Pajaritos

The first time Benji asked if I wanted to eat 'pajaritos' I thought he was crazy. Birds?! Did I want to eat little birds? No. I know chickens are birds, but for some reason the term 'little birds' didn't bring any appetizing images to mind. All I could think about were robins and canaries. Even after he explained I'd be eating quails, not Polly, I still wasn't convinced. Tonight he won me over. I'm not sure how, but finally I decided, 'why not eat some little birds?'

On a side street in Triana, just off the main drag of San Jacinto, there's a bar called 'Casa Ruperto' and it's here that you can find the 'pajaritos'. I don't know how often the bar is frequented by tourists, but I know, without a doubt, I was the only one there tonight; a good sign that the food is probably tasty and cheap.


Benji ordered us two 'pajaritos' and two 'cervesitas' and the waiter promptly yelled 'dame dos pajaros'. Within five minutes we had two plates, each containing one fried bird and one slice of bread. Eating the quail was a bit tricky; the bone to meat ratio being 2:1. Benji kept having to tell me 'ten cuidado con los huesos'. In the end however, I didn't choke and now I know why Benji kept bugging to try 'pajaritos', they're surprisingly delicious.

Now if he can only get me to try snails...