The tortillita de gambas at La Vara in Cobble Hill was labeled as “Andalucian shrimp”. Whether it was a type of shrimp or a preparation in the Andalucian style was unclear. What was it that was in my omelette?
This also proved to be valuable as an outgroup since we knew it was a crustacean and did not constitute a “bug” in the traditional sense.
Results
Turns out, this dish from a Michellin starred restaurant features something called a Common Ditch Shrimp (Palaemon varians)! It finds it’s home in brackish waters. I hope this one didn’t come from the nearby Gowanus Canal!
