MADRID - CASA TORIBIO

RESTAURANTE CASA TORIBIO

This is a very traditional restaurant in the heart of Madrid. In 1980, they opened as a pub called New Street, whose interior was based on a London street. After several years of making their name with Gin-Tonic with lemon peel, champagne cocktails, and Irish coffee, they began acquiring exclusive Rabo de Toro de Lidia (bull meat) from the nearby Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas (the largest bullring in Spain) in 1998.

Such was the success of the food, that in 2000, they reformed the premises, leaving behind New Street Pub and bringing Casa Toribio into existence.

The owner Mr Toribio and his wife (who runs the kitchen), are always helpful, moving from table to table and giving out recommendations. It gets terribly busy after the bullfighting at the nearby Plaza de Toros de Las Ventas and it's incredible how they manage to serve everyone on those evenings. It is one of the only places in Spain where you can eat bull meat, which is butchered and delivered after the fights.

On this lunchtime we had,

Plato de tomate con bonito y cebolleta (tomato, tuna and onion salad).

Alcachofas rehogadas (sautéed artichokes).

They also have excellent anchovies and asparagus.

Morcilla de Entraña de Fuentes de León (black pudding from Fuentes de León).

Solomillo de la Sierra de Gredos (sirloin from Sierra de Gredos).

Various cuts of bullfighting meat are available

Rabo de Toro de Lidia de las Ventas y Otras Plazas (fighting bull's tail from Las Ventas and other bullrings). Carrillada de Toro de Lidia (fighting bull cheeks).

Solomillo de Toro de Lidia al Roquefort (bullfighting sirloin with roquefort)

It is one of the best places to eat Rabo de Toro (bull tail/oxtail). They serve it with or without bones (you should choose the one with bones and take them out yourself, it's easy to do).