El Rincón de Cardeña

I stumbled upon this gem of a hole-​in-​the-​wall on the way home from a shopping adventure near the Plaza Puerta del Sol. I was looking for something off the beaten path, and that would offer a good first impression of Spanish tapas.
The décor in the area where I sat was fascinating — I felt like I was in a hunting lodge, but for bullfighting. There are heads of animals on the wall, postcards, posters, memorabilia… I wasn’t going to make it to a bullfight while on this vacation, so this was nearly the next best thing.
It was around 2pm, so the place was empty and very quiet, with the exception of a group of older gentlemen, drinking and smoking the afternoon away. The main server was Indian, but spoke great English, so I asked for a glass of red wine (a rioja), and then whatever he would normally eat there. I ended up with four dishes: Meatballs and potatoes, garlic prawns, (complimentary) paella, and a salad in a bread bowl that was much more mayonnaise than lettuce. The food was fantastic. It was hot, tasted fresh, and was just what I was looking for. The dish I liked the least was the mayo salad, but I also am not a huge fan of mayonnaise, and was expecting something lighter and more crisp. That being said, it did not stop me from devouring it.
The service was very good — attentive, but not overbearing. It was the closest thing to US-​speed and US-​level service that I had during the entire trip. I opted for a second glass of wine, though I am not sure what he brought that time — the rioja was better, though.
I’d recommend going with a bigger group to try more, as I was stuffed with just those four dishes. I wish I had been able to eat more — it was definitely worth it.