Every so often my office begins to feel like a Yankee prisoner of war camp–the same stultifying routine exacerbated by the view of the outside world just beyond the fence. Yesterday I decided to do something about it. Borko and I broke out in the afternoon and went off in search of spicy Chinese food for lunch. (In Uruguay they generally consider a light dusting of back pepper to be heavy spicing; consequently the Chinese food here is almost always of the Cantonese variety, made even bland enough for a New England Yankee’s taste.)
I remembered a lunch more than 18 months ago at a hole-in-the wall restaurant in Centro that had some decent Szechuan dishes. Amazingly I found their business card so Borko and I went out in search of Gran China at San José 1077. We actually found it.
Of course, by the time we got there, it was 14.45 (that’s 2:45PM for those of you who cannot subtract 12) and they were closing in 15.00 (if you still need help, that is 3PM). Damn!
But all was not lost! While scanning the storefronts for Gran China I noticed an intriguing sign just a few doors before it: Parilla and Sushi–burned meat and raw fish–what an interesting combo. Borko checked and they were open for another 7 hours, which we figured was enough time to eat, take a nap and then eat again.
The restaurant is called Locos de Asar–I have no idea what it means: probably “crazies from somewhere or something”. They even have a website at http://www.locosdeasar.com/e-index.htm. (Be careful if you go there using Firefox–the Spanish version shuts mine down every time–I use IE for this one site.)
We were really pleased with the experience. Both the burned meat and raw fish were tasty and plentiful. I ordered the gargantuan mixed sushi and would not have been able to finish it had not Borko so kindly helped me by eating the four caviar rolls and one smoked salmon roll.
The décor is upscale and the waiters are attentive and even speak a decent amount of English. I kept ordering in Spanish and he kept answering me in English…..
The first half of the menu even has good English subtitles, not the usual Babelfish or Google translation that comes out as “meat-traditional style”. (It seems to me that offers some interesting possibilities depending upon whether you are a beef eater from the States or a cannibal from Papua New Guinea…)
They even have a low calorie menu. Hmmm.
The only negative was that they did not serve Coca Cola–only that cheap imitation stuff that tastes like muddy water with sugar added. I guess you can’t have everything.
I enjoyed myself so much, I am going to try to break out again soon. If my van ever gets release from customs, I will be able to start touring around with much greater ease. It is promised to me on Tuesday. But since it was also promised; before Christmas, on January 3rd, on January 11th, and this past Thursday: I am not holding my breath. I don’t look good in Yankee blue-face…
LOCOS DE ASAR could be translated as MAD ABOUT GRILL.
The pun (play on words) is lost in translation.
LOCOS=CRAZY, MAD
ASAR=GRILL
ATAR=TIE UP
LOCOS DE ATAR=MAD PERSONS THAT SHOULD BE TIED UP
LOCOS DE ASAR=MAD ABOUT GRILL
Left by Javier on January 29th, 2008