A spectacular lomo saltado, a stir-fry of tender beef chunks in a thick soy-vinegar glaze, is showered with French fries and drizzled with more rocoto crema.
It's more like Latin American crema, the thick tangy cream that goes so well with spicy food.
Just pleasure, along with a palpable, laudable regard for Mexican cuisine that makes you wish Crema were more constant and trustworthy.
One of the more indisputable popular statements on crema claims that "any error in grinding or in percolation, in temperature or extraction level, is immediately denounced by the color, the texture and the persistence of the foam".
Some people then stir the remaining crema in, but more proceed to drink the rest with the crema still separated.
I plan to check in again just to experience, once more, Ms. Bretall's huevos con crema, which involves two organic eggs coddled in cream and butter, locally made chorizo and a crust of herbed Parmesan.
And while the few desserts were quite good, especially the mini-chocolate cake in a swirl of raspberry sauce, churros with chocolate and vanilla dips, and the silky-smooth crema catalana, I was more impressed by the Spanish cheeses.
The dessert reminded me of a classic crema calatala but had more depth and texture - hot, cold, crispy, creamy, jellied.
It more or less summarizes the story of Crema, which entrances and then disappoints you, its come-on stronger than its follow-through, and not just with that flirty bird.
Crema Catalina (custard with a sprinkling of brown sugar) was more representative of the California island than the typically ultra-rich and eggy crema from Spain.
