The Palate (and Purring)

We stayed in for lunch yesterday (Jerry made a healthy tuna salad) and we took a walk to the neighborhood of La Alameda for dinner. We had an early (9 instead of 10) dinner at a Mediterranean restaurant that we've been to once before, thanks to the excellent recommendation of Adela who works downstairs at El Sanedrín. The restaurant, El Paladar (which means "The Palate"), is a tapas restaurant specializing in Spanish dishes with a Mediterranean/Arabic twist.

EL PALADAR. WE HAD JUST VACATED THAT TABLE OUT FRONT.

We love El Paladar. The atmosphere is funky and alternative. The staff and a lot of the regular clientele look like my friends from the late '60s and early '70s. It's relaxed, friendly, and the food is delicious, always tasting fresh and healthy. They even have a large selection of vegetarian dishes.

Last night we enjoyed seafood "meat"balls, couscous, spinach croquettes, and chicken brochettes with tabbouleh/tabbouli/tabouleh/tabouli (I think I've covered every spelling variation).

SEAFOOD "MEAT"BALLS (BEFORE WE FINISHED THEM OFF).

COUSCOUS WITH CHICKEN, VEGETABLES, AND BEANS (AND RAISINS).

SPINACH CROQUETAS (ONE DOWN, TWO TO GO).
NO BROCHETA PHOTO (I DIDN'T THINK OF IT UNTIL ONLY THE SKEWER REMAINED).

We each had two beverages. We were "quite satisfied, thank you," which I learned from a British relation is much more appropriate to say to a Brit than "I'm stuffed." That means something entirely different that The Dowager Duchess would not approve of...

Where was I? Oh, yeah, we were stuffed and the total bill was only 18 euros.

WHAT THE CATS WOULD LIKE US TO BELIEVE THEY DID THE ENTIRE TIME WE WERE GONE.