Death by Food!

Okay...not that I needed more food but the husband and wife on my team raved about a restaurant right next to the CIA.  It is called Botika.  It is a Japanese/Peruvian Fusian.  Oh, so right up my alley. Something I have never tried...combination Peru and Japan. Sharon said the empanadas were incredible.

So I ordered them.  It was happy hour and not only were they half price but my very nice Spanish wine was also half price.  These empanadas were stuffed with plantains, onions and some spices.  OMGosh!  They are the only things I have ever eaten that rivaled my grandmother fried pies.  Except her fried pies (fried in lard) were sweet and these were only slightly sweet...definitely not a dessert. They were accompanied by an aoili made with the South America version of a jalapeno.  The combination sweet empanada and the spicy dipping sauce was divine! I find it hard to believe two nights in a row, I had a five star meal.  San Antonio is a fabulous food town!

   There were so many things on the menu that sounded wonderful but I wanted something light so I ordered a Capon Salad.  Nothing to do with chickens.  Oh, I didn't tell you...I never had to cut up that damn chicken.  I got switched to the team that had already cut up their chicken!  Yippee!  So back to the salad.  It had goat cheese, arugula (my favorite weed), fennel, Asian pear, charred fava beans, and puffed quinoa with a miso-citrus dressing.  I really ordered the salad because I love beans and this had CHARRED fava beans.  They were good but it was the puffed quinoa that stole the show.  I thought they were sesame seeds until I re-read the ingredients.  I am not sure how you puff a tiny little quinoa but it was a good idea.

My waiter, Jamie, was a CIA graduate (2016) and I asked him how a Japanese-Peruvian restaurant came to be.  I am thinking Japanese person who grew up in Peru or  vice versa?  Come to find out, when so many Japenese people settled in the US they also settled in South America.  The chef grew up in Venuzualia and loved both cuisines.  He actually studied in France and taught at the CIA until he opened Botika.  

So I will honestly be glad when I go back on reasonable rations.  I have been miserably stuffed since Monday.  Tomorrow night is our class meal at the CIA Restaurant - Nao.  I know it has to be good.  And I have two more days of class.  Whew!  So much food...so little time.

So until tomorrow Bon Appetit!