Dinner at Madrid

The sun was finally going down here in El Escorial and I needed to get back to Madrid before it gets really dark and difficult to figure things out. I thought it would be best to go back to the bus station where I got deposited when I got here. I was hoping there would be buses going back to the train station where I got off from. It wasn’t a long walk back to the station and along the way I got to see the restaurant row here at El Escorial. Unfortunately, it was getting late and I needed to get back, much as I wanted to stay and eat. I got lucky and I found a bus which was about to depart and it was going straight to Madrid. Best of all it was going to one of the metro station so I don’t have to worry about getting lost. The trip was just as long as the train ride but I was happy since I got to ride the bus here instead of the train. I was able to decipher the signs on the bus station and figured out that the bus was going where I want it to. Although the metro station wasn’t centrally located it was good enough for me. In no time, I was back at the Tirso de Molina Metro station where my hostel was.

First order of business was dinner, I was already hungry and I was looking around for a good place to eat. I noticed that one of the restaurants in the area around the metro station was quite packed with people. I took this as a good sign that it is either good in taste or good in value. There was a seat at the counter an I was given the menu. Most of the dishes were quite familiar to me and I think I have a good idea how this works. Eventually my eyes gravitated towards one of the dishes which I haven’t had in a while – lechon. Now, I was hoping against all hope that this would be the same as the Philippine lechon or spit roasted pig, known for its crunchy skin and succulent meat. I mustered up all my Spanish and managed to order my food without any problem.

I was first served some paella which I would admit is much better than the one I had the first day. It is too bad that there wasn’t too much of it. As I was waiting for my food, there was mayhem behind the counter. The boss was right in the middle of the action with his staff barking out orders to the chef and to the waiters who were running back and forth the counter with food and money. It is amazing how the managed to keep track of anything here. The bar counter where I was also full, attesting to its popularity. My lechon finally came and my hopes were quickly dashed that their lechon here was plain old pork chops. Anyway, there were still two slabs of meat here to finish and it was a lot of food. I had this with my Mahou beer. And I was very satisfied to know that this was quite affordable by European standards – ten Euros. In the end I had to give up, when I was about to leave, the boss told me I still have dessert but I had to turn it down as I was full. It is a pity I didn’t get to see this place sooner. If I end up in this area again, I will surely make another visit to this place.

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