Extremadura

With festive live piano accompaniment, this is the spot to try out specialities from one of Spain's least-known regions, Extremadura. It's both classy and country - beautifully set tables with enormous glasses (for the excellent wines) combine with painting and pottery from the region. The food is marked by Extremadura's former days of austerity, with game that could be hunted on the dry plains. The trademark dish, migas, is a mix of breadcrumbs, chorizo and peppers that shepherds concocted to make use of old bread. Try the torta del casar, a soft, pungent regional cheese.