No Eggs Today

What was I thinking. Perhaps I was dazed by the endless walking and being turned away at several of the restaurants on my hit list (closed today, no room, too late, too early) but I stumbled into Taberna los Huevos de Lucio a name I didn't see until later), part of Spanish restauranteur Lucio Blásquez's mini empire of highly regarded eateries.

This was my chance to dine in true Spanish style. Standing, shover into a corner by the bar (a post I only managed to secure after quite a wait and with great effort), jostled by the ever thickening crowd. Too pinned to step back or forward. Surrounded by throngs cheerfully chatting, drinking, eating as if they didn't notice the crush. Hola Madrid

The harried counter woman called out for my order and I quickly requested callos madrileños, a thick stew of tripe, blood sausage, chorizo and spices justly popular in this part of Spain. Generally I am very happy with that order (I never cook tripe at home and try to take advantage when I see it on a menu) and looked forward to the steaming stew which I had already seen decorate a place further down the bar. But then I saw the eggs. How could I have I missed them. Crisp piles of fried potatoes covered with runny-yolked eggs (cut to create a gooey sauce for the fries) and topped with the diners choice of bacon, sausage, pepper stew, or something I think was a basil or oregano based sauce. A dish I knew James would love and we would have ordered if he had been with me. The restaurant's logo is a chef juggling eggs. The place is called tavern of Lucio's eggs I later learned (eggs are pictured not spelled out on the sign -- can't claim a language barrier, I missed a pictogram). I ordered meat in the house of eggs. What was I thinking, how had I missed that?

I sulked into my stew, delicious though it was.