From France to Spain!

I found the restaurant of the French cooking, that I visited week ago, to my liking. And I decided to call on other establishments with the same national traditions in meal. And my eyes immediately met the name of the cafe «Valencia», that located behind the supermarket «Silpo». I have had a snack here not once and I can say that the courses were delicious. From the very beginning there was a Spanish spirit here. In spite of the fact that I am indifferent to the spanish cooking, this cafe left the most pleasant memories. And I am already entering a nice yard planted with flowers.

It is autumn now and it is chilly to sit out of doors in the yard and the hall of the cafe didn’t impress me as it had been some time ago. It didn’t change during last few years: there are the same pictures with a corrida on the walls, but time is going, there are new fashionable cafes, that’s why the furniture of «Valencia» looks out of fashion against their background. But the brandname embroidered table-cloths and quite good tableware save the interior.

A menu is full of a Spanish colour. There are such extraordinary courses as «Gaspachcho» and soup in a Toskanian manner (18 grivnyas). But, in spite of this, the main part of the menu includes the usual salads (as classic «Olive») and first courses. I was also pleased to find the vast choice of the fish courses here. But as for the wine map it didn’t impress me at all. The Koktebelian cognac will cost you you about 60 grivnyas for a bottle, the Noviy Svet champagne - 105 grivnyas, vodka - 40 grivnyas. But the Crimean wines are represented better then usual, so even a squeamish visitor can choose not only the sort of wine, but also the wine of an appointed factory, - and you can believe me, there is a difference!

And the taste of the courses puzzled me. I got into a situation, when it is difficult to say, was such taste the chef’s plan or chance. It should be said that the combination of meat and oranges in a warm salad is not wonder, but its garnishing with the slices of karambol roused my interest. Next time I will taste such salad once again to refresh its taste. But as for the lobsters under the creamy sauce, I had not any doubts: they were not succeeded. During my life I ate a lot of lobsters: simply boiled, under the different sauces and even fried, - and I can say with a confidence that exactly this «delicacy» did not become the masterpiece of the chef’s art. First of all, they were not simply small, but tiny. Secondly, I didn’t taste a white wine and spices in the sauce, but they should be in it according to the recipe. In spite of this, there was a lot of grated cheese, that didn’t melt completely and set as a piece. On the other hand, let that be a lesson to me: don’t order the lobsters in the cafe with a Spanish colour!
I was rather puzzled with a tea-pot, that I had been served: it contained about 5 cups of quite delicious drink, but why was it so much?.

My estimation on 5 point scale:
Interior – 3+
Menu - 4
Quality of the courses – 3+
Service - 4
Price/quality – 4
The total estimation is 18, and this is a quite good one.

This cafe is very presentable and should be visited on occasion. It would be good to order one of the brandname courses here, and if you are ready to taste something new – you will be satisfied. A supper (salad-first course-dessert-wine) for two persons will cost you about 150 grivnyas. You will not be overcharged here, but 5% for service will be added to your account.