Cafe' Madrid

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sexyvirgo76

Joined 5 years ago

Looking for a Relaxing Dinner with Good Food?. Our grown family frequently visits Cafe Madrid. We are a mixed family of American Southerners, Cubans, Italians and Germans. We range in age from the thirtys to the eightys. Finding a place that appeals to all of us and doesn't bust our budgets is often a challenge. The relaxed atmosphere at Cafe Madrid is just the place for all ten of us to ocassionaly gather for a leisurely evening spent enjoying good food and good company. The best part is that this restaurant has been located right in the heart of our neighborhood since I was a child. The service is attentative yet the owners and the staff do not rush you out of their restaurant. The pace of the service is just right when what you really want is to relax and enjoy your food and your company. The food is always delicious.

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neptuna3

Joined 6 years ago

Most Impressive Lunch. Cafe Madrid was an accidental and wonderful surprise while searching for a lunch spot in a neighborhood I wasn't familiar with...For $12, a generous Lamb Shank in a very delicious sauce was accompanied with yellow rice (also tasty) black beans, fried plaintains, thick slices of crispy, hot bread and iced tea.

I'll definitely be back! The dinner menu is pricier, but the offerings looked adventurous.

My only reason for not offering the ultimate rating? I arrived at about 2pm (well after the lunch hour) and the service could have been more attentive on refilling drinks, paying the bill, etc...but everybody was pleasant and this didn't get in the way of an enjoyable lunch.

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justme321

Joined 7 years ago

My friend recommended, and I wouldn't.... I work close by and I friend recommended me to go! I got there and I had to wait until someone will seat me, or say anything, then I ordered breaded steak which I couldn't eat, or my daughter. I love that dish, but on that place was not good. I am not going back there!

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Contributor

Joined 10 years ago

"Cafe Caribbean" might be a more appropriate name for this long-lived storefront restaurant.. The Scene
A strip-mall corner with a dozen tables. Ceiling fans, high-backed chairs, off-the-rack art, and plastic banana trees on the liquor counter give the place a dated, tropical feel. The tablecloths could use a wash--and the glasstops a wipe.

The Food
Dominican owner (and former New York chef) Manny Genao has assembled recipes from all over the Hispanic world. Puerto Ricans will find a taste of home in mofongo (green plantain deep-fried with pork skins and garlic) and arroz con guandules (rice with a cousin of lentils). Less exotic offerings range from shrimp in tomato sauce to beef stew to roast chicken.

What to Order
Zarzuela de mariscos (assorted seafood) presents shrimp, lobster, clams and snapper in a saffron-colored broth. Equally flavorful chicken salteado a la madrid--tender cubes of white meat braised with onion, pepper, garlic and white wine--pairs well with Cuban congri (black bean) rice. Try the chilly Nicaraguan tres leches cake (condensed, whole and coconut milk) for dessert.

What to Skip
The appetizers are few and the soups mostly bean. Beware of burned flan.