The Caldo Verde ($6), which is the best realization of this classic Portuguese soup I've ever tasted, features abundant kale (not mushy or overcooked), chunks of russets with skins still on, and the perfect ratio of quality linguica sausage to balance out this most satisfying of soups (which even the "vegetarian" Miss O'Campo pronounced glorious, and kept dipping her little vegetarian spoon into).
Each salad we sampled (at approximately $8 per pound) delivered: Gorgonzola, bacon, and roasted potato salad provided obvious pleasure (how can one go wrong with this trinity?); and Moroccan carrot salad with mandarins and currants produced a small squeal of "Ooh, spicy!" from O'Campo, prompting me to dip into the apple-fennel salad, which provided a clean-tasting, cooling vinegar zing. To be honest, there probably isn't one untasty item in La Tienda. I dream about their Portuguese cornmeal-based bread ($4 loaf), but, in the words of my companion, "I've got to get out of here while I still have bus fare."
We agreed that La Tienda arouses feelings similar to those we share toward Toys in Babeland: I would like to try everything there, but at some point one has to put away the pocketbook and go to work. While it's not quite a restaurant, it's not quite deli-priced--lunch at La Tienda Cadiz doesn't require the commitment of fine dining, while it does encourage one to linger over some artsy, lovely dishes.
La Tienda Cadiz
350 15th Ave E, 267-0570. Store/deli open Mon-Fri 11 am-8 pm, Sat-Sun 10 am-8 pm. Café dining daily 5-10 pm.
