After a nice afternoon at Parque Retiro in the heart of Madrid, the entire family decided to head over to one of Madrid’s best known restaurants for shrimp.
The very first Casa Del Abuelo restaurant was located on Calle Victoria and was opened in 1906. Ironically, at the time they first opened they didn’t even serve shrimp. The restaurant started out making fresh bread and serving sweet wine. In this way they carried on through the the 1920’s and 1930’s when they started to specialize in sandwiches or bocadillos as they are called in Madrid. The most popular of their bocadillos in those days were Spanish chorizo, anchovies and season pork. At one point the restaurant was selling as many as 1500 of their sandwiches daily.
Like many industries in Madrid, the Spanish Civil War had a significant impact on Casa Del Abuelo and its proprietor. During the war, bread shortages all but shut down the restaurant and forced them to completely change their approach and specialty. It was around this time that the restaurant reinvented itself, specializing in gambas (shrimp). At first they earned their reputation on gambas a la plancha (shrimp on the grill) and later with gambas al ajillo (shrimp cooked in garlic). Much like the success they experienced with their bocadillos, the shrimp at Casa Abuelo began to sell in record numbers. In one day alone they once sold 675 lbs. of shrimp.
Today La Casa Del Abuelo continues to be known for their grilled shrimp, shrimp in garlic, and even shrimp croquetas (croquettes). The restaurant is operated by the same family, now in its fourth generation and is one of only twelve restaurants in Madrid that have been in operation continuously for over 100 years. They have also expanded over the years to operate in three different locations. The original location is on Calle Victoria, a second location is on Calle Nuñez de Arce, and the most recent is in the posh neighborhood of Salamanca on Calle Goya.
For our experience at Casa Abuelo, we went to the location on Calle Nuñez de Arce. It is located just off the Plaza de Santa Ana. Like many of the restaurants in the area, it is small and narrow with a bar on one side and a single row of tables on the other. The decoration is simple with dark wood paneling throughout.
Interior of La Casa Del Abuelo
For our Sunday dinner we chose to order several dishes and share them as a family. We had the gambas a la plancha, gambas al ajillo, a calamari bocadillo, and a salad. The salad was simple and fresh with tomatoes, iceberg lettuce, onions, and topped with delicious tuna. Although they brought out oil and vingar, we elected to eat the salad with only the oil from the tuna as dressing. It was delicious and very refreshing after a hot day in the park.
My oldest son, who can be a picky eater, ordered the calamari bocadillo. Ironically, even being picky with his food, he loves Calamari (fried squid). His sandwich was average. It was better than any calamari that you would get in Ohio, but not up to par with the quality you come to expect in Madrid.
The family also shared six gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp). Although they refer to them as grilled, they actually remind you more of a pan fried or seared shrimp. They are not cooked over an open flame, but are cooked with garlic. The shrimp were very good, but there is a catch. Unlike in the United States where shrimp always come shelled, that is very uncommon in Spain. Shrimp here are served in the shell with the heads still on. This gets even more complicated when you consider that the Spanish don’t eat much with their hands. Shelling shrimp with a knife and fork is a difficult endeavor and a skill I have yet to master.
Gambas al Ajillo
While everything we had at Casa Del Abuelo was good, the real shining star was the gambas al ajillo (shrimp in garlic). The shrimp are served in a small crock, sizzling hot. Smaller than their grilled shrimp, those they use for the gambas al ajillo are shelled and are very flavorful. They cook in a generous amount of butter, garlic, and a little oil. How can you go wrong with garlic butter shrimp? As is custom here, the whole meal is complemented by fresh bread.
La Casa Del Abuelo is an important part of Madrid’s culinary history and a great place for some of the city’s best shrimp. No trip to Madrid would be complete without a visit here.
Another Photo of the Interior of la Casa Del Abuelo
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