Alcala
342 East 46th Street (between 1st & 2nd)

I had always praised this place the previous times I've dined here (read my previous review here). I had chosen to drop by this place this horrible and stormy evening. I wandered up to the usually safe place and had a rather mediocre meal...unfortunately.

The usually nice and cosy place was as usual, except for one table with a rather drunken middle aged woman who had to loudly laugh, clap, and offer opinions of various things (racially ridiculing a Latino waiter, talking about "low-class" Brits with their cockney accents, and how she was still okay to drive home...). It seriously really marred the experience...

The starter, despite it being a simple set of Spanish charcuterie, took longer than usual -- and left me to listen to that drivel coming from the nearby table. The meats were good, so I tried to relax.

The main course was the cochinillo -- suckling pig. This, alas, was a disappointment. The pieces were not roasted well; parts were burnt and hard to eat, parts were like it was boiled. It was just very uneven cooking. Plus, the salad had such an extreme amount of balsamic that it was nearly inedible. It was just not a good dish, especially compared to the excellent versions of the special at E.U. or the roast pig at Victor's Cafe.

I didn't want any more of that noisy table so I took my leave. I was rather disappointed...I hope this was an anomaly...

Food: C
Atmosphere: D
For Lone Diners: C-