16 August 2001 – Jim and I searched five or six shops before finally finding postcards from Uruguaiana. First off we should have thought of the train station, where we ultimately found the decades old, seedy cards. Afterwards we enjoyed a fantastic, cheap meal (less than US$15) at Casa Italia – and wrote our postcards. Our server Juan brought us garlic bread seeping in butter and extremely cold beers tiding us over until the arrival of our shared salad of hearts of palm, tomatoes and lettuce. Then Jim ate tender, perfectly cooked, medium rare beef in garlic and I devoured penne in four-cheese sauce, which tasted so decadent and delicious that I didn’t want the dish to end. Simple places in unknown towns can sometimes serve up meals better than any Michelin star-rated joint.