Balcón de Europa

Balcón de Europa Review

With old sepia photos and a strolling guitarist who seems to have been working the room forever, Balcón de Europa transports you to the year of its inception, 1909. Pasta specialties such as the plato mixto (mixed plate with lasagna, tortellini, and ravioli) are so popular that they haven't changed much either. (Why tamper with success?) A new owner has, however, added French and Mediterranean dishes to the menu—try the blanquette of veal or the couscous. Among the lighter fare are a scrumptious hearts-of-palm salad or a sautéed corvina. Grab a table away from the door (i.e., from the noise of the bus stop across the street). FYI: old-timers refer to the place as Balcón de Franco; the late, legendary chef Franco Piatti was the restaurant's guiding light for years.