Madrid is a city of deceptions. Behind the glamour and the glitz of Spain’s capital city lies a more placid lifestyle, devoid of the frills and fancies of its haute couture subculture.

　　It is a city that runs on its stomach, as can be attested by its indulgent mix of thriving tapas bars, back-alley bodegas and bustling food markets. It is the perfect destination for travellers who are looking to taste the culture of a place through its food traditions.

　　What To Eat In Madrid

　　We landed in Madrid on one cold evening, stumbling out of the Barajas airport to be hit by a blast of freezing air. Biting cold is a remarkable way of activating your appetite. It also leads you to your path rather quickly as we randomly discovered the Restaurante Royal Cantonés in C Del Olvido.

　　The hot Cantonese soup, soothing and mildly spicy with a hint of a tangy flavour, was manna for the tired soul crushed to the bone with exhaustion and cold.

　　Satiated and on a happy high after binge-ing on juicy shrimp dumplings and tender chicken noodle rolls, we were ready to call it a night at our hotel, the Radisson Red in Atocha, located in the heart of the Golden Triangle of Art, giving us easy access to the Prado Museum and the Puerta De Sol.

　　Spanish weather is rather unpredictable, and we realised it when the sun shone brightly on our first morning in Madrid, compelling us to slip into comfy jeans and cotton tops as we set out to explore the city on foot, just like the locals do.

　　Typically, being laidback travellers, we opted for a sumptuous Spanish breakfast at the hotel before trotting off for our daily adventures. Everyone was given a lesson in native cuisine as we relished traditional delicacies.

　　The tostada (toast) topped with con tomate y aceite (olive oil and tomatoes) was light and yummy. On days we wanted to satiate our sweet buds, we opted for chocolate con churros, considered breakfast food and not a dessert in Spain. You dip the churros in hot chocolate before you take a heavenly bite.

　　On days we felt ravenous, the pincho de tortilla, a Spanish potato omelette eaten as a second breakfast mid-morning, more than filled our stomach.

　　Tapas Bars & Cafés In Madrid

　　Madrid can be both fascinating and yet confusing, given its vast expanse. We were blessed to have local friends who guided us with the expertise that comes from knowing the fabric of the land in and out.

　　The architecture was dazzling and dizzying. We were overwhelmed with awe every time we stepped into a new space. We headed to the alluring La Latina barrio (neighbourhood) lined with tapas bars and cantinas.

　　The Spaniards are an outdoorsy lot who love to hang out in their streetside cafés or bars with their coterie of friends. We made it a point to head to the La Musa Latina, populated by locals, to savour the taco de ropa viejau, slow-cooked shredded beef in flavourful tomato sauce served on tortillas or with rice. We also tried their house wine, which gave us a giddy high. The mood at most tapas bars is high energy, loud laughter and fun catch-ups.

　　Given the humidity and fierce sun, late afternoons are siesta time for Spaniards who beat the heat by disappearing into their uniformly styled and minimalist homes. Every apartment flaunts a tiny balcony proudly displaying its pretty floral arrangements. Every home has double-grilled windows, and while one instantly assumes that it is a security measure, we were informed that this is a practical measure to keep the harsh sunlight out.

　　Late afternoons are meant for siestas for the Spaniards who beat the heat by disappearing into their uniformly styled and minimalist apartmentsThe average Spaniard lives in a piso (flat), and we got to visit one such space belonging to our host, who generously treated us to a traditional meal, popularly known as Cocido Madrileño. This is a chickpea-based stew with potatoes, cabbage, and carrots cooked in a delectable concoction.

　　In keeping with our dietary preferences, our host decided to replace the traditional pork meat with chicken. Snails and squid sandwiches are also quite the staple fare, but given our delicate sensibilities, we opted for the stew and gazpacho—which was mouthwateringly delicious.

　　Having binged excessively over an afternoon meal, our host encouraged us to stroll to one of Madrid’s hidden gems, the stunning Campo del Moro, a picturesque 19th-century garden off the tourist grid created during Queen Maria Cristina’s rule. The long walk, coupled with engaging lessons on Spanish history, ended well past sunset. We wandered around until we reached our dinner destination, Yothai, a place frequented by locals for authentic Thai cuisine.

　　This hole-in-the-wall eatery is located at Calle De San Vicente. The red chicken curry, the mango sticky rice and the pad Thai con pollo (chicken stir-fry) are their fast-selling dishes, and we endorsed the same after a hearty meal. The service is super quick, and the portions served here are large, so you may want to factor that in while ordering food.

　　We called it a night and took a cab back to the hotel as we finished our 10,000-plus steps for the day. Most of our after-hours were spent at Oso Rojo, the lobby bar at our hotel. The place is always buzzing with in-house and outside guests vibing to the foot-tapping house music; it is clearly a popular chill-out space where you can reflect on your day and experiment with their handcrafted cocktails and housemade charcuterie prepared by chef Jorge Munos Santos.

　　The next morning, we trotted off to the uber-luxury Barrio Salamanca, inhabited by Spain's wealthiest folks. You can see the change in the designs of the apartment blocks with their modern finishes and ornate sandstone architecture.

　　You will also notice ladies flaunting their Chanel bags and LV shoes. Unlike the rest of the city, where people are dressed down, here it is all about showcasing your best outfit.

　　We decided to have a couple of drinks at Café Niebla, a super chic cocktail bar and opted for the Singapore Sling, a gin and lime-based cocktail and a banana whisky sour with bourbon and liquorice.

　　The bar was packed to the gills, even on a weekday morning. That is also true of most prominent eateries or bars in Madrid. Clearly the Spaniards love to dine out, but you might be fooled by their slim frames. Our host told us that they walk extensively to burn calories quickly. That’s the secret to their large appetites and good health.

　　We decided to head to Gran Via for some retail therapy. The whole space reminds you of Oxford Street, London, with a somewhat similar landscape of malls, theatres and the iconic Four Seasons hotel, which is majestically poised within the bustling heart of Centro.

　　Still revelling in our indulgent mood, we decided to treat ourselves to a fancy meal at the hotel's Isa Restaurant and Cocktail Bar. We ordered the famous croquetas tigre (mussel croquet) and lubina entera crujiente (crispy seabass), both came in appetisingly large portions. We stumbled out of the hotel with overfilled bellies and pushed ourselves to do the 20-minute walk back to the hotel like the Spaniards. Ironically, in Madrid, the more you walk, the faster you digest your food and start feeling ravenous again at dinner time.

　　On our last night in the charming city, we opted for a late-night Chinese meal at Yijiangnan in the quaint Sor Angela De La Cruz area. We selected the pollo estilo Sichuan (shredded chicken mixed with spicy garlic sauce) and the berenjena yxiang (eggplant stir-fry) with sticky rice. We rounded this meal with the golden sand-fried pumpkin dessert.

　　This barrio has a slightly grungy middle-class vibe but great outdoor seating areas, where people casually order their drinks from ubiquitous bars and prattle nonstop with their buddies.

　　That picture of bonhomie remained deeply etched in our memory as we wound our way back to our hotel, savouring the cool Madrid air on our last night in the city.