Madrid Memories from March and April 2019 – Day 1

For our wedding anniversary we decided to take a 5 night break to Madrid. The base for our trip was the Intercontinental Hotel and after checking in it was to time to get the lay of the land.

Meandering around Madrid

On our previous visit in March 2017, we had less time to explore the city but certainly squeezed in as much as possible. After taking the Metro into the heart of Madrid it was time to take in some of the sights.

Madrid and Darracott

We have connected with several people over Social Media over the years and one in particular had a wine shop not far from the Plaza Mayor. Luke Darracott who along with his business partner Roque opened Madrid and Darracott in 2018.

Laura outside Madrid and Darracott

Luke and Erik with the Bodegas Toro Albalá Marqués de Poley Oloroso

Meeting our online friends is something we really enjoy and Luke was no exception. We received a warm welcome and tried some of the bottles they had open to sample. A regular feature of their offering are in store catas or tastings. Some wines and Vermut from Montilla-Moriles are available as part of their selection so a bottle of Bodegas Toro Albalá Marqués de Poley Oloroso had to be purchased. A review of that bottle can be found at this link. Then it was time for lunch with Luke recommending we go to the Mercado de San Miguel.

More Meandering

Following lunch we walked up to the Plaza Mayor, and spent more time meandering the surrounding streets before heading back to the hotel. There really are some beautiful buildings in Madrid and we just scratched the surface on what you an see.

Anniversary Dinner at Surtopía

With our wedding anniversary the day before, we wanted to have a special meal in Madrid on our first night to celebrate. Prior to our trip, we had asked for recommendations for options for this celebratory meal. We went with the recommendation of Spanish Wine Expert and Educator, Juancho Asenjo who suggested we go for the 9 dish tasting menu paired with Sherry wines at Surtopía.

Jose Calleja, the Chef Patron, is originally from Sanlucar de Barrameda in the Sherry Triangle and opened the restaurant in January 2012.

When reading the Michelin guide review – “A restaurant with a modern ambience that translates to the cuisine, featuring the aromas and flavours of Andalucia and showcasing contemporary techniques and interesting innovative touches”, we were excited.

The current tasting menu comprises 4 dishes from the starter section, shrimp fritters, then 3 main courses and a dessert to finish. Their latest tasting menu can be found here.

The Food

The Sherries and Olive Oil

What a wonderful evening with impeccable service and amazing food with perfect Sherry pairings. A fantastic finish to our first day in Madrid. Stay tuned for Day two and more.

Address: Duque de Rivas 8, 28012 Madrid

Email: info@madriddarracott.com

Tel: +34 912 19 19 75

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Address: Calle de Núñez de Balboa, 106, 28006 Madrid

Email: info@surtopia.es

Tel: +34 91 563 03 64

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