Los Molinos

The small, attractive room housing simple wooden tables laid with red and white checked napkins is the best thing about this tapas bar - along with the fact it serves bottled Mahou beer, a Madrid institution far superior to better-known Spanish brews. Unfortunately, the food and wine on a recent visit didn't match the high standards set by our meal last year. The patatas bravas seemed soggy, the chorizo bland, and paella featured rather tired-looking rice. Bread didn't arrive automatically, the waitress confessed that she wasn't allowed to give us tap water in a jug, and the half bottle of red wine we ordered was disappointing. Los Molinos doesn't attempt sophisticated cooking, and yet this time even its standard tapas lacked sparkle - quite unlike our experiences here in the past. The restaurant couldn't be described as cheap either, with tiny dishes costing £5 or more. All this might go some way towards explaining the dearth of customers of late. Finally, on two recent visits the same CD was playing - surely it's time the manager gave those overworked members of the Buena Vista Social Club a night off?