El Quijote with M & W

M is back from Beijing for about a week or so and I was so excited to see her and W for an early bird dinner at El Quijote (I had class at 8 PM, boo). I really have a lot of respect and admiration for M to move all the way around the world to a crazy land where there is no alphabet (I mean, it is a tragedy that I can't read menus!), no lines, children are spoiled and have no manners (she hates badly behaved children as much as I do and she works for a publisher of children's guides to Beijing!), and elderly people are sent to re-education camps. I mean, sure, China is blossoming day by day but I know that I would likely be arrested within the first day of setting foot on the mainland (M: I am not leaving the US! I'm not getting a passport! You will have to pry my dead hands off the American flag). But, honestly, f-d up things happen everywhere.
She looks and is doing great. We miss her terribly so I wanted to find non-Asian food for her close to my class. I had my graduation lunch at Francisco's Centro Vasco and was not impressed. We also just wanted little nibbles so I picked El Quijote. It was like going back in time where decor was kitschy, waiter's wore captain's jackets and desserts were wheeled over in a giant refrigerated cart (all dairy). We had a salad, clams casino (I kinda am having a clams casino obsession - the one's at Meson Sevilla had chorizo!), escargot in this flaky pastry, gambas al ajillo (classic and quite good), and manchego cheese with olives (I miss cheese). They shared a beautiful tartufo. M tried to tell me she overcame her lactose intolerance by eating ice cream every day. Yeah, I'm not sure I want to put the people around me through that.
Keep on living it up in Beijing, keep us up to date on your stories, travel safely and come back soon!