'Cubiertos' Recipes and Food

Lee from Pocitos (Contact Member) - 11/06/06 08:59

If you visit Uruguay and eat out you'll find that many restaurants charge you for "Cubierto".

This is a charge for your "silverware", "bread" or the fee for visiting the fine establishment.

It can range from 10 or 15 pesos to maybe 35 or more. It can be per table or per person. The "fine" restaurants might charge 35 pesos per person. It might also vary by the time of day or day of the week.

Before you get outraged at paying 50 cents to 1 buck fifty just to sit down... you'll find that your total check for the quantity and quality of food can't be beat.

The biggest problem with eating out in Urugauy is that you usually get too much food!

Comment #1 MissCrissy from Here at my desk (Contact Member) - 03/08/07 13:52

Interesting. What is the cubierto for? Just overhead? So instead of being worked into the price of the meal, it's just an understood and legitimate charge?

Do people tip in Uruguay?

Comment #2 Lee from Pocitos (Contact Member) - 03/08/07 14:39

It is certainly undersood and legit. A few places advertise they don't charge and many don't like fast food.

A few places tell you "service" is not included. A few places have it printed on the bill. That said tipping is not very common.

I noticed it Colombia a lot of places started puting a line on the check "Voluntary Tip" and totaling it up.

Comment #3 MissCrissy from Here at my desk (Contact Member) - 03/10/07 17:46

Thank you. Very interesting. Does the level of service or the condition of the establishment vary by whether it charges the cubierto?

Comment #4 Lee from Pocitos (Contact Member) - 03/10/07 18:19

Not, but the price of the food often does! We are lunch at El Fogan at the Puntas Cararratas Mall today. It is a "real" restaurant next to the food court.

The total came to 635 pesos (which I consider to be an expensive for two). US$26 (plus they ask for 10% tip there).

They charged 40 pesos each for bottled water (often it is 25 or 30). Cubierto's were 35 pesos each. The food is always good there, but its nothing outstanding.

The salmon was 395 pesos, expensive for salmon here, but probably enough for two! (US $16).

I consider US$15 for lunch for two reasonable. If you pay by credit card you get a 9% or so rebate automatically credited back to your credit card. It is a refund on the 23% tax that is included in all retail prices. The rebate applies to restaurants, car rentals and hotels.

Comment #5 MissCrissy from Here at my desk (Contact Member) - 03/11/07 16:05

My goodness. That's so much different than here. But of course it would be; it's not here. Did you and your lunch date have a nice time, regardless?

Comment #6 Lee from Pocitos (Contact Member) - 03/11/07 18:23

Yes it was a nice lunch with my wife... but we had more fun (and spent less money) today at the sunday get together.

Comment #7 MissCrissy from Here at my desk (Contact Member) - 03/12/07 20:31

That sounds like how my husband and I are. We have this one restaurant that we really, REALLY like. We go there often. We love the food and the people. The service is great and so are the prices. We tried someplace new last Saturday. We enjoyed it very much and the food was excellent, but the cost was higher and we can enjoy our favorite place the same for less.

Comment #8 goldie from my back yard (Contact Member) - 03/15/07 22:09

My husband and I use to go to this Mexican restaurant here, because the food was wonderful and the service was great. We hadn't been there for awhile, and decided to go there last weekend. The food took less than 10 minutes to arrive. I was not very happy about that. They have been preparing the meals ahead of time so they get a faster turn over.

Comment #9 Feathers from A lovely boa (Contact Member) - 03/16/07 21:21

What did you order? Many things in restaurants are prepped ahead of time out of necessity. That applies to ALL restaurants. Service under ten minutes is wonderful. I am always happy when food comes quickly like that.

Comment #10 Lee from Pocitos (Contact Member) - 03/17/07 07:05

I prefer to relax and enjoy a meal and that includes not feeling rushed by the restaurant... Linda in another message mentioned a place with a slogan of "slow food"... what a great alternative to McDonalds.

Comment #11 TexasGal from Dallas, Texas (Contact Member) - 03/27/07 20:09

Lee, there's a difference between fast food like McDonald's and an efficient restaurant. If you don't want your food to come to the table quickly at a sit-down establishment, tell your server. He'll be more than happy to accommodate.

Comment #12 PokerPrincess from Canada, Earth (Contact Member) - 03/29/07 23:43

I totally agree. If I sit down in a restaurant and have to wait a half an hour to get my food I am not a happy client. If the food comes in 10 minutes then I will take it the first time and if it tastes good and is not dried out then I don't care if it is partially pre-prepared.

I would be very upset if it came that fast and was tough and dried out from sitting around, of course, but if that's not the case then I would definitely go back to that restaurant again knowing that I could get fast service when I'm in a hurry.

And, as said above, you can always ask for 15 to 20 minutes of privacy before they serve the food.

Comment #13 LeidyGagoh (63.176.159.80) - 06/11/09 22:15

Wow, that sounded one helluva meal. Can't wait to try that one of. Do you have a specific address (a street or block) to where we can locate that restaurant Mr. Lee.

I have to admit I am a voracious and big eater. I don't mind my diet because that is easy for me to loose and whenever I am on a vacation or on traveling the world I make sure to check out the best of the best feast the country has to offer.

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