Mesa Lunga

Mesa Lunga on Urbanspoon

This place is the other half of "Sangria Bar". It's very dark.

I wasn't hugely impressed with this place on my last visit, so I'll have tapas this time. It allows me to taste a broader range of feeds.

The waiter helps me pick an appropriate assortment of dishes.

Patatas Bravas
7/10

The potato here is just potato. It's a little bit crispy, so it has some taste, but most of the taste is added by the spicy tomato sauce and freaky aioli. This isn't fine cuisine, but it's an excellent bowl of chips.

Croquetas
4/10

Leek and mushroom.

This doesn't taste like much, but its innards have an awful texture. It's a thick, uniform paste. It's like toothpaste.

Pato
6/10

Duck shanks, parsnip, pomegranate.

The duck is a little bit "barbecue", but the pomegranate and parsnip add some interesting and unexpected tastes here. The parsnip chips here are reminiscent of sliced almonds in a dessert.

The sticky sauce is all over my hands, so I decide to turn my glass of sparkling water into a finger-bowl. Classy.

Granos
8/10

Quinoa, buckwheat, zucchini, cherry tomato & almonds.

I am approaching maximum feed capacity. Feedsplosion imminent.

This is an excellent combination of five or so mild flavours and textures. The quinoa is the base, but the slivers of zucchini break up the monotony of the quinoa. There's just a tiny dash of mint, and the small cherry tomatoes add a bit of bite. Under all this, the almonds add a layer of pleasant and complementary savoury taste to the dish. It's not often I see so many components go so well together.

No room for 'zert tonight.

:(
Parking