Finding a good, high quality restaurant in the busy, high traffic shopping area of Callao near the Corte Inglés department store can be a challenge. Fortunately for hungry shoppers, El Cucurucho del Mar is a gem of a restaurant that has a welcoming atmosphere and specializes in fresh seafood and shellfish.
As soon as you step inside the restaurant you will be taken away from the outside clamor and harried pace, and you will find yourself in a peaceful oasis decorated in soothing colors and a seashore motif. The owners of the restaurant hail from Vigo in the province of Galicia, an area in the northwestern corner of the country that is well known for having the best seafood in all of Spain. The restaurant is truly a family affair, with father and son running the front of the house, while mom prepares the tasty Galician dishes in the kitchen.
While there are some meat dishes on the menu, it’s clear that the specialty of the restaurant is its seafood. If you’re not sure what to order, you can take a walk to the back of the restaurant and check out the selection of fresh fish and shellfish displayed in the refrigerated case. You are sure to find something to choose, such as cocochas (cod cheeks), merluza (hake fish), centollas (king crab), navajas (razor clams), or the Galician delicacy percebes (gooseneck barnacles) that are much sought after.
El Cucurucho features a Menu del Dia (menu of the day) that includes an appetizer, entrée, dessert, and beverage (wine, beer or water), all for just €12.40 (about US$15).
- Póstigo de San Martín, 6
- Madrid, Spain
- Phone: +34 (91) 522 08 95
- Website: El Cucurucho
Photo credit: © Christopher Pappas • All rights reserved.
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