enjoying food

so, i'm not a real foodie, but i really really like food, and last night i ate one of the best restaurant meals of my life. ibiza is a new haven institution; most people who are at all in the know will tell you that it's possibly the best restaurant in town. the times, which reviewed ibiza in 2002, liked it as well, although the menu has changed significantly since then.

this is not a cheap place, and nor is it exorbitant, especially for the quality of the food prepared there (not to mention the service, which was great). in any case, i was there through the kindness of louisa's mother, who is visiting for the week and who hauled out the credit card for this very worthy cause.

here is what i like: i like it when people use flavor combinations that are maybe a bit unorthodox, but which are not weird for the sake of weird. (i grant that this is just about as subjective as it gets when it comes to food -- so sue me.) at ibiza, it's clear that the chef enjoys food, thinks about food, and has a good instinct for what works together. we started with a pitcher of sangria, then a main course; the dessert was slow in coming, so our waiter plied us with apple liqueur. then dessert. all told, dinner took just over 2 1/2 hours, and we enjoyed every minute.

here, because i certainly can't describe them adequately, are the menu descriptions of what i ate:

Canelones -- Roasted eggplant cannelloni over sauteed pepper, onions, tomatoes and black olives; crispy Manchego cheese cookie.

Tarta de membrillo -- Pasion fruit and quince paste cake; cinnamon rice pudding, diced apples; crispy coconut flakes, citrus juice reduction.