The Bent Page

The moon was rising over Trujillo, Spain. The sun had set, draining the sky of light.

The statue of Pizarro looked out over a mostly empty plaza mayor. Only a short distance from here stands a row of restaurants, and it was to one that I was bound.

There was a kindly gentlemen standing in front of this place and he handed me a menu to peruse. Finding several dishes that appealed to me, I decided to take one of those tables above. Immediately, I noticed small details that indicated this was a good choice.

The individual oil and vinegar bottles were just one example of the small things that make a big difference. Service was about the best I had in Spain. Of course, I like to start with a salad and the kitchen assembled two varieties. One was the standard mixed greens, vegetables, hard boiled eggs and so on.

All the ingredients were off the farm fresh. The other salad involved more exotic items like anchovies and goat cheese.

Again, freshness and flavor ruled the day. Considering the enormous size of these starters, I was severely concerned about my ability to consume the main course. One was a stuffed salmon as seen next.

As I’m not a fish eater, I had the pork skewer. Thankfully, the portion was reasonable.

Again, you see the details tended to here with a plate appropriate to the style of the dish. No big deal, some might say. Yes it is, I retort. A place that gets the small things right is bound to carry it all the way to the end. And this place did. Sadly, I came up short and was unable to have dessert. My own fault for packing down two big courses and bottle of wine. Ah, well, it was well worth it.