I was hungry even after my wonderful lunch with Marie the Basque.
I wanted a bowl of Calďo Gallego, so I set out from the hotel up the Rua towards the Cathedral. Not even one block from the hotel, is a restaurant – Casa Monolo is its name.
I went inside. I was the first patron arriving for the evening. I chose a table towards the back of the restaurant and ordered a bottle of vino blanco while I contemplated the menu.
I did notice many tables pushed together by the window, but paid no attention. Cafes in France are all arranged this way. I ordered the menu del dia. Caldo Gallego, Roasted chicken and some of the Padron Peppers that I so love.
Immediately after I placed my order, the restaurant began to fill up. The table by the window was filled with many local families that each seemed to include multiple young children. The restaurant filled with quite the cacaphony of voices of all ages.
I just wanted to eat my dinner and was now sorry I was tempted into ordering more than just the caldo.
Three forkfuls into the chicken and the proprietor of the Casa Monolo (I suppose it was Monolo himself) turned on the futbol game. Delightful! An added layer to the cacaphony.
The next thing I see is one of the parents performing futbol moves to entertain the children as well as the other patrons of the restaurant.
I collected my jacket and went to the bar to pay for my dinner.
I think the food was good, the wine was fine, the Padron Peppers devine but all I can remember was the sound surrounding me.

