Delicias de España

English can be only very optimistically referred to as a second language at this Spanish market/café/bakery. But the stock of imported gourmet products, both packaged and fresh, is much more upscale than the low-rent monolingualism would suggest. Especially impressive are the artisan olive oils, unusual cheeses, and two brands of high-quality Serrano hams: mild, soft Campofrio and, for more sophisticated tastes, full-flavored, complex Redondo Iglesias. Both are sold either sliced or, more impressive, whole; for the latter, authentic jamonero ham holders are available, as are the long, sharp specialty knives to execute those paper-thin slices. At the popular café, customers generally line up for tapas and daily specials such as tortilla espanola con jamon serrano. As for the bakery, crema catalana is outstanding, as are various elegant and tasty tarts. Patrons less than fluent in Spanish can point.