Thursday, March 4, 2010

La Llama, Madrid

Cheap & good - these are the 2 things that the food at La Llama is known for.
Alright, it may be cheap, but is it that good?

There’s only one way to find out, that is to try it for myself.



Tucked away round the corner of a building on Avenida de la Reina Victoria 37, La Llama’s exterior comes across as one of those run-of-the-mill neighbourhood type bar / restaurant. However, once inside, it is anything but low-key. Attracted by the generous serving portions and low price, this is a popular hangout for mostly tertiary students who come here every night (there are a few campuses near the area).
Be warned - expect a boisterous atmosphere in a really crammed space!

With more than 40 dishes on the menu, deciding on what to order is the next challenging task after finding yourself a seat or getting the waiter to hear you.

They may be the typical local dishes you can find just about anywhere, but I must admit these really do taste better than average. I had to be really quick to capture shots of the dishes as everyone could barely wait to dig in!


Top left to right: Chopitos fritos, Gambas al Ajillo, Pechuga de Pollo
Bottom left to right: Patatas Bravas, Carne Adobada, Croquetas

I particularly liked the Pechuga de Pollo (chicken fillets) and Carne Adobada (marinated pork) and how they come topped with fries & pimientos de padrón (green peppers) which I’d normally order separately. And of course the chopitos (fried baby squids), which are probably the chunkiest and juiciest I've ever eaten!

Everything you see here cost a total of about 40€ split between 5 persons. The most expensive items they have on the menu are the jamón, lomo Ibérico, large prawns & steaks (between 10 €- 13.50€) and everything else averages around 6€.


Above: Some Chupitos (shots) to finish off the meal.
My verdict – loved the cheap & good food, hated the noise and the crowd. It's really casual & great for the young patrons but it's certainly not the most comfortable place to dine at. It helped that the service was actually pretty fast though.

NOTE: The bar is actually located at the corner of Calle del General Ibañez de Ibero & Avenida de la Reina Victoria. Reservation is necessary to ensure you get seats!

2 comments:

  1. I used to go to La Llama when I was a student, and I agree with you - I really liked the food/prices, but it was always too crowded! We almost had to fight to get a seat every time... :D

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  2. Hi Clara! Oooh..talking about La Llama makes me wanna head back there soon! But I might have to resort to doing a 'para llevar' tho :)

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