Comida Vasca

ET and I decided to check out some Basque food this weekend and had great success. Last night we went to a restaurant called "La Perdiz" which besides having the normal selection of parilla and pasta, also specializes in Basque food. ET and I both had fish, and they were both delicious. I had a salmon with a tomato sauce that included onions, garlic, bell peppers and green beans. The salmon tasted so fresh. ET had a white fish that was also very tasty. The ambiance was great. We sat outside on a hot 30ºC (86ºF) night and greatly enjoyed the company of our new friends from Australia. Great isn't it? Americans and Australians eating Basque food in Uruguay.

But today our taste buds were really impressed.


ET stumbled upon a restaurant downtown called Cantina Vasca (above picture) and we thought we would give it a try. Though the sign is simple, the building is very impressive. We entered through a marble staircase that had a beautiful stain glass image at the top. We turned to the left to enter the restaurant. Low ceilings with beautiful dark wood beams, pictures, trophies, and flags gave the ambiance of sort of a local bar and club. We sat right by the window, we had a cool breeze coming in and a view of the street.

I knew I wanted to try fish again. If was as good as last night, I would be pleased. ET and I decided to chose a different fish each, and than swap half. Good decision? Excellent decision. After a few nibbles of cheese squares and bread with seasoned mayo, our plates came of the kitchen pipping hot and ready for us to dive in.

They were both simple white fishes, but cooked two different ways and with a slight variation on the ingredients. I am not even going to describe them further. Just look at the picture and drool.




In all seriousness, if you are in Montevideo, you really should go and check this place out. (But be sure to wait until after the 15th of January, as they are closing for vacation tomorrow. ) For something very sweet and very different for dessert, try the zapallito en almibar. Yes, I know...zapallos are vegetables. I did say something different, did I not?

Ahh...it makes us so happy to find new dining experiences that are worth the buck!