Some foodies believe that lettuce and tomato should only be paired when making a BLT — because those two ingredients tend to make sandwiches soggy and detract from any high-quality meats and/or cheeses you may wish to eat.▫️
The spin is so negative, that we were surprised to learn of a “fusion” restaurant in the Miami area with the name of “Lettuce & Tomato Gastrobar” — located at 17070 West Dixie Hwy, North Miami Beach (Florida). According to its website, the place was “created and run by chefs who enjoy working with high quality ingredients, making unique dishes at an affordable price.” The website continues, “We take pride in making everything from scratch and enhancing every flavor in a chick [sic] family style environment.”
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While I think they meant “chic,” that’s neither here nor there, because we didn’t find the outdoor dining area appealing. (It was a bit of a mess.) And even though its condition gave us pause, we rallied on and decided to begin with the “Empanaditas de Norma — Criolla, Lemon. (Comes Two)” ($8.00).
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Now empanadas, a type of baked or fried turnover consisting of pastry and a filling, are believed to have originated in Galicia (Spain) and Portugal around the time of the Moorish invasions. A Catalan cookbook, published in 1520, is among the first mentions of this food item, with its recipe calling for a seafood filling. The version we received was supposedly made with “beef,” but because we found it rather drab and uninteresting, it rated a “C.”
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While they weren’t among the worst we’ve ever had, we’ve certainly had much better.
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(We should have given these turnovers a flip.)
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#lucasaferrara @lettuce_and_tomato
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