Here we are in sunny Las Palmas...except that it is not really sunny at all and is actually abnormally overcast...typico. We seem to be unable to get our timing right with the weather and have yet to be blessed with a perfect sunny day. At this rate, we will all be coming back whiter than when we left Boston!
On the other hand however, Las Palmas has proved to be the home of many a great restaurant and even more exciting is the fact that the restaurants are much more diverse than the other cities we have been in. So far, I have had a fabulous italian meal and an incredible brazilian meat buffet.
The italian restaurant is called Don Vito's and actually has a picture of the Godfather on the outside...so I am not going to lie, I was skeptical at first. But we went for it anyways and started off with a great bottle of red wine. I ended up ordering the Cosa Nostra salad which was a nice change from the usual insalada mixta (garden vegetables, boiled egg and tuna). This salad was loaded with avocado, chopped lettuce, pine nuts, a dash of pesto, cherry tomato and peaches. Very tasty!
I then split a vegetarian pizza adorned with mushrooms, sauteed onions and olives. Pizza, I find, can be very poorly made, but this place had a great crust and good cheese and those are usually a much needed pretense for any successful pizza.
The others ordered a sicilian mushroom pasta and the paella. The former was very good, creamy and fresh with a variety of funghi and the latter was even better, loaded with fresh seafood and the perfect tomato taste, so what they say about the paella in Las Palmas is true!
The waiter was also what made this restaurant such a success. He was brazilian/italian and had such flair as to entrance the diners and make the meal seem like some kind of show. Bravo!
The brazilian restaurant we went out to last night was actually referred to us by the waiter from Don Vito's, so we were fairly confident about it. However when we arrived, it turned out to be a buffet. Usually, when I am about to conquer a buffet, I need to know before hand so I can prepare my stomach for a bit of an overload. I wasn't quite prepared for this, but went for it anyways, trusting my unusual ability to stuff a large amount of food into a relatively small stomach. I am glad I didn't back down, the meal was an experience in itself!
There was a salad bar with all the usual fixings and then they brought out some sides. Unfortunately, because we were there a half hour before closing, they had no more beans and plantains (I was very put out). Nonetheless, they had rice and fries and delicious chicken croquettas and then they brought on the meat. I have never seen so much meat in my life, all different cuts. The prok ribs were my favorite..and the sausage. They would bring the meat out on a huge skewer and slice it right onto your plate. Delicious!
We ended the meal with a fabulous layered coconut chocolate cake. It was divine, litteraly like being on cloud number nine.
I was so full and satisfied by the time I left the place that I practically forgave them for not having the fried plantains.
Thank goodness Las Palmas didn't go for the tapas overload...it's so nice to have a change of pace!
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