Balcón del Lobo

This past Friday night, I had a craving to try a new restaurant. I recalled how we stumbled upon a spot not to long ago, when we were walking from the Rambla to Bar Tabaré. At first we thought we spied an outdoor family dinner party, and then realized that nested among the residential area of Punta Carretas, there was a little hideaway called Balcón del Lobo.



Walking past the cava, the room set a side for private dinner parties, we climbed up marble steps to the entrance of the restaurant. Immediately we were warmly welcomed by the smells of the meat roasting on the parilla and the grilling provolone along side it. The restaurant had ample room inside, and with both the aromas and the cozy "at home feel", it was tempting to chose an indoor seat. But the outdoor patio looked equally lovely, and already had more diners, so we chose a seat which would give me a good view of the happenings of the restaurant.

After walking from Pocitos, we had worked up a good appetite and were ready for dinner. The menu did not have many options for appetizers, so we chose a salad to share. Out of a dozen or so different choices, we ordered a corn, tomato, onion, and bell pepper mix. There were several other selections, including todoverde - a mix of green leafy vegetables, rojo - beets, tomatoes, and red peppers, waldorf, zanahoria y pasas - raisins and carrots served with honey and mustard.

The second page of the menu listed their fish choices and sauces, followed by pastas and other Italian fare, and finished off with the wide offerings of parilla.

Diner´s Tip:
As pasta and parilla are always common, I try to look for something special on the menu, but not too different. That is when restaurant tasting in Montevideo, if I see "fusion food" I have learned silence the temptations to chose them. Curried salads, stir-frys, "thai" inspired pasta, or reductions of ginger and honey bring up red flags for me. Not that the food will be BAD. I just know it will not be what I am used to, or what I am hoping for.

However, I find Italian choices are often good. A simple risotto with mushrooms and otras verduras sounded just perfect and so my decision was rapidly made. My husband was going Italian as well, and after wavering back and forth between stuffed eggplant and spaghetti putanseca, he decided on the later.

After finishing our salad and first glass of wine, the main courses were delivered to our table. My risotto was perfect - exactly the tastes and textures that I was hoping for. The risotto rice was al dente, that is firm and chewy, and the chef was generous with the fresh mushrooms, carrots, zucchini, onion, and eggplant that was embedded in the risotto tower.



While my husband liked his choice, it was slightly different then he expected. If you like anchovies, he would highly recommend his dinner. But for him, it lacked the picante of the dried red pepper flakes, and had a very strong anchovy presence. Generous sprinklings of grated cheese helped balance out the flavors. He agreed that the risotto was delicious, and helped me finish up the last few bites.

The ambiance was so tranquil and the Brazilian music was so nice, that we wanted to linger a little longer. Solution? Dessert.

I have often seen panqueque de manzana on dessert menus. I had been imagining an American breakfast pancake with dulce de leche instead of syrup, but when someone told me it was more crepe-like with a caramelized sugar coating, I was suddenly more interested. Neglecting the todochocolate, flan de coco, mocha ice cream, or "diabetic" cheesecake, we choose a panqueque de manzana with vanilla ice cream.



A thin crepe was covered with equally thin apple slices which had been carmelized in sugar. My husband loved it. As you can see from the picture, the apple crepe was served hot, and the ice cream was melting before we even dug in. For me it lacked the sweetness I was craving, as the sugar had been caramelized a bit too much leaving a slightly burnt taste on my palate. Just a few less seconds on the stove and perhaps a serving dulce de leche to sweeten it up would have been perfect.

All told, I would definitely return. The grilled meats smelled amazing, the salads were diverse, and there were filled pastas to try. If nothing else, "Round Two for Risotto" would be fine by me.


Sum up:
Cubierto charge, salad to share, two main dishes, bottle of water, 1/4 liter of wine, and dessert to share

Total: $504 pesos before tip

Location:
J.Zorillas de San Martín n. 93
Punta Carretas
Tel: 711 1273

Qué Aproveche!

La Creperie

I haven't eaten enough crepes in my lifetime. I say that because every time I have the opportunity to eat this French pancake, I enjoy every bite. Why have I not sought them out more? Perhaps French crepes are hard to come by at your average restaurant, but last night we hit up the perfect spot - La Creperie in Ciudad Vieja.

Though it was nearly 10:30, there were few diners. I thought we were getting closer to dining at the Uruguayan hour, but then I was reminded that it was Saturday and dinner for locals would not really be starting for another hour of so. As usual, it didn't matter to us, and we nestled around a candle lit table in the far corner of the small restaurant.

A quick glance at the drink menu and my husband questioned, "Anyone up for sangria....or clerico?" We were easily convinced, and decided on a full liter of clerico for the three of us. Ideal on a lazy summer day but equally delicious as a dinner companion, clerico is a beverage of white wine, fresh fruit, and sugar. Glancing on another page, I was pleased to see a selection of fresh salads which differed from the normal lettuce, tomato, and grated carrot combo. We selected a large salad to share. Soon a delicious mix of leafy greens, celery, walnuts, apples, and ricotta cheese was delivered to our table. The clerico followed immediately, and "brindamos!" - we toasted to good food, great friends, and future adventure.

The menu is mostly crepes, both salty and sweet, salads, and a large selection of beverages ranging from coffees to licuados (smoothies) to the aforementioned sangria. Empanadas, tortas, and tartas remind the diner he is eating in an Uruguayan restaurant. In addition, there is a selection of specials of the day. The one that stood out to our dining companion was the berejena rellena, cooked eggplant stuffed with carne picada (ground meat), cheese, and a tomato sauce. My husband and I both chose chicken crepes. We decided to keep them simple, that is without sauce, though you can choose from salsa verde, salsa pomodora, salsa roquefort, and salsa de champaniones to accompany your crepe. The pancakes are prepared small and large, accommodating both sized appetites.

Bites of a toasty thin crepe, tender sliced chicken, and a delicate creme sauce entered my mouth in quick succession, only pausing to taste the steaming hot berejena rellena. I was pleased with my choice and a little regretful that I did not chose the larger size. Our companion's dish was flavorful, hearty, and well balanced with vegetable, meet, cheese, and sauce. We helped her polish off a few bites, as we all continued to sip our fruity drink.

I remember in Spain, they warn against eating the fruit in the sangria, as this is where all the alcohol is soaked up. You can say the same thing for clerico. But how can one resist? Around 12:00 I was feeling a bit giggly, after only a glass of the fruit filled potion. Less welcomed is the sleepy effect of sugary drink; coffees were needed to muster up the energy to set off to our next destination. The night was young, and we had a party to go to.

I woke up this morning craving a crepe. Too bad they don't deliver. I'm up for a second visit to taste the other varieties including spinach, mushroom, ricotta and nuts, and of course the sweet crepes. But unless bedtime soon follows, I think I will pass on the clerico. (Sadly, I didn't last too long at the after party.)

Sum up:
Salad to share, empanada for one, three entrees (two crepes and one special of the day), liter of clerico, two coffees (no cubierto charge), and tip
Total Bill = $670 pesos

La Creperie
Bartolome Mitre 1332,
Ciudad Vieja
902 1891

*Selected nights of the week and some mid-day weekends, La Creperia has tango classes and shows. Call for details on prices and times.

La Perdiz

I know pictures are worth a thousand words, but words alone will have to suffice for this next post...as the food was so good and the conversation with friends too great to stop and take photos.

We have discovered a handful of Basque restaurants here in Montevideo, and recently returned to La Perdiz. I was in search of a special dinner, that is an extremely tasty dinner, as we were introducing some new friends to Montevideo. Our friends are great lovers of food as we are, as a result my restaurant choice was carefully picked. I am happy to say our selections at La Perdiz exceeded my expectations and pleased everyone's appetite for good food.

We sat inside, as threatening clouds loomed outside, but on a nice day you can enjoy the partially covered outdoor patio. A friendly waitress brought us our menu, and we began to peruse our choices. La Perdiz offers the standard parilla, pasta, and milaneses but specializes also in fish entrees.

We decided to choose mostly seafood, as these were the Basque food selections. For appetizers we choose a Basque dish of squid stuffed with baby octopus, potato croquets, and one of the specialty salads of the day.

The first dish is a regular on the menu. Served in a ceramic dish, the squid is cooked in a delicious sauce accompanied with parsley infused rice. My limited exposure of squid has been fried calamari, and this was a whole different world. Tender, not chewy; flavorful, not bland. We were delighted in the freshness of the seafood and the flavor it carried. Croquets were a nice accompaniment, again another regular on the menu and a very economical choice. Our final selection was a gorgeous salad. Mixed greens, marinated eggplant and mushrooms, red bell pepper, tomatoes, and even a bit of spice...jalapeño. Tossed in a light vinaigrette and presented in generous quantity, this salad could have been a meal in itself for any veggie lover.

As for our main dishes, three of us choose the "pescado a la bizkania". La Perdiz offers a wide selection of fish including fresh salmon, lenguado, and merluza to name a few. "Bizkaina" varies slightly depending on the restaurant, but here it is a tomato sauce with red bell peppers and fresh parsley. The fish is not battered, but pan fried giving it a crispy out layer and flaky interior. I chose the parsley infused rice as my accompaniment, while my companions chose "papas fritas." Last but not least, the fourth diner opted for "lasagna del mar," a rich and creamy entree, perfect for any one who loves cheese. The noodles were thin, and resembled crepes, while the filling was a mixture of soft cheese, small pieces of seafood, and a perhaps a bit of cream. Again, it was rich and decadent, and could definitely be shared among two diners.

Other variations for fish included a butter, white wine and caper sauce, salsa de mariscos, and a simple grilled fish with lemon.

To "wet our whistle" during this feast, we selected a Tanat Merlot. Wine lovers, I recommend indulging in the Tanats during your time in Uruguay, they a perfect choice along side your meal.

Total for dinner including "cubiertos", beer, water, wine, appetizers, and entrees - $375 pesos/person

La Perdiz
Guipúzcoa 350 esq. Balineas
711 8963