Many Madrileños begin their nightly tasca crawl here. The ambience is that of a village inn that's far removed from 20th-century Madrid. You sit on crude country stools, under sausages, peppers, and sheaves of golden wheat that hang from the age-darkened beams. The long, tiled bar is loaded with tasty tidbits, including the house specialties: lacón y cecina (boiled ham), habas (broad beans) with Spanish ham, and chorizo -- almost meals in themselves. Especially delectable are the kidneys in sherry sauce and the snails in hot sauce.
