OF TAPAS PAELLA AND CHURROS

THERE'S NO BETTER WAY TO EXPLORE THE CULINARY OFFERINGS OF MADRID THAN THROUGH ITS OFF-THE-GRID CAFÉS AND BARS IN NONDESCRIPT SPACES

- NAYARE ALI

Madrid is a city of deceptions. Behind the glamour and the glitz of Spain’s capital city lies a more placid lifestyle, devoid of the frills and fancies of its haute couture subculture.

It is a city that runs on its stomach, as can be attested by its indulgent mix of thriving tapas bars, back-alley bodegas and bustling food markets. It is the perfect destination for travellers who are looking to taste the culture of a place through its food traditions.

We landed in Madrid on one cold evening, stumbling out of the Barajas airport to be hit by a blast of freezing air. Biting cold is a remarkable way of activating your appetite. It also leads you to your path rather quickly, as we randomly discovered the Restaurante Royal Cantonés in C Del Olvido.

The hot Cantonese soup, soothing and mildly spicy with a hint of tangy flavour, was manna for the tired soul crushed to the bone with exhaustion and cold.

Satiated and on a happy high after binging on juicy shrimp dumplings and tender chicken noodle rolls, we were ready to call it a night at our hotel, the Radisson Red in Atocha, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle of Art, giving us easy access to the Prado Museum and the Puerta De Sol.

Spanish weather is rather unpredictable, and we realised it when the sun shone brightly on our first morning in Madrid, compelling us to slip into comfy jeans and cotton tops as we set out to explore the city on foot, just like the locals do.

Typically, being laidback travellers, we opted for a sumptuous Spanish breakfast at the hotel before trotting off for our daily adventures. Everyone was given a lesson in native cuisine as we relished traditional delicacies.