If you go to San Francisco

I had lunch today in a terrible place in Madrid called La Alpargateria. I think it's a franchise, because you can find these all over Madrid.
It was terrible first because I expected something as you can see in their web page, that finally wasn't it at all. And second, because I'm still hungry....
We ordered a Tuna Carpaccio with a Vinaigrette of Olive Oil, Lemon and Soy and Mustard Essence, (o yes there was a lot of that, essence...) and a Spinach Salad with grilled Chicken in Honey Sauce. They had this Low Calories Special Menu with really good looking dishes, the prices where from 8 to 15 €...well,...the carpaccio was like whisper of what a thin layer of tuna should be, it had no taste, it didn't even taste to tuna...and like a sushi lover I know how the tuna should taste....
The salad was served in a big (I would say huge) plate, like the ones you have pasta, but it only had a few leaves of spinach and three little pieces of chicken...Alvaro was already thinking in going to McDonalds...
Why? Pleace tell me why do they do things like that? Do these people think that we are stupid? Well we are, we paid 34€ for 2 cokes and the bread, and these 2 little embarrasing and pretentious dishes. Of course I later thought that we chose from the Light Menu, it was low fat beacuse you can't get fat eating this.

Ok, but thanks to this shameless place I remebered the restaurant where we ate while we where visiting Napa. Cindy's Backstreet Kitchen is the perfect place for a summer night dinner, it has this wonderful terrace full of plants, that in my imagination is illuminated with candles.
We had lunch in the inside, and it was soooo .....
Everything is painted in white, the menu is writen with chalk in a blackboard, and everywhere you can see these black and white pictures of the owner and family. The atention was impeccable, you may be used to it if you live in the States, but here in Spain is not too often...
Even the sugar, when we ordered the coffee, was cute, brown and white irregular sugar lumps. (isn't it, Irene?)
I ordered the "Grilled Rare Ahi Tuna, peppery greens, Spanish peanuts & wasabi-tamari vinaigrette",I have no words to describe it...I only wish I had it's recipe, (or otherwise, I wish I lived in San Francisco...)

So if you have the chance, or if you're visiting the lovely vineyards, stop here to eat, you won't regret it.

Comments

[alex]

hola¡¡ espero que me vayas a visitar pronto, y que vengas al sushi bar a saludarme¡¡ entonces yo os preparare algo especial¡ hasta pronto.

[tattum]

Alex, tu restaurante tiene muy buena pinta, y te envidio por ser chef!! en fin, espero pasar por ahi pronto. Estaras ahi? Puedo pasar a saludar?
En fin, mucho exito y hasta pronto!
Tattum

[alex]

hoola ¡¡ yo pase el verano en brasil y bueno soy chef y la verdad la comida no me gusto nada pero estoy de vuelta en mi restaurante japones asi que te enio esto¡¡ un saludo.. www.19sushibar.com

[irene]

oh dear!!!!I still can remember the taste of the deliciiiicious mango and lamb lettuce with papaya seed dressing that I had at that great great restaurant....mmmmmm!!!Y también recuerdo con emoción/vergüenza la cara y el gritito que pegamos cuando el majisimo camarero abrio la cajita de los azucarillos. Un besazo, my tattooed cook!!