Bacalao – salt cod – is traditional to the cooking on much of the Iberian Peninsula. Tajadas de bacalao are prepared from desalted Norwegian salted cod by soaking to remove the excess salt; At this venerable bar and restaurant, in business since 1860 and conveniently around the corner from the Puerta del Sol, chunks of cod are battered and deep fried, then served on a wooden skewer. Patrons line up and order one or more – pay first at the cashier – then eat standing inside or out. The morsels of golden fish arrive steaming hot from the kitchen and are intensely flavored and succulent. They are best washed down with a shot of vermouth from the tap – the Spanish variety is less sweet than the usual Italian and goes perfectly with the lightly salty fish.