Botin

Old school glamour

front

Botin is an institution in the dining world far beyond Madrid, according to a number of sources including The Guinness World Record, it is the oldest restaurant in the world. Not that it has any impact on the cooking but as a tourist I was also keen to witness the old school setting interior and classic Spanish dishes to get an idea how far the Spanish cuisine has developed.

model

one of the dining room

First I went for the classic garlic soup, I wasn't so sure if I would like it, fearing if it might be going to be a garlic feast in my mouth with an overwhelming spicy and sharp smell from the garlic. But it turned out to be actually very decent, not too strong in flavour with a soft egg in the middle. For main I had both the legendary roast suckling pig as well as the roast baby lamb. The pork was lovely with moist meat and a crispy amber skin, the lamb on the other hand was average but still packed with richness and the portion was very friendly, I had so much that I had to skip dessert!

garlic soup

cold summer soup

suckling pig

roast baby lamb

In the end the food at Botin is good but nothing outstanding, but going there is more than about just the food, here you are experiencing a slice of old school glamour, from the rustic decor, old fashioned waiters to the classic food presentation. If you ever visit Madrid, I strongly suggest you give Botin a try, well priced food, decent quality with a rich history behind it, it is worth it.

Food 3/5

What I paid: 
£40 per head with a glass of wine

Average cost without drinks and services :
£25 - £40



Calle Cuchilleros, 17, 28005 Madrid, Spain

http://www.botin.es/?q=en