This past Christmas Eve day, I was off from work, as was my birth mother, and she suggested we get…read moretogether for dinner, as we both had to work the next day (she's 16 years older than me, but in better health...no migraines, no cataracts...and much more together overall than I am). I was agreeable. Dinner would be her Christmas gift to me. I picked her up and we drove to the Viva Margarita in Wallington, where we often eat. In the past I wrote a positive review about them.
It was about 1pm when we pulled in, and the parking lot was empty, except for 1 car containing 2 guys. I tried the front door of the restaurant; it was locked. I know a lot of restaurants close on Christmas Day (I have vivid memories of being on my own on Christmas Day over 20 years ago, and the only restaurant I could find open after an increasingly desperate search was a Chinese take-out place at an otherwise empty mini-mall in Wayne), but why Christmas Eve? I got into the car, shrugged. My birth mother looked at the 2 guys in the other car. They looked away. I glanced over, saw them looking at us again, but they quickly turned away when they saw me giving them the once-over. I was hoping they were going to get out of the car and proceed to open the place up, but they remained seated, staring straight ahead when they weren't casting furtive glances our way. Were they, like us, potential patrons confused about whether the place was going to open or not? Were they employees (I quickly chastised myself-- Sure, Mr. Liberal, just because they look Hispanic, they must be employees. So much for your pompously self-declared progressive ideals...)? Maybe they thought WE were the employees, and were waiting for us to open the place up? Maybe they were just 2 guys who parked in an empty parking lot to talk, or smoke, or whatever. After a few more seconds of increasingly ridiculous back-and-forth looks, I finally stated the obvious to my birth mother: "This place must be closed." "What about those guys in the car next to us?" "I don't know, but I don't think we're getting inside today."
As I pulled away, she mentioned El Cid in Paramus. I had never heard of it, but she said she had gone there a few times over the years and that they served pretty good burgers and such. I was game. I followed her directions north through Lodi, Rochelle Park, and into Paramus.
El Cid is a pretty big place, and parking was plentiful. George Washington Cemetery, where my parents are buried, is only a stone's throw away. Inside, we were escorted through a spacious dark paneled room to a table in the corner and presented with menus and a basket of fresh bread. The prices on the menu were very high, and my birth mother agreed that they must have upgraded things entirely since she last ate here. I offered to help with money, but she declined, insisting it was her treat. I could pay the tip, which I did. Let's just say the tip cost as much as I might pay for a entire meal in some lesser establishment.
I can't remember what she had, but I ordered Arroz Con Pollo, which was Spanish rice with chicken breast. The addition of chorizo was an extra charge. I was tempted, but given that Mom was paying, I denied myself. Turns out, it was just as well. The food was plentiful and delicious. It seemed a more simplified version of Paella, which I used to eat at the Portuguese restaurants on Ferry St. in Newark back in the ancient days of my youthful gluttony. That paella was served with all kinds of chicken, seafood and sausage, but now, in my old age, I didn't miss all that over-abundance. El Cid's version was more limited in terms of ingredients-- Spanish rice and chicken breast-- but it was perfect. Plenty of stellar food that left me completely full, but not to the point where I was uncomfortable. It was served with Spanish chips, which were tasty, crispy, and not oily like the potato chips from my childhood (and adolescence). Spanish chips were unfamiliar to me, but they were excellent. For dessert, we split a large, creamy slice of carrot cake.
Service was friendly and efficient. Bathrooms were clean. Like I've said, the prices here are, plebeian that I am, VERY high but the food is wonderful, and there's plenty of it.
Highly recommended.