'Tis the gift to be simple

My nonagenarian friend Betty M  (ex Marine, WWII era, desk job) asked me to be her guest for lunch at a restaurant of my choosing.

I, to her great pleasure, chose the St. Armand's Circle, SRQ branch of the fabled and Tampa based "Columbia".

We were there on Friday 10th July 2015


http://www.columbiarestaurant.com/


I am always so happy to eat at the Columbia, whether it be in the original in Ybor City, Tampa, FL, or in the SRQ branch.

Betty likes it too, and in former days would go to the Ybor City  restaurant with her late husband and their four children.

Betty ordered the Meatloaf sandwich (with more than enough to take some home for her Saturday lunch).

I had a cup of the Columbia's famed and fabulous Andalusian Gazpacho, and also the  Black Bean Cakes  (served with sour cream and guacamole).

It's great food, rooted in the peasant dishes of  Spain, Cuba,  and Portugal.

Good food indeed, but made so much more enjoyable because it was shared with the ever wonderful Betty Mullen.

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