La Terraza

This gaudy orange building doesn't look that promising from the outside but inside, it's a little bit like stepping into a bar on the outskirts of Madrid.

Invariably there's Spanish football on the televisions above the bar, and lots of guys at the bar, beer in one hand, boquerones in the other discussing the game.

The decor is simple and the predominantly Spanish waiters span the service scale, from avuncular friendliness to disinterest.

Spanish staples are what's on offer here and the big portions means that three or four carefully selected tapas can do two for a light meal.

Prices are cheap, but that sometimes means the food is too - Madrilenos might like the atmosphere but they'd probably have something to say about some of the menu items. There's probably better tapas to be had in the area - eg. El Rincon Latino, but if you just want a quick snack, it's not a bad option.