Costa del Sol

Spanish and Portuguese cuisines are the order of the day at this Bound Brook spot.

By: Antoinette Buckley

   BOUND BROOK — I must admit a bias was immediately formed in my mind when I first stepped foot into Costa del Sol. A barrage of thoughts ran through my mind in an instant: How good could the food be? Red vinyl chairs are stacked up in close proximity to the entrance. The carpets are shabby. Decorations are minimally attractive and televisions are droning in the background. An accordion-type dividing wall signals that the space can accommodate large private parties and adds to the utilitarian feel. I could only expect that the food would match the dated decor.
   For the most part, my expectations were wrong. Yes, the food was as no-nonsense as the décor. Creative, trendy food is not the theme here. But the food is not drab. Costa del Sol puts out straightforward, traditional Spanish and Portuguese food that impressed us with its vitality.
   Garlic is one of the most central flavors in the cooking, and richly seasoned sauces just spill over in abundance. As in most Spanish/Portuguese restaurants, shellfish is prominent on the menu. At Costa del Sol, the shellfish is fresh and cooked with care in generous sauces that hold lots of flavor. The light-bodied, fruity Sangria that comes by the pitcher is a festive accompaniment to the meal.
   A crusty, flavorful bread was brought to our table right away — a sign of a promising meal that was off to a good start. But, in fact, it was a slow start that continued with a simple iceberg lettuce salad and the King Crab meat soup ($3.75) that was the only real disappointment of the evening. This thick, tomato-based soup camouflaged shreds of crab and was spicy to an uncomfortable degree. It took us several sips of water and bites of the next appetizer to erase that taste from our mouths and move on to the better ones that were in store for us.
   We feasted on shellfish in about as many different preparations as two people could eat. An aromatic smell of well-incorporated garlic trailed after the plate of clams prepared in a soupy wine and garlic sauce ($7.95). A copious amount of garlic filled the dish, but surprisingly, the taste of it didn’t overpower. There was the odd clam that was chewy, but the sauce comes to the forefront, creating a very pleasant dish. The same is true of the Almejos Al Costa del Sol appetizer ($7.65) featuring an abundance of clams, small shrimp and spicy sausage sautéed in an intensely flavored Spanish wine sauce. The sauce had enough body and color to accommodate the strength of the sausage without drowning the delicacy of the fish. This classic Spanish pairing is a favorite of mine as it comes off so effortlessly.
   Shellfish mania continued with an entree of Mariscada en Salsa Verde ($17.95), providing yet another combination of fish. This time half of a lobster tail left in its shell was handsomely presented with surrounding clams, tender mussels, succulent shrimp, scallops and soft large rings of calamari. A deep pool of sauce, tinted a light shade of green by an abundance of parsley, prospered from flavorings of garlic and wine.
   OK, that was enough shellfish for one meal. The Solomillo al Brandy ($20.95) was the evening’s most dramatic presentation. The waiter held up a substantial cut of filet mignon on a sword and lit the brandy-coated meat. A spectacular flambé ensued. The filet mignon, while not the best I’ve ever had, was worthy of praise. Again, garlic flavored a sherry wine, mushroom sauce that was thickened with a little cream. The sauce that smothered the meat, drenched the mushrooms and made tired saffron rice blossom, was the most noteworthy element in this robust dish. Crisp, yet substantial homemade potato chips were an impressive little side note.
   By this point in the meal, it seemed as if the serving staff had forgotten about our table. We sat for a long time with dirty plates in front of us before our server brought us a dessert menu. Dessert was satisfactory, but it wasn’t really worth the wait. A traditional flan ($3.50) was good, but nothing special, and the carrot cake ($3.75) was carrot cake.
   In regards to the bulk of the meal, the sauce never ran out and I’m glad the old saying, "You can’t judge a book by its cover" proved true.