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| - Trying to get a handle on this great spot is not easy.
It sits in the uneasy overlap between a tapas place and a fine dining restaurant. The only reservation I could snag was 4 p.m. on a Sunday. When I returned the obligatory call to confirm, I was told that I could not come later as they were "fully committed to our other guests."
In contrast, our server was totally friendly and completely unpretentious. She fully explained a menu that needed little explanation -- I didn't have the heart to interrupt,
We began with an Oloroso sherry for me and the house white sangria for my partner. Both were perfect.
While I considered an "All the Meats" it seemed like it would unbalance the meal, so we plumped for Iberico, Fuet and Cecina instead. The perfectly sliced Iberico was topped with halved Marcona almonds. There is no question it was handled properly, still it is better and cheaper on its home turf. (I envied another table's Serrano - a more generous portion to be sure) The chef's homeamde fuet was excellent, fatty and flavorful. I had never had the Spanish style cecina, which is more like bresaola or bunderfleisch than the beef jerky style Mexican cecina. It was delicate and mild. The fuet and cecina were served with toasts, we asked and received extras to have enough for the iberico as well. Definitely spring for the chef's cured meats.
I segued into a glass of Tempranillo.
We limited ourselves to once conserva, the beets. They were babies and barely trimmed, so you ate the whole delicate thing. Four to a portion. To me, conservas would also mean the tinned seafood so beloved in Spain but none are found in this section of the menu.
From the croquetas, we chose pigs' feet and cheeks the squash and maple giving it a taste of Thanksgiving. The texture was perfect, but I didn't find the flavor profile to be Spanish, despite the pimenton. Still they were delicious, and the three balls were gone in falsh.
Next up was the eponymous Morcilla. A single delicate sausage, on a bed of chestnut puree. The highlight of the meal. The oxtail Montadito was also superb, the Mahon cheese more pungent than I expected, the melt in your mouth quality unlike any other Montadito in my experience.
We finished with a half order of the ribs. Meltingly tender as well, they were a good segue to dessert.
I had originally intended to order the frozen crema Catalana and the churros, but a cooler head prevailed, and we found the good sized crema sufficient for two. Think a warm burnt caramel creme brulee topping over a frozen panna cotta.
About $180 for two people with tip, total of three drinks, no coffee or tea. Worth it.
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