I want to record the good homey feeling I had tonight in Girona. The general blog about Girona will have to wait.

We have been having tapas, and vermuts, and sangrias at more expensive places in Old Town, meaning at tourist places. You go in, pick the tapas, order the drinks, eat, pay, and say goodbye.

Our airBnB is closed to the Old Town, but we still would have to walk 4 min. Tonight, we decided to try our “own quarter”. We looked at Google Maps and were surprised to find out 1/2 dozen of eat-outs within less than 2 minutes away. Don’t we tend to think that the grass is greener on the other side, whether it’s the other side of the house, or the other side of the town? Yes, I admit i do sometimes, and need to kick myself in the butt for that.

A local bar offering local IPAs is open all day till 03:00am. So we went there, but food is not served till 20:00. Does that sound familiar? We need to learn that Spanish do not have dinner earlier than 19:30. Anyway, we both have IPAs and a side of tortilla. My IPA was good, tortilla is kinda runny with a nice mix of caramelized onions. I was full. I didn’t know that beers make you feel full.

Debating whether to skip dinner or just go for it. The nice warm day extended to the evening, with once in while a nice breeze for fresh air. The town was full of people.

El Carrito opens at 20:00. We patiently waited. Back home, 20:00 is when the dishes are done, and I would be sitting on the sofa searching which show to watch on Netflix! But we waited.

The place is small. No table. Just 14 stools lining up against the windows and at the counter. We chose to sit at the counter. There was the cook, and the waiter. The cook must be 80+ years old. We started having doubts. We ordered for appetizers beef tongues and aubergines in vinaigrette sauce. I would have liked ii without the sauce. More doubts… We ordered flank steak cuisson Medium Rare for main dish. Just one, to share. The cook was getting confused with the orders, and he burned one order. He did everything slowly, then sat and rested, then got up and turned the meat. I was worried he would overcook the meat. The waiter came to explain. I was getting worried. The cook’s hand was shaking when he tended the plate to the waiter. I was worried he would overcook the meat. More doubts and worries. I think I’ll have a heart attack just watching the cook.

Finally the flank steak arrived with the fries. IT WAS ONE OF THE BEST FLANK STEAKS I EVER HAD! Cooked to perfection! Nothing fancy, just steak and french fries. I told the cook but due to language barrier, I had my thumb up and he understood.

We sat there watching people. An english-speaking couple, a few local couples, a guy who didn’t look very happy eating alone but he did acknowledge to the cook, a few take-outs. That’s it. Food was served in due time, nothing and no one was rushed. Times flows as it should.

I realize I was lucky. Lucky to have a glimpse of the local life. Here’s a place tucked away from the town, offering simple foods, and I was there.

We’re coming back tomorrow!

So, yes, we came back the next day. The waiter was happy to see us again. I told him it would be my last night there, because the store is closed on Mon and Tues. Aitor’s real job is nurse assistant at the hospital, and he was just helping at the restaurant, and it was also his last night. He gave us limoncello on the house.