On a recent trip to Miami, with my friend and tour guide Jacqueline Collot, we returned to the BP gas station, doubling up as a restaurant and wine store. Once we got there, it looked like a regular station, gas pumps and all, but the sign gave it away: Food Store & Deli. Inside, in the back, past the convenience store cashiers, surprise, a typical, adorable, Spanish Tasca or tapas bar, El Carajo, with exposed brick interiors, low ceiling beams, wine racks, wine carts and wine boxes everywhere, rustic wooden furniture, a long community table, and a rolled up paper menu, like a scroll, which we unrolled to order.
We shared the fabulous bacon wrapped stuffed dates, the seasoned potato croquettas, a delicious Manchego cheese, Spanish Chorizo and Serrano Ham, chased by Grilled Skirt Steaks, and asparagus served with some amazing chimichurri, and best of all we bought our own fancy bottles of wine, a St. Julien and a Chateauneuf Du Pape, right there in the wine store, and the waiter uncorked, decanted, then served the wine to us with our meal. So that’s the gimmick, you buy a bottle of expensive wine at a reasonable price in the wine store, and enjoy it with your dinner. It’s quite a novelty. The food’s good, the wine and champagne selection great, the place charming. We had to wait twenty minutes for a table, so make reservations at El Carajo, off Dixie Highway. Then because we came last minute they asked us to vacate by 9:30pm, they had another reservation, which was no problem, after having so much food all I wanted to do was go to bed!
We arrived at the restaurant with an Uber car, we called for a pick up, sipped wine with dinner, did not worry about drinking and driving, then that same driver delivered us home safely. A twenty minute drive, with four people, for $15!
Uber, will it ever penetrate the Iron Shield of taxi protection in Aruba?
