
José Valentino brings the flavors of his native Spain to the Machado
Sunday mornings in the Plaza Machado are a quiet time. Gone is the cacophony of music and bustle of the nighttime crowds, replaced instead by the hushed murmur of quiet conversation, shush-shush of sweeping and birds chirping and chattering. At the Altazor Café, José Valentino arrives to set up his big paella pan outside on the cobblestone sidewalk, and soon a bed of fluffy saffron rice is covered with the succulent treasures that make this traditional Spanish dish such a treat: whole shrimp and clams, crab sections, chicken (cooked bone-in for added flavor), pork, spicy chorizo espanol, green bits of bell pepper and peas. When you order, your plate comes with a simple basket of sliced baguette. If you like, add a glass of robust red wine or a chilly michelada.