We have yet to shake off our Spanish hangover. So when a lunch date was decided on, I wasn't surprised that venue was this modern Spanish restaurant in BGC.
I like the interiors. Modern but with that Catalan charm. I love the menu plastered on an old 33 rpm record and the prospect of eating my pulpo de gallego again.
We were early and saw how the lunch crowds filled up the place. Smokers dined outside, suffering the traffic noise and heat, but nevertheless enjoying same quality of food and service.
For appetizers, we ordered gambas al ajillo, chorizos (4 kinds), and calamares with alioli dip. We also ordered 3 paellas: Paella de Mariscos (seafood), Paella Negra (in squid ink) and Paella Pollo and Chorizos.
The chorizos made me crave for plain white rice. Enough chunks in there, doused with just enough olive oil mixing with the drippings and infused with lots of garlicky yumness. Gambas al ajillo had fresh, plump shrimps swimming in garlicky oil -- just as we want it.
Excuse this poor shot of the calamares. I swear though that they're crisped to perfection and again, would have paired well with garlic rice!
We liked all 3 paellas but found the pulpo not as good as how we remember it from our Galician foodporn. It's not bad by any measure, but then they obviously pale in comparison with the original.
The Paella Negra had us all guessing over the "moving" stuff atop the staple alborio dish. Fish flakes we're told, so thin that they look like they've assumed life on the steaming rice specialty. Goodness in a paellera dish!
All told, we had a good lunch . I missed my Galician beer (and a piece of scallop!) and I can forgive them for the "weak" pulpo . Would I go back? In a heartbeat!
RSS Feed
