Judging La Capilla in Madrid, Spain

Where:  Madrid, Spain

When:  March 10 & 16

Restaurant:  La Capilla (de la bolsa)

Website:  http://www.lacapilladelabolsa.com/restaurant/

I've been back in the US since March 20th, but I can't get the Italian restaurant La Capilla in Madrid out of my mind!  I think I'd hop on a plane right now and travel to Madrid just for the tuna bolognese on pappardella, if it weren't such a crazy, expensive idea.  It may be the best pasta dish I've ever had in my life and that's saying something! I eat a lot of pasta.  I happened upon La Capilla as a friend and I wandered around Madrid my first night in the city.  The next day I left for 5 nights in Segovia, but as soon as I returned to Madrid I headed back to La Capilla with another friend.  I just had to see the place again to make sure I hadn't dreamed it the first time.  It's that incredible.

La Capilla sits in the center of the Puerta de Sol district of Madrid.  (That's Spanish for "shopping and restaurants.")  The building appears to be an old bank, but I can't be sure because of the renovations.  The interior is incredibly elaborate with a crazy light show and giant Italiante murals.  There's a loft area with a white baby grand piano and a pianist in white tails playing 1940s musical medleys.  The only way to describe the decor is it looks like my gay cousin in Rome and his Iranian boyfriend dropped acid and went to a Sherwin Williams paint store.  Then the Sherwin Williams guy also dropped some acid and everybody picked out paint.  In other words, if Liberace walked in to La Capilla he'd say "whoa! This place is crazy over the top!"  If you think I'm exaggerating, click on the link above.

A trip to La Capilla would be worth it just to see the decor.  The fact that the food is amazing makes it so much more fun - and fattening!  The menu is an interesting Spanish interpretation of Italian food.  The seafood risotto is really paella made at your table by a gorgeous Spanish man who speaks little (or no) English and just keeps smiling at you and he spoons more rice and seafood into your gigantic bowl.  The seafood in the risotto included clams, calamari and langostinos that were perfect.  We shared an order as an appetizer and could have quit there. Correction:  We should have quit there.  Spaniards would never eat as much for dinner as we two Americans did that second night.  However, they were very polite to us as we ordered more and more food.  I've tried to duplicate the Strawberry Gazpacho with Lobster Meat at home, but it comes out like a smoothie with fish when I make it.  When La Capilla makes it, it's heaven.  I'm going to try to duplicate the tuna bolognese at home from a compilation of recipes I downloaded.  However, I'm pretty sure I won't be able to replicate the velvety texture of the La Capilla version.

Remember - it's Spain!  So take a "disco nap," get up and have a cup of coffee and head out to dinner at 11 pm. TLa Capilla is packed by midnight.  And as they say in Madrid......"Ciao Adios!"  Auntie

Passing Judgment - MELT in Leesburg, Virginia

Today my husband and I went out to Leesburg, Virginia to do some shopping.  After a strenuous one and half hours of shopping we decided to have lunch at a local burger place, MELT. I had read about MELT on another blogger's site (this guy is trying to eat at every Leesburg restaurant) and he gave it a rave review. So we decided upon it and were not disappointing. I had the classic cheeseburger and my husband had the diner special - burger includes bacon, pimento cheese, and a fried egg.  We also shared the sweet potato fries.

Everything was very good and also very filling cause the burgers were huge. We were very impressed with the homemade rolls and quality meat, which is not just beef, there's also turkey, salmon, tuna, crab and lamb. The restaurant is family owned and the locals love it.

Judged as a GREAT burger place and definitely where you should go if you are craving a really good burger.   

I apologize for the lack of pictures -- I started eating too fast.

Judging Water Tower Food Court

Place:  Water Tower Food Court, Chicago

Date:  April 23 & 25, 2012

What?  I'm reviewing a FOOD COURT??!!  What the heck?

Yes, I am really going to tell you about the best food court in the world.  I love this shopping mall in downtown Chicago so much that as soon as I land at O'Hare, I head to the Miracle Mile and the Water Tower Mall Food Court.  Yes, me.  The big foodie snob heads to the Food Court.  My only question is "Why can't every food court in the country be run by whoever runs this place?"

Here's how it works:  You go to the entrance on the 2nd floor and a hostess asks you how many in your party.  Then a very nice assistant takes you to a table and flips over a sign that says "reserved."  She hands you a blank plastic card and you are off and running.  You can now put down your coat (it's Chicago after all) and visit all the food stations, booths, wine bar and ice cream shop.  Order whatever you want and the attendant will put it on your plastic card.  No need to worry about cash or debit cards.  No money handling to slow things down or spread germs.  You can order a little bit here and a little bit there and not worry about grabbing your wallet at every cash register.  Save the wallet until you're finished with your meal (and dessert?) and then head out to the cashier with your plastic card.  She'll ring up your order and you can pay by cash, debit or credit.  That's it - you just pay one time for everything.  There's also a sit down restaurant and a take-away food market with another wine and full-service bar. It's really amazing and the take-away is gorgeous appetizers, sandwiches and mac & cheese.  I can't understand why everybody in Chicago isn't obese.  Oh.  Wait a minute.

My personal favorite meal is a giant baked potato from the "Comfort Food" guys topped with some veggie chili from the soup place.  Then I go overboard with the sour cream and cheese.  This festival of carb and fiber pairs nicely with a glass of California Viognier.  The wine bar has a great selection of wines by the glass.  Can you get great wines by the glass at your Food Court?  I think not.  Over the past few years, I've sampled the pizza, pasta, ice cream and Thai spring rolls at Water Tower Food Court.  I always look for Oprah because I heard she lived in the condo building over the Mall.  I've never seen her, but I'm not going to stop looking for Oprah or eating at the Water Tower Food Court.

- Auntie

Passing Judgment: Lunch in Richmond

Urban Farmhouse Market on E. Cary St in Richmond VA. Judged as cute place and a great grilled cheese.

Urban Farmhouse Market Grilled Cheese

Cozy Interior

Wall of doors open to the street.

Eating in Sonoma - We're Fancy Now and Still Judging

Earlier this month I found myself in Northern California with 36 hours to spare before my flight out of Sacramento.  I needed someplace nice to relax and it was a toss up between Tahoe (37 F) and Sonoma County (82 F).  Weather was the key here, so off I went to Sonoma. 
 Besides the obvious weather considerations, I wanted to see Sonoma because the The Bachelor filmed there last Season with local boy Ben.  As fans of the show know (and who isn't a fan!), Ben took front runner Kaci B. to dinner at The Girl and The Fig.  That was all I needed to make Girl/Fig my destination! 

I checked into the El Dorado Hotel on the plaza and a very nice girl at the desk gave me the "Internet special" even though I was a walk-in.  While I did love the California coolness of the El Dorado, I'm not sure I'd stay there again.  It's was great to be right on the plaza, but after midnight the motorcycle noise went on all night.  Apparently, the Harley noise in California is just as bad as the the Harley noise in Florida.  Can't say I'm surprised.  Sonoma sort of reminds me of Truckee, California meets Leesburg, Virginia.  There's a blue jean, wine-snooty, ex-hippie vibe in both places.  Shopping and wine are probably better in Sonoma.  People watching better in Leesburg.

Restaurant wise, I'm now a big fan of the El Dorado Kitchen.  The Kitchen has to be the best place in town.  There's a wood and whitewash feel to the place that is quintessential California.  The menu is what you'd expect with a few nice touches and tons of avocado.  It would have been very, very easy to pick something healthy and low-cal.  But, of course, I didn't.  My salad of heirloom beats, goat cheese mousse, orange, ruby grapefruit, arugula and marcona almonds was spectacular.  The chef was very accommodating and made me a vegetarian version of the pasta special: pappardelle with green garlic cream, peas, wild mushrooms, baby carrots and chiles.  He left out the sausage and it was not missed.  I am not exaggerating when I say this might be the best meal I've had this year.

Unfortunately, I am not a big fan of The Girl and The Fig.  Maybe my expectations were a bit high.  Maybe I was just too excited to eat at a restaurant featured on The Bachelor!  Maybe not.  The Girl/Fig can only be described as "Goodwill Chic."  That's my term for something one or two steps below "Shabby Chic."  The furniture is first apartment shabby and the lighting is bright to highlight the fact that the place is dumpy.  I suppose that's what they are going for, but with the El Dorado Kitchen across the street, you'd think they'd try to up the ante. 

Although it was a Tuesday in the middle of low season, they could only give me a reservation for 9 pm.  OK.  I can be European now and then.  I ordered the mussels because it looked like a specialty.  The french fries showed up in the little cone, but were stone cold.  What is worse than cold fries, I ask you?  The mussels seem to be made in a big pot in the back and most of the meat must drop to the bottom because I had way too many empty shells in my dish.  To be fair, the waitress did not charge me for the mussels after I complained about the fries.  Excuse me, frites.  Since I was already in a foul, cold-frites sort of mood, the two girls sitting next to me talking on their cell phones did not help.  I like restaurants that have a no cell phone policy and enforce it. 

Good food was also had for breakfast at the Sunflower Caffe for breakfast and The Red Grape for lunch.

- Auntie

Judging - I'm Not the Only One...

From NeverSeconds

Check out this new blog, NeverSeconds, created by a student who photographs their school food everyday.  As you know, I'm very concerned about healthy eating for kids and so I love this blog.  Judged - a great view into what's going on with school lunches.

Passing Judgement - Healthy Greek Lamb Burgers

Tonight we had a WW recipe for lamb patties with a creamy cucumber sauce.  They were so good, it was almost as good as the Mediterranean kabob place we normally order from and pick up cause they don't deliver. So this was a good "no driving" alternative and it was fast.

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

	1/2 cup(s) plain fat-free yogurt
	1/4 medium English cucumber(s), halved, seeded, and thinly sliced (1/2 cup)
	1 Tbsp mint leaves, fresh, thinly sliced
	1/4 tsp table salt
	1/8 tsp table salt
	1 pound(s) lean ground lamb
	2 tsp ginger root, fresh, peeled and minced
	2 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), crushed with a press
	1 tsp ground cumin
	1/2 tsp paprika, hot, preferably smoked
	2 cup(s) romaine lettuce, very thinly sliced

 

Instructions

• Spray the grill rack (or grill pan) with nonstick spray. Preheat the grill to medium or prepare a medium fire.
  
• Stir together the yogurt, cucumber, mint, and the pinch of salt in a serving bowl. Refrigerate, covered, until ready to use.
  
• Mix together the lamb, ginger, garlic, cumin, paprika, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl just until well blended. With damp hands, form the lamb mixture into 8 (1/2-inch-thick) oval patties. Thread one patty on each of 8 (6- to 8-inch) metal skewers.
  
• Place the skewers on the grill rack and grill, turning, until the lamb is browned and cooked through, about 10 minutes. Remove the patties from the skewers. Spread the romaine on a small platter and place the lamb patties on top. Serve with the yogurt sauce. Yields (1/2 cup romaine, 2 lamb patties, and 1/4 cup yogurt sauce per serving. 

For the above items it's 9 points +

I also made a side of rice and a side of tomato cucumber salad because that's our normal take out meal and it was great. Judged - awesome "Greek takeout," fast, and healthy!