The moment I walked out of the Serrano metro station and onto Calle de Serrano, I felt like I had arrived in a new city and not Madrid. The area was quieter and less crowded in comparison to the chaos of Sol and the Gran Via. Also, there were so many more high-end designer stores (Burberry, Chanel, Dior, etc.), which are unfortunately out of my budget but still make for good window-shopping. A few minutes on Calle de Serrano made me realize that I had found my new favorite area in Madrid: Salamanca!
Three of my favorite restaurants in Madrid are in Salamanca and this particular post is about Restaurante Ten Con Ten (you can read about Bar Tomate here and Restaurante Tepic here). These three restaurants are all on the pricier side, and are all also formal sit-down places (well, not formal like no jeans-no sneakers, but they have a fancy schmancy vibe to them). Funny enough, all three of these restaurants are on the same street, so if you are planning a trip to Madrid and want to eat in Salamanca, you could walk into all three restaurants before deciding which to eat at.
I knew I wanted to try Restaurante Ten Con Ten when my friend who lived in Madrid this past spring recommended it to me as “a fancy place for a nice occasion.” I can turn any meal into a nice occasion deserving of a fancy restaurant so I went to Ten Con Ten on a random day simply because I was in the area.
Older couples and groups of women of all ages dressed in their best designer clothes filled this restaurant; Ten Con Ten is definitely where stylish Madrileños come to dine.
Photo c/o www.cousiinteriorismoyeventos.es
My meal began with a generously sized breadbasket with a light cheesy dipping sauce. A group of women at another table were sipping this cheese sauce like it was a drink, so that may be another way to consume it but I could never drink straight cheese. I did find the sauce to be a better accompaniment to the bread than just plain butter or oil.
I also want to note that somewhere between my second and third roll of bread a staff member offered me caviar. The restaurant apparently had a special on caviar that day because it was the Spanish national holiday, but I’m a simple (ie. poor) girl who chose to pass. Maybe next time!
For my entrée, I had black squid ink pasta with a mix of lobster, shrimp, clams, mussels, and tomatoes. The portion was just right for a main meal, not like some huge Cheesecake Factory plate… although I definitely would’ve preferred a Cheesecake Factory price.
After devouring my entire pasta dish, I indulged in Nutella crepes for dessert. The actual crepes were small but they were bursting with Nutella. Before I even cut into one of the two mini-crepes, Nutella was already oozing out. If you like Nutella, then this dessert is for you… I do wish the ice cream on top was vanilla though, and not chocolate.
In the end, my meal of a breadbasket, water, pasta, and a dessert cost €47.10. So if you’re wondering why I have not returned to Ten Con Ten despite it’s amazing quality food, ambiance, and service, there is your reason. When I’m making bank though, I’ll for sure be back to order the caviar!
