Opened in the early sixties by Alfonso Ramos from Sanabrá, along with his wife Maxi, as a neighborhood bar that served some seafood from Galicia and he converted it into a restaurant, La Castañal, where they continue to run it today. of the business are his sons, Alfonso and José Pedro, who have replaced the paper tablecloths with cloth ones and have given the premises greater packaging.

Although there is a physical letter, the recommendations of the day are sung out loud and you have to be attentive. The empanadas are quite fine, with xoubas, scallops, bonito... The octopus à feira and the Padrón peppers or the carabineros croquettes are also successful.

Among the “serious” dishes, clams stand out, marinated or pan-fried, shrimp or large, thick-caliber barnacles. Also recommended this season is the crab of considerable size and served the way we like it best, that is, without any dressing.

Although they come here to get their fill of seafood, they also have good fish that, alas, are slightly overcooked. Even so, lamprey or the classic Galician-style hake, with potatoes and turnip tops, are recommended this season. For the weirdos who don't like fish, they offer Galician beef and, for dessert, pancakes filled with cream or tetilla cheese.

The wine list has all the classic Galician whites and the equally classic reds from Rioja and Ribera.

Review by Rogelio Enriquez. President of the Madrid Academy of Gastronomy