in Madrid. Bykono markets towards anyone that doesn't have time for a full meal, but wants a healthy fresh snack that boosts their energy levels.

Top 3 Temakis:

Prawn tempura with lettuce, and mayo

Chicken Teryaki with crispy onion bits

Salmon and Philidelphia

Milk

I have spent many a hungover afternoon in Madrid searching for a cafe that serves a real deal English Breakfast. As mentioned in an earlier post, we went to Carmencita, which I was told served excellent brunch in Madrid. For anyone who hasn't read about my experience, it wasn't the best. However, I must tell you now that we recently visited a second time, and the food was excellent. Still no baked beans though…

Anyway! The next few posts will be about Barcelona. I had the best weekend of my life, and I'm so lucky to have celebrated by 21st Birthday there, with some of my amazing friends. 

The morning after a rather eventful evening at Razzmattazz, we wandered the cobbled streets of the Gothic district in search of Milk, a well known bistro/bar in Barcelona. The atmosphere was so chilled, with comfy seats and a soothing soundtrack, (Stevie Wonder, Fleetwood Mac, Simply Red vibes) and the staff were very friendly. 

Milk's breakfast menu is called Recovery Brunch, which they serve everyday from 10 till 4pm. The majority of us ordered the English Brekky which was just perfection. BEANS, MUSHROOMS, TOMATOES, SCRAMBLED EGGS, BACON, SPICY POTATOES, TOAST. I was absolutely loving life. The Eggs Benedict also looked sensational, and the Smoothies were an absolute delight. We even got a glass of cava thrown in for free because our food took a while to come out. We left the cafe, extremely full, but in high spirits as we made our way down to the beach for a long lie down in the sun. 

If you are in Barcelona, and want a really tasty brunch with big portions, at reasonable prices, in a cool hip venue, then the only place to be is Milk. 

Dionisos

I've been meaning to go to Dionisos for a long time now, as it is located just round the corner from my flat, in Chueca. On the last night of my second semester in Madrid, we wanted to go for a nice meal, and picked this lovely little Greek Taberna. 

The restaurant is extremely inviting, with simple Mediterranean decor and a friendly ambience. 

The prices were surprisingly very reasonable, so we cheekily decided to go for a starter, main, dessert and a glass of white wine! We shared a platter of Greek Tapas which included Hummus, Taramasalata (eeeewww fish roe), Tzatziki, Falafel, Dolmades, Feta cheese and Pita. - YUM! The only criticism I have is that they don't serve Haloumi, something which I have been craving for since I left home! Next we ordered a few mains to share including Greek Style Chicken, Rocket Salad with sun-dried tomatoes and grilled Greek cheese, and Pastry stuffed with chicken, cheese and vegetables. The portions were huge and the food was fantastic. The dessert was an Orange Carpaccio with vanilla ice-cream and cinnamon, which was disappointingly just sliced up oranges arranged nicely on a plate, sprinkled with cinnamon. However, at the end of the meal we were given a free shot of desert wine, which I supped pretty quickly. 

All in all I loved my experience at Dionisos Greek Restaurant and would recommend it to anyone looking for authentic Greek cuisine in the centre of Madrid. 

Mercado De San Anton

Located in the heart of Chueca, this modern, urban market is one of my favourite places in Madrid. I’m a bit of a foodie, love cooking new recipes and trying different cuisines, so no wonder I instantly fell in love. 

The market is brimming with light, sound, colour and energy and is the go to place for cool, middle class Madrileños to hang out. 

Mercado San Anton is made up of three floors. The first floor is a traditional food market which offers quality seasonal produce including meats, cheeses, breads and fish. Think Harvey Nichols food court. 

On the second floor, you’ll find prepared dishes that you can grab and eat at one of their high top tables. My personal favourites are the Greek and Italian counter. There are also a few other stalls which have caught my eye, but they are not for the faint hearted. One stall offers Duck prepared in a million different ways, with a particular focus on Foie Gras. The food is excellent, however, pretty pricey for the amount you get. 

On the third level, you will find the rooftop terrace, which provides a great place to have a drink and watch the sunset on a hot summer evening in Madrid. The view is breathtaking and as the night gets cooler fireplaces are lit to make you more comfortable as you lounge on the couches. It also homes a restaurant, La Cocina de San Antón, which allows you to choose fresh produce from the market to be cooked to your taste. 

The vibe on each level is different, but it all harmonizes to create a unique experience that will leave you looking for an excuse to come back! I would suggest that you go fairly early in the evening, in order to secure a spot for the entire night, as it is an incredibly popular hangout. It is, without a doubt, the type of market that’s worth a visit, and even if you aren’t looking to buy anything, I´m sure you won’t leave empty handed.

La Musa

I only found this restaurant 2 or 3 weeks before returning home, and I wish I had found it sooner. 

La Musa is located Malasana, an area best known for its punk revolution in the 80’s after the end of Franco. This hip, city-central barrio now hosts Madrid’s best cultural and alternative venues for shopping and socialising. It is Madrid’s equivalent to London’s Camden town. 

The decor is right up my street, elegant, minimalistic and artistic. The atmosphere is always lively and vibrant, and the service is fantastic. You will simply find men and women in search of good food, a relaxed atmosphere and affordable prices. May I also mention the music, which fits perfectly with the whole vibe. 

THE FOOD. 

The menu is generally Tapas. I’m so fed up of greasy tapas which you tend to get in most bars around Madrid. The food in La Musa however is so different from that ‘traditional’ selection of croquetas, bread and ham and chicken wings. They serve a mixture of Mediterranean dishes, with a unorthodox twist. My favourite dishes are the Chicken and Vegetable Gyoza (Empanadillas Japonesas) - Japanese dumplings, Beef Carpaccio, a platter of barbecued meats (BBQ mixta) and the deconstructed margarita pizza, a warm tomato and cheese dipping sauce served with fresh bread. 

Not to be forgotten is the alcoholic drinks menu, which is extensive, serving over 15 types of Gin. 

I would massively recommend this place to ANYONE visiting Madrid… and I may actually go back this evening when my housemates return. Cheeky!