Toros y Julie y Karl, Olé(stra)!

I forgotted to mention that the Jayhawk and I went to Bodega in Gtown on Monday night for dinner. The space is actually really nice with that whole retro-modern/contempo take on tradition vibe going on. And the menu was good. I mean, it's no Jaleo, but there are very few places that can wannabe Jaleo. We had all hot tapas because it was cold as fuzz out. The tortilla española good but was also all about the tangy mayo sauce that came with it. The croquetas de pollo were good and creamy but way too hot in temperature and not at all in spice (not that croquetas are spoda be spicy, but add some flava to them, onetime). The pulpitos were way overdone and way powdered in paprika (not cute). The butifarra catalana with the stewed white beans were amazing, though. The sausage was so nice and gamy, and the beans were perfectly savory and tender. The albóndigas estofadas (meatballs) were just that (meatballs with not much going on for them). The piquillo peppers stuffed with scallops and mushrooms were much better. And the creamy saffron rice with the grilled shrimp were right up there with the Catalan sausage. Overall: decent. Not a place I'd rush back to (or even go back to). But a place I'd recommend trying. Hey, can't be any worse that any of the places surrounding it, right? Mr. Smith's? Garrett's? Blech. Run away from that.

Just like the Cowardly Lion. He's got a new book out! Don't run away from that (especially when thinking about what to get the Mango for his birfday, you know?).

Oh, and Bodega's bread was good, too. Crusty but not mangle-the-roof-of-your-mouth crusty. Which I'm sure Uncle Karl would appreciate since he apparently only eats fake bread to go with his fake butter (scroll down like halfway down the page). Looks like he and Rosa Inés del Pilar (my little hermana, Juliette) got something in common. He'd be mortified.