Message: | Well...got up yesterday morning intending to go straight to my computer to post about C&M.; instead greeted with twin towering infernos and the world turned upside down...
Nonetheless, life and chowhound.com must go on... Call this story a bit of comic (chowic?) relief...
Monday nite. We intended to go to Polka but it was closed. So it was back to the board for another dining venue. And Cobras & Matadors it was -- if only to find out what the crazy name was all about.
The liquor store next door was just as described, although very minimal, and soon I was buying a bottle of rioja from a gentleman who introduced himself as Steve, mgr/ownr of both store and restaurant (previously of Boxer), and asked how I'd heard about C& M. When I told him about chowhound, he said he would have to check it out...
Didn't think much about this until we were in the middle of our tapas (chickpea crepes - delicious but a bit mushy; beet salad - tasty; lentils and spanish ham - crispy and fantastic; spanish cheese plate - terrific; fire roasted mushrooms - great; roasted squid - just okay) when Steve sat down next to us and proceeded to ask what we "thought about the blue." It took me a beat to realize he wasn't asking about the food -- he had read the post on chowhound and was worrying about the wall color! For what it's worth, and I might add that two of dinner companions were designers, we all agreed the torquoise was a tad bright, but not alarming enough to ruin our enjoyment of the food... :)
Steve rewarded are enthusiasm/curiosity by explaining that the name of the restaurant didn't refer to anything or anyone in particular -- cobras and matadors just reminded him of sexual seduction.... In any event, great rec, Lisa! As I've never been to Spain, I can't judge C&M;'s authenticity, but I can say: Good food. Reasonably priced. Nice open-fire oven. And IMHO a very chic atmosphere, despite the blue wall...
As for entrees, we tried the cornish game hen with sweet and sour sauce. It worked well with the tapas, and had an almost Morrocan flavor that compared favorably with a similar chicken at Chameau in Silver Lake. Try it. |