at el carajo: it's what's inside that counts

in Miami, the "it's what's inside that counts" conversation isn't really on the tip of everyone's lips, as evidenced by the botox and Brazilian Blow-Out flyers on my front door or car once a week. But El Carajo, the unmarked Spanish restaurant and wine cavern inside this gas station's Food Store & Deli, is proof that the old saying holds true - even in a world of butt lifts.

El Carajo is in a gas station, behind where they serve cafesito, cigarettes, gummy worms and the usual gas station goods, but there's a whole world of thousands of bottles of wine and an endless tapas menu that rivals the nicest Spanish restaurants in town. It's not Spanish food to-go, it's a full-fledged Spanish restaurant. The tables are set with red and white glasses and the menus wrapped up like little scrolls and tied. It's fancy, guys.

Sitting behind me on a recent Wednesday around noon for an early workday lunch was local politician Francis Suarez who was at one of the only other hightops in the area so I could hear everything he was saying at his lunch meeting. This made it hard to concentrate on ordering, but we pulled it together long enough for some pulpo, a lobster empanada (with a flaky, pastelito-like crust!), stuffed piquillo peppers, and fritura de bacalao (for the win!).

We skipped on wine with lunch, but not for lack of options. There are walls and walls and walk-in fridges, and crates, and barrels of wine at all pricepoints - by that I mean, there are some very expensive gas station wines there, even by non gas station standards.

2465 sw 17th ave

One time I found a funny section of Spanish soups at the grocery store.

Only In MiamiPatricia GuarchNovember 15, 2013