If you want to enjoy great tapas, you either need to head south to Andalucia or find a really good Andaluz restaurant.
Let me introduce you to La Cazorla, a little corner of the South in the heart of Madrid! In the bar section, every drink you order is accompanied by a different tapa. Please don’t ask for tapas; they are complimentary and the whole point of tapeo is to be surprised each time. At La Cazorla you may be given clams cooked with garlic and white wine, stewed beef, some well-dressed beef tomatoes or potato salad. Everything is freshly prepared, and as the aperitivo hour progresses, more trays of exciting-looking food will appear, persuading you to have just one more glass of wine.
La Cazorla is my little family’s favourite restaurant for a celebration. It’s always excellent and the raciones (portions) are huge and great for sharing. Watch out, because it’s easy to over order! Behind the bar are two large dining rooms, attended by white-jacketed waiters; very old-school Spanish. The decoration is traditional Andaluz, featuring colourful glossy tiles. In the dining room, bread, olives and fried almonds keep you entertained while you are waiting for your food – there’s a cover charge of 1.80 per person for this. Order several things from the list of starters to share. We always have the Cazorla salad (featuring little gem lettuce, best quality tuna, large olives, tomatoes, onions and beetroot) and mixed fried fish.
And try the adobo – it’s delicious!
