K & L's Travel Blog

Madrid, January 13, 2024

After venturing into the city center, we decided to explore a bit more of our own neighborhood. As we’ve come to realize, our original itineraries are inevitably too ambitious, so we decided to stick to one museum instead of two and then go to a local street renowned for its food scene.

It was about a twenty-minute walk to the Chamberí Metro Museum, a “ghost station” that was built about 1911 and closed in the 1960’s. It was dormant for decades, but recently restored as a museum. The entry is free, and though you can make reservations, they also admit you as a walk-up. We waited about 30 minutes for entry while chatting with an engineering student from Michigan. There was a crowd of about 25 people in each tour group. Although Kitty and I were the only ones who were English speakers, the guide took time to translate for us while the rest of the group went on ahead.

The station retained all the original tile work including advertisements. It is on an active line, so trains rumbled through from time to time while a plastic partition kept us safe from the tracks. As seems the norm with European guides, the tour was professional and quite detailed.

From there we went to a nearby foodie haven, Ponsano Street. I found it disappointing. Though there were a lot of restaurants, we were early for the lunch hour, so most were closed. It also looked as though they had removed all the lively outdoor dining terraces that had lined the street since Covid. The one place that was open (El Doble) was one of the more historic and photogenic bars, but had a bad reputation. I’d written myself a note: “Take a photo or two, but buy your beer and tapas elsewhere!” But despite its reputation, we ventured in for a Vermouth.

The owner was akin to the “Soup Nazi” from Seinfeld. When we said were there for Vermouth, he told us we had to order food if we wanted to stay. This was a new rule for us, but another client who spoke English affirmed what I thought I had understood. We eyed the pulpo salad, and decided to go for it. It was comforting to see everyone suffering the same abuse upon entering. Some left, some stayed, and everyone who stayed overpaid. The ½ portion of octopus was very good, and the “Fish Nazi” put on a good show pouring beer. The bill was an outrageous €16.00, but given the entertainment, we felt OK about it. This especially after we re-read the scathing reviews and truly exorbitant pricing they regularly inflict on their customers. 

Our next stop was a restaurant that boasted “The best croquettes in the world!!” Naught. We left Posano Street a bit disappointed and headed back home to chez Kitty, where we ate excellent pasta and salad. I know where to go for predictably good eats!