|
Eurasia has a fantastic
vibe. It’s set in Bella Vista on the second floor of what I can only imagine was once a spectacular
private residence. The service is precise, the food is decadent, and you don’t
have to wear long pants to get in.
The name albeit, is a bit cheesy. That whole fusion theme
was popular with restaurants like 10 years ago when vinaigrettes were making a
comeback, but hey, this place manages to pull it off. There is a decisive Asian
twist to almost everything on the menu: things like seared sesame tuna, spring
rolls, and lots of oriental decorations.
I’ve been to this place now about six times and each night it gets a tiny bit
better (that is, up until the last time when my food was surprisingly lame: don't order the veggie rolls as they appear to have been frozen beforehand, nothing much different than the bad apps I had at my Bar Mitzvah). Something
that also bothers me, and I don’t know if they do this on purpose, is the
fluctuating drink prices. Every time I go, I order a Mandarine Vodka on the
rocks: this pungent juice that arrives over cold ice chips and beside several
sweet hunks of lime. The first few times, the drink showed up on the bill as
$2. WOW! How wonderful I thought: a high-end restaurant NOT taking advantage of
people on the beverages. The following few times though, the per-glass prices
changed to $5.50. DAMN!
The wait staff is among the best in Panama. Their
attention to detail does not go unnoticed in my book. Take the time, for example,
my steak was way underdone. “I requested this ‘bien cocido’” I mentioned to the
waiter, while pulling open a flap of near-blood red meat. He apologized
profusely and returned, not with the same piece of steak, but with a newer,
bigger cut than before. The new one was well done and I was extremely
delighted. I sang a song I was so happy.
Or the time I asked what ingredients it took to make a Pisco
Sour. The waiter brought me small samples of each of the ingredients, and then
mixed them close to the table: this impressed me.
The décor is chic, appearing to have been taken out of the pages of some trendy
magazine; an old-checkered floor, beautiful table linens, and fresh roses at
ever whiff. I find the feel to be almost Cuban, like someone named Fidel might
be sitting in the back huffing away on a long brown Cohiba. The location is
pretty great: just a few blocks from trendy Calle Uruguay, yet distanced enough that
no drunk partiers’ll bother your meal. That it’s in an unknown nook is a
double-edged sword being that the first few times, I was unable to find the
place.
The prices are quite high and I like to keep this place in
my pocket for special occasions. Birthdays celebrations, baby showers, times
when I defeat anyone older than me in crossword puzzle contests. They always
ask me if I have a reservation but I never do and it’s never a problem.
Comments () |
 |
|
|
|
 |
