Part Two

Afternoon Tea
After booking our tickets to see Romeo and Juliet at The Globe, the website also offered an option to reserve a spot for afternoon tea at The Swan, a restaurant right next to the theater.

I had already had very pleasant experiences with the English tea tradition at the St. James Tea Room in Albuquerque, where they serve the most delicious scones, so I signed up right away.

When Gary and I arrived at The Swan, a lovely table overlooking the Thames was waiting for us. The place is beautiful and fairly busy. There were several menu options. The traditional one was inspired by the play and included a “rose by any other name” biscuit and an “in fair Verona” chocolate mousse.

There was a vegetarian menu and a cowboy-style one, with smoked salmon, avocado tacos, and something called “cowboy caviar”—a green spread we initially mistook for guacamole.

Gary ordered the cowboy menu, and I went with the traditional one. A charming detail in mine was a delicious mint-flavored “potion.”

I couldn’t finish it all, much as I tried, so we took the rest in a little box, una cajita—just like in Cuba. As my friend Liz says, “You can take the girl out of Centro Habana, but you can’t take Centro Habana out of the girl.” It was a delightful afternoon.

Like at the theater, it seemed most of the people there weren’t tourists, but locals coming for good food and tea.

Afterwards, we took a walk across the Millennium Bridge.

Perhaps the most amusing thing was finding a Mexican food cart right at the end of the bridge, just a few steps from St. Paul’s Cathedral. The chili follows us everywhere!

Wagamama: The Three G’s
We ate several times at the Wagamama in Bankside. This restaurant checks all the boxes: good, good-looking, and good-priced (in Spanish, we’d say las tres bes: bueno, bonito y barato). It was also very close to our hotel and one of the few places in London that accepted cash—almost everything there is done via contactless payment. Gary and I had exchanged dollars for British pounds at the Houston airport, and this was the only place where we actually used them.

Gary always ordered the bao buns, which are a sort of taco with barbecue sauce. My favorite was a big plate of rice with meat, edamame, and other vegetables, topped with a fried egg. No way to leave hungry. Davide, the manager, and the rest of the staff were very kind and helpful.

Paul: A Café with Swing
A nearby café called Paul serves tea, scones, and quiches that—like my Mexican friends say—are “so good they don’t need a grandmother.” Best of all, you can sit and watch people coming and going along the street. Here’s Gary enjoying both the view and the food.

The Real Greek
We also liked The Real Greek, just a stone’s throw from The Globe. The spanakopita I ordered was absolutely delicious.

Capricci
But if I had to choose a favorite, it would be Capricci, also in the Bankside area, very close to the Tate Museum. They serve unbeatable Italian food. Gary had gnocchi with lamb, beautifully prepared and elegantly presented. I had risotto once and linguini the second time—both were wonderful.

Though we don’t drink alcohol, you could tell the wine selection was vast and, from what I overheard, excellent.

The lattes were creamy and thick—just the way they should be. I loved sitting outside (well bundled up, as it was cold for June) to enjoy my coffee. The perfect place for dinner before heading to the theater!

I had always heard that cuisine wasn’t London’s strong suit, but either I don’t have the soul of a foodie (after all, I’m a Centro Habana girl at heart and by upbringing), or things have changed since that saying was coined—because everything I tried was absolutely delicious.