MADRID - CASA LABRA

CASA LABRA

It is said history was made at this bar on the 2nd of May 1879 with the formation of the PSOE (Spanish socialist party), and on walking in, it appears you could still be back in 1879 as nothing seems to have changed since then!

It is a wonderful traditional bar.

and is famous for its croquetas de bacalao.

Some of the best in Madrid.

The tajadas de bacalao, are pieces of cod, deep-fried in batter until crispy.

They are served with wooden cocktail sticks or you eat them with your fingers, and cost €1.75 each.

At that price, they are great value and the crispy cod is similar to the best English cod in batter.

They are best eaten with a caña or from a selection of Spanish wines served from the barrel. Apart from the bar area, there is also a small room in the back for more varied meals served at your table.

This is not the place for fine dining, but an old, unpretentious, and much-respected traditional tapas bar, although with a somewhat, pretty limited menu. You basically go for the bacalao. It is frequented by both locals and tourists alike. It is a place to pop in for a beer and tapa for an hour or so and then move on. It is rightly respected as a gem in Madrid.