Casa Rústica Restaurant

This is the second occasion on which I've dined at the Casa Rústica. On my first visit I had taglatelle with four-cheese sauce, followed by chocolate mousse.

I was thereby given sufficient confidence to make a return trip so, last night, I perused the menu and spotted lemon sole with saffron sauce. I interrogated the waitress at length as to whether it had any bones - huesas - since I utterly hate one bone let alone three in a fish course.

No, she assured me, it wasn't served with the bones; nor was the prawn cocktail served with shells! What's the point of serving seafood with shells anyway? Laziness on the part of chef? Chef here was definitely not lazy, at any rate.

The prawn cocktail was slightly disappointing: a less than generous amount of them mixed with - I think - pineapple chunks in a bland seafood sauce. This was served in a scallop shell and surrounded by fresh lettuce, tomato and the obligatory olives. Still, I ate the lot except fot the olives.

The sole was served with little Canarian potatoes in their skins. The sole itself was very good indeed, moist and delicate, skinless and boneless; a good portion, too. The saffron sauce was of a delicate flavour, also.

I had a glass of red wine and also had a modest basket of bread with alioli; and I do like their alioli here.

The restaurant was quite busy, with most tables occupied. As its name suggests it tends to be somewhat rustic in atmosphere, with sturdy, upright, wooden tables and chairs. The chairs would have required some padding for the noble posterior! It was too cool for me to dine outside.

They say that Casa Rústica specializes in fine steaks, so I am minded to return for a solomillo con setas soon.