Food Critics Corner: Lunch and Dinner in Cuenca
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Hello peeps,
I am back with a new thread along with a new lunch review. Let's get started.
As you know on this thread, a blogger tried to upstage me with his lunch review of Sophie's Orchard. Therefore, I decided to counter with a lunch review of my own of the place. Plus I happen to be walking by the place and was hungry as hell.
Okay, first let's take a look at the chalkboard to see what was being served.
Take note that soup of the day is called "Sopa de Nabos". WTF is Nabos you say? I had no idea either, although when the owner asked me if wanted the soup, her intonation seemed to say "are you sure?" and I immediately thought "why wouldn't I?"
Okay, so here is the soup with a side of popcorn.
Now, the soup had what I thought were chunks of potatoes, but it turns out that Nabos are turnips, so I think the chunks I was eating were actually turnips. I hated turnips as a kid, but that soup was really good. So, the moral of the story is sometimes it is good not to know what the ingredients are before you eat it.
Let us move to the main course.
All of that was tasty. The yellow looking things are made with corn flour and were crispy. Maybe they have a name. Anyone?
Finally let me show you my beverage.
It was frothy strawberry drink and it was really good. Normally Menus of the day include a free beverage of fruit juice, but apparently at Sophies Orchard a beverage is NOT included. The drink cost 50 cents and was better than your normal free drink, so I am not complaining.
Finally, I was served a small Jello dessert that was kind of a piece of artwork the way it was made. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a photo of it. Dammit.
Anyway, the lunch was $4.50 and the frothy drink was 50 cents for a total of 5.00. Besides the food, the thing I like about this place is there is plenty of elbow room due to the spacing of the tables.
One word of warning is the bathrooms are enclosed with bamboo posts which don't provide much sound insulation. In other words, everyone knows what your business is when in the baños!
Thanks ZenSpike,
Don't worry. I am only getting started taking back the narrative from bloggers.
Today is a twofer: one restaurant, TWO locations!
It is none other than ITALdeli. As its name implies, this is deli. I should have taken a photo of the meat counter, but suffice it to say you can buy meat, fish, chicken and pork here, and it is of good quality. The location on Solano Avenue appears to sell a wider range of products including wine and dairy products.
Let us start with the facade of the building located on the corner Avenida Fray Vicente Solano and Alfonso Moreno Mora.
Note the little Hot Shack and outdoor seating area to the right of the main building. I think they only sell hot dogs in that shack, so if you want to select from a more diverse menu you need to go upstairs. Speaking of menus, I forgot to snap a photo of the menu. Dammit.
Here are a couple photos of the interior decor for the part upstairs.
Now for the grub. Here is a photo of the "lomo parmesano" (beef parmesan) I ordered. 
I cannot recommend the sandwhich because the beef consisted of a soupy brown mess that squirted out of the sandwich when I picked it up. It is not appetizing to see that. Thicken that liquid up people before you put it on a bun!!! The cost of that sandwich which included a fry and drink was $4.50.
Okay, here is the facade of the second location which is located on the corner of Coronel Talbot and Simon Bolivar, right next door San Sebastian park.
Here is a shot of the interior.
And here was my lunch. I am sure you recognize what it is.
The hot dog was okay. It is hard to screw up a hot dog. I think they steam their hot dogs which is worth pointing out since another well know deli called "El Europa" deep fries their hot dogs.
The cost of my dog and drink was $2.00. I think they only charge me $1.50 for the same thing at the other location, so there may be a savings opportunity for you, if you hoof it down to Solano Avenida.
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