At number 8 of Donoso Cortés street, a few meters away from Ponzano, there was a refuge for soccer fans from Gijón: an inn with an Asturian essence that had little to envy to the typical chigres of the coastal province, especially in terms of atmosphere.
The Río Nalón bar was the meeting point for sportinguistas from all over Madrid. Isidro Martínez, a native of Cangas del Narcea and former owner of the place, explained in an interview for El Comercio that the take-off of his business began in the early nineties, with the payment platforms to watch soccer. “People started coming to ask us if we could put on Sporting matches,” he told the newspaper.
In addition to being the ideal place to watch Sporting championships, Río Nalón was one of the best restaurants in Chamberí for cachopo: with a batter perfectly adhering to the meat and a more than generous filling. They had other typical northern dishes such as Galician-style octopus or their picadillo de cabrales.
On September 30, Martinez and his wife threw the gate of their place for good. They had been thinking of doing so since the outbreak of the pandemic, when the capacity restrictions began to be constant. That said, they return to Asturias with a large collection of anecdotes in their hearts.
Through their Instagram page, the former owners have dedicated some nice words to all their customers: “We take with us wonderful memories and many stories to tell. It has been a real pleasure to share so many moments together. We feel fortunate to have been part of your lives and to have known you”.