April 26, 2025. Breakfast - Dos Escudos. Lunch - Croque Madame. Dinner - Saigon Noodle Bar
We awakened at 8:30 and Suzette and I walked to the Legado Coffee Shop around the corner at 9:45. It was not open until 10:00 so we walked in the other direction.
I was getting sore and stopped at Socorro pastry shop and bought a Media Luna garnished with apple mousse and ribbons of chocolate.
We then continued to Dos Escudos at the corner of next street. I ordered an orange juice and Suzette ordered a coffee. I then looked at the menu and saw that there was French toast with scrambled eggs and bacon or ham with a coffee for 8900 pesos. I ordered it soon Billy and Elaine arrived. Elaine and Suzette stay in constant communication about our movements so we can in touch and join in activities when possible.
Billy ordered the breakfast with three media Lunas and Elaine ordered pancakes garnished with fresh fruit. Suzette received a media Luna with her coffee and I gave her my coffee when it arrived with the French Toast.
The French toast was fantastic, a large slice of dark bread battered and sautéed with a pile of scrambled eggs on top topped by a crisp slice of fried bacon. A real breakfast. The three guys who looked like regulars all ordered the same dish. I loved the dish and would order it again.
After breakfast, Suzette and I went hunting antique stores and 3700 steps later decided that all antique stores are only open Monday through Friday, so we returned to the Apartment around 11:00 after making a large circle on both sides on both sides of 9th of Julio, the large boulevard.
I ate an apple pastry with a cup of Earl Grey tea and lay down until 12:00 when Anna Berceche arrived. We spent an hour with her reminiscing about her Amigo tour to Fort Worth with her brother, Martin, who our family hosted and 32 other high school students from Buenas Aires in January 1964.
Billy presented her with an original Amigo pin and Photos of Martin in a snowball fight in front of our house after a freak heavy snow. Anna presented us with a photo album she compiled of the trip.
At 1:00 we took a taxi two taxis to the Croque Madame - Recoleta restaurant in the Petit Palace across the street from the Decorative Arts Museum at Avenida Callao 1540, Buenos Aires 1024 Argentina.
When we arrived at 1:15 Anna wanted to show us the neighborhood with its sculptures in the Park along Callao and the large homes that have been converted into Embassies at the end of the park. We went on a brisk twenty minute stroll that tired me out after the antique March after breakfast. Billy was kind enough to give me a sugar pill that helped me finish the walk in reasonable condition.
When we arrived Anna said she had a surprise for us and soon, Francesca, Martin’s wife arrived. Martin passed away several years ago from cancer, they both loved the US and spent 15 years in Connecticut during which Martín, who was a doctor, worked for Pfizer in Manhattan.
I think Martin’s love of America started in 1964 when he and Anna visited Fort Worth as Amigos.
I sat by Francesca and we had a lively conversation. She and Martin had four children, all of whom are American citizens.
Suzette asked about artisan handicraft markets and Francesca told her there was one at Plaza Francia not far from the restaurant.
Francesca ordered Spinach gnocchi in a cream sauce, Elaine ordered Spinach Gnocchi with fresh cherry tomatoes. Billy ordered Milanesa. Suzette and Anna ordered chicken crepes with a sherry/cream sauce that was the best dish and I ordered Salmon stuffed ravioli garnished with shrimp and a shrimp cream sauce without any wine or sherry.
We ordered a bottle of Killka Sauvignon Blanc from the Uco Valley that was very dry and pleasant with the pasta. Billy ordered a glass of Malbec.
We had coffee after the meal and then Billy, Elaine, and Suzette walked to the craft market and Francesca drove me and Anna to a restaurant beside Francia Park that happened to be beside the apartment where Anna and Martin were born and raised.
I thanked them both for a lovely day that rekindled so many wonderful memories and took a seat on a bench next to a huge historic Ficus tree planted 200 years ago.
In a little while Suzette, Billy, and Elaine arrived. Billy and I decided to taxi back to the apartment. Elaine chose to walk and Suzette decided to shop the rest of the stalls in the market.
I rested after we returned until about 8:00 after Suzette returned and we watched several episodes of Have I Got News For You. Billy and Elaine wanted to go to Saigon Noodle Bar for dinner and I joined them. Suzette wanted to go to sleep.
So we walked the three blocks to Saigon Noodle Bar and ordered the same two items Suzette and I ordered last night, Bun Thit Nuong, a bowl filled with mung bean sprouts, cucumber slices, cilantro, fermented carrots and daikon topped with rice vermicelli noodles and topped with sautéed marinated pork.
We also ordered an order of four grilled shrimp and pork, vermicelli noodles and lettuce stuffed spring rolls with two dipping sauces, fish sauce with lots of fermented carrot and daikon and a creamy peanut sauce studded with lots of roasted peanuts.
Elaine loved the food and I loved the food just as much tonight as last night, but I am a Vietnamese food junky and could eat it several times a week.
In the two long walks and one short walk I accumulated 8000 steps today.
After we ate we returned to the apartment and I ate the apple filled and chocolate drizzled Media Luna I bought at Socorro bakery this morning with a cup of tea and wrote this blog until after midnight, probably powered by the medium espresso I drank after lunch.
Bon Appetit
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