Ten Con Ten Madrid vs. City Hall Scottsdale

Ten Con Ten is part of The Adios Puerto Rico, Hola España Trip Report. Read TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency?

I never wrote a restaurant review of City Hall despite living in Scottsdale for years (see TPOL in the Desert). After visiting Ten Con Ten in Madrid, I am compelled to compare and praise both of them.

Symbolism

My last visit to City Hall was April 2018 before my permanent move to Puerto Rico (see Despacito! TPOL Is Moving to Puerto Rico! Effective Inmediatamente). My first time at Ten Con Ten is part of my Madrid residency (see TPOL in Madrid: Why A Second Residency?).

Dirty Martinis

Having had a few glasses of wine before dinner (see Best Tapas Madrid: No Budget Cuts Here), I skipped the standard pre-dinner dirty martini, a staple at City Hall.

Wine

To accentuate the symbolic connection with City Hall and Ten Con Ten, take note of the bottle of wine I ordered in Scottsdale.

Ribera del Duero

At Ten Con Ten, I ordered a bottle of Tannat. The last time I had this varietal, I was in Colonia, Uruguay, having just been fired from a law firm (see “It’s Like Riding a Bike.” Those words have haunted me for years.). I’ve come a long way since then.

TPOL’s TIP: Sentimentally spending 100 euros on the wine is fine for the occasion. However, at City Hall there were solid house choices and moderately priced.

Bread

City Hall has the best pretzel bread in the world. It is complimentary.

I was surprised that Ten Con Ten charged 3.50 euros for bread and brought a second basket without asking.

The Food Lineup

Feeling like I was at City Hall from the start, I did my best to order the same items.

• Oysters

The only problem with oysters is that there are never enough oysters.

• Tartare

• Extra App

At City Hall, I like to try a different appetizer each time. If available, I suggest the sushi roll.

At Ten Con Ten, it was the wagyu carpaccio with parmesan.

• Lamb

It is not a mistake to order steak at City Hall. However, I prefer the rack of lamb. At Ten Con Ten, I ordered the suckling lamb to keep the lineup consistent. While it was very good, I will have to go back for one of the following in this order: juicy sirloin, rack ribeye (2 people), or beef tenderloin with black truffle.

Extras

You may not think it so, but the onion rings and ranch at City Hall are the best in the world.

Dessert

Having gone to City Hall so many times, we became friendly with the waiter. He sent me to Puerto Rico with this parting gift.

Perhaps, the good people at Ten Con Ten will do the same. That night I had to order dessert.

Price

Here’s the bill from City Hall:

Ten con Ten was $271.

Overall

Life is great when there are places like City Hall and Ten Con Ten.