Page 30 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2022 DISCOVERING MADRID

cuts, and olives for dinner or grabbed a couple of sine. A favorite was Tijuana-style street tacos, typ-
small plates at one of the many tapas bars nearby. ical throughout Southern California. Yes, there are
It took a while to adjust to this meal schedule Mexican dining spots around Spain, but the ones
that, for a Madrileno, can include about eight we’ve tried missed the mark or offered chain fare.
noshes, starting with morning toast and coffee and Early in our stay, we discovered the Mexican food
ending with a tapa late in the evening. Mostly, we products we needed were easily sourced at the
were forced to adapt to eatery hours - 1-4 for mid- large supermarket on the ground floor of El Corte
day and 8-11 in the evening. Showing up at a just- Ingles, the vast department store near Gran Via.
opened restaurant often meant we’d be among a Shelves there were stocked with corn tortillas,
few diners in the room, likely hungry tourists. Go- ground beef, spices, canned refried beans, avoca-
ing later proved to be more fun - lesson learned. dos, cilantro, and Chalula, our favorite hot sauce.
Half the time we opted for home-cooked meals, Back in the apartment, it didn’t take long to serve
to save money and take a break from Spanish cui- up tacos. Que Rico!

30 WINE DINE & TRAVEL MAGAZINE SUMMER 2022