During his trip to Spain, YouTuber Khoai Lang Thang (Dinh Vo Hoai Phuong) visited the capital Madrid to visit interesting destinations there, including the world's oldest restaurant, nearly 300 years old.

Khoai Lang Thang started his day of experiencing Madrid at 9am on a Saturday morning with the temperature outside being 3-4 degrees Celsius. Many shops were not yet open because they closed very late the day before. Spaniards usually have lunch around 2pm.

While passing by a poetic street – where poems are written right on the pavement, the YouTuber stopped at a restaurant and bought a ham sandwich (Jamon) for breakfast. Jamon is a familiar and famous dish in Spain with a slightly salty, astringent and slightly sour taste.

There is a legend that a pig fell into a salt tank, was picked up, grilled and tasted, and found the meat delicious and unique. From that, Jamon was born.

sweet potato 1.jpg
Jamon in a restaurant in Madrid, Spain

To make this dish, people usually choose large pork legs, weighing at least 10kg, remove the skin, then salt and preserve at a temperature of 3-6 degrees Celsius for a long time, up to a year. The longer the salted pork leg is kept, the more valuable it is.

The pigs used to make Jamon are usually black pigs, fed olives and acorns and grazed on large fields.

After visiting Plaza de la Sun – one of Madrid’s most famous squares, the male YouTuber walked into the city’s oldest pastry shop to buy a bag of cookies.

This shop was established in 1894, selling many types of cakes at reasonable prices – from 1-2 Euro (about 26,000 - 52,000 VND) / piece. There are types sold by weight at 24 Euro (more than 640,000 VND) / kg. He commented that this is a cheap price compared to the general level in Madrid.

In addition to cakes, the shop also sells coffee and tea. If you want to go to the second floor to eat cakes and drink tea, you have to take a number and wait your turn because space is limited.

sweet potato 2.jpg
The city's oldest pastry shop at 130 years old

Before visiting the world’s oldest restaurant, Khoai Lang also stopped by a small eatery to try the famous Chirizo Grilled Mushrooms. This dish is prepared quite quickly, consisting of mushrooms drizzled with olive oil, chorizo ​​and herbs, then grilled in the oven.

“The grilled mushrooms are sweet, the sauce is a little salty and sour. The mushrooms are grilled just right, not too soft. You can break bread to dip in the sauce” – he shared.

The YouTuber’s final destination is the old town – a place that used to sell knives and forks. Today, this neighborhood is bustling with shops and restaurants. There are many long-standing shops here, recognized by the government. Each shop is given a sign by the government, attached right below the door for visitors to recognize.

One of the oldest establishments here is the Sobrino de Botín restaurant, which has been in operation since 1725, nearly 300 years ago. It is currently run by the Gonzalez family.

The restaurant was founded by French chef Jean Botín and his wife. The couple died without children, so the restaurant was taken over by Mrs. Botín's grandson. From then on, the restaurant was named "Sobrino de Botín" (ie: Botín's grandson). Today, the restaurant is run by the third generation of the Gonzalez family, Antonio and Jose Gonzalez.

Here, the 18th-century charcoal stove is still in operation.

sobrino de Botin.jpg
Sobrino de Botín restaurant is nearly 300 years old, considered one of the oldest restaurants in the world.

Not only is it famous for its longevity and continuity, but it is also famous for its memorabilia. The writer Ernest Hemingway was a regular at the restaurant when he was in Madrid covering the Spanish Civil War. He even had his own table on the second floor where he spent hours typing and drinking. The restaurant’s name also appears in his books.

Botín's most famous dish is roast suckling pig.

To get a table here, diners usually have to book 2-3 days in advance. But luckily, Khoai wandered here around 12 noon – not the busiest time for locals to eat, so he was still arranged a seat.

According to his observation, the restaurant at this time is mostly Asian diners, because this is lunch time for Asians.

The restaurant's menu has many dishes, prices ranging from 10-30 Euros (over 266,000-800,000 VND), with some dishes costing 100 Euros (over 2.6 million VND). The male YouTuber ordered a roast suckling pig dish for 25 Euros (over 667,000 VND), including a large piece of roast pig and a few pieces of baked potatoes.

sweet potato 4.jpg
YouTuber suggests ordering the roasted suckling pig leg - the restaurant's famous dish, with salad to avoid getting bored

“The pork skin is very crispy and spongy, the meat is soft and juicy, the meat fibers are very clear, the taste is almost like chicken thigh meat but it is young chicken.” Khoai Lang Thang also commented that this dish is quite similar to Vietnamese roast pork but is seasoned with less spices.

And of course, the suckling pig here is roasted in the restaurant's famous charcoal oven. After enjoying the meal, he commented that the first bites were actually delicious. But the more he ate, the more he felt full because the portion was quite meaty and there were no vegetables.

Therefore, he suggests that when ordering this dish, diners should order a salad to balance the flavor and nutrition.

Rats leisurely 'walk around' in the kitchen of a dimsum restaurant recommended by Michelin

Rats leisurely 'walk around' in the kitchen of a dimsum restaurant recommended by Michelin

CHINA - A video recording a mouse appearing in the kitchen of a famous restaurant in Guangzhou is receiving public attention.
Vietnamese couple brought pho to West Asia, opened 4 restaurants, and sold hundreds of servings a day.

Vietnamese couple brought pho to West Asia, opened 4 restaurants, and sold hundreds of servings a day.

On average, each day, each restaurant owned by Ms. Luyen and her husband in the capital Abu Dhabi (UAE) sells about 130 servings of Vietnamese pho, priced from 150,000 to 340,000 VND/bowl.
Restaurant in Ha Long accused of selling hot pot for nearly 700 thousand VND with only a few dishes

Restaurant in Ha Long accused of selling hot pot for nearly 700 thousand VND with only a few dishes

When receiving a hot pot meal from a restaurant in Ha Long, the female diner was surprised because there were only a few simple dishes, so she posted it on social media.