Page 87 - WINE DINE AND TRAVEL SUMMER 2022 DISCOVERING MADRID

La Campana

Among Madrilenos favorite foods is the fried into fresh rolls. Its success gave rise to several
calamari sandwich or bocadillo de calamares - a bars near the Plaza Mayor, still offering this
pile of deep-fried squid rings served on a crusty tasty, fast, and cheap snack to locals and tourists
roll with aioli, mayo, or a squeeze of lemon. It’s a alike.
big sandwich and a great deal for just 3.50 Euros Our Devour Tour guide took us to the most
and really goes well with a small glass of cold famous bocadillo de calamares eatery, La Cam-
beer.The calamari is amazingly tender, almost pana, just outside one of Plaza Mayor’s gates.
too tender. Often we wondered how they pro- Its nondescript storefront is easy to miss ex-
cessed the rings. cept for the line of hungry people waiting out-
It’s surprising to count a seafood sandwich side the door. We’ve been back twice since our
among signature dishes in this land-locked city. tour and enjoy the small but very busy dining
Railways deserve much of the credit since their room. They make every sandwich to order, be-
arrival in 19th century enabled transport of hind a counter just a few feet away from the
fresh seafood from the coast. Seafood restau- packed dining room. The sandwich is large, so
rants began popping up around the city and soon we share one, leaving room for an ice cream or
one eatery, El Brillante, tucked fried calamari other sweet snack.

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