Cena Show

Lou: It turns out that when we tried to invite the family that had had us over for meals a few times (see “La Parilla” March 14), we instead were invited to a Supper Show (or “Dinner Show” for the city people out there). We are in serious hospitality debt, now!

They picked us up at about 9:30 pm. The club was in the upstairs of the bus terminal. Even though it had such a sketchy seeming location, it was quite the family event. (picture a big VFW wedding dance—but with people actually dancing) We were about the first to arrive, that assures the best seat in the house we presumed.

We were the first to order as the place slowly filled up. Luciano recommended the stuffed chicken, but as he started to explain that it was stuffed with ham, I declined and ordered a salad and a cheese empanada. We soon received our meals. I think we were both picturing something like a cordon bleu. But, picture ¼ chicken (leg part) with all of the bone & probably most of the chicken replaced with ham & hard-boiled egg. Dan loved it of course. My salad was very simple as most salads are here. It was thin-sliced leaf lettuce for 1/3 of a pie chart shape, shredded carrot 1/3, and the last third had slices of tomato—oil, balsamic vinegar and salt for topping. No pepper on the table, even. I was probably looking barbaric when I proceeded to mix all of my cute pie chart together. Things don’t really seem to be mixed here.—unless its something stuffed, of course.

As we were eating, we were introduced to a barrage of family and friends that came in and sat at or near our table. Before the band started at 11 or after, the MC, or the man of the house in a suit went around to all of the tables to say welcome and to gather information. Then, he started to announce all of the anniversaries and birthday parties that were in the place when he got to our table we had to stand up to announce “the visiting norte americanos”. We were obviously the only gringos—not a tourist hang-out! I’m pretty sure I was beet red.

Then, the band started and we were urged to dance. Turns out that those latin dance classes we took almost 10 years ago, were finally put to good use! We didn’t cut it up or anything, but we at least new we should be trying to dance a cumbia or to merengue. It was not a very serious crowd and it was ok that we weren’t spectacular or that we bumped into people on the crowded dance floor. There was much playing around & joking on the dance floor with the family and family friends, and we were out-danced by people 30 years older than us. (We stopped to rest a lot more than they did.)

Since we were even accompanied to the bathrooms, we assumed that we would not be able to leave on our own even to take a taxi. We had no idea how late it would go (Argentines stay up practically until sunrise on the weekend), but after the raffle numbers were called at about 2 am we packed up to go. We were not allowed to pay for anything.