Tapas!

[trubble]

Tonight - finally - I am going to experience tapas for the first time. I will be a tapas virgin no more. Yes, I thought it deserved its own thread. It's rather a big step to take.



We're going to this tapas restaurant. I can't find the restaurant review thread...but I will, of course, give you a full critique.

[riotgrrl]

Jul 31, 2010 16:32:22 GMT trubble said:

Tonight - finally - I am going to experience tapas for the first time. I will be a tapas virgin no more. Yes, I thought it deserved its own thread. It's rather a big step to take.



We're going to this tapas restaurant. I can't find the restaurant review thread...but I will, of course, give you a full critique.

Love Tapas!

We're off out for Sunday lunch tomorrow at a new place called 'International Tapas'. I was there for dinner with some gfs a couple of weeks back. It does all the traditional 'Spanish' tapas, but it also does Indian tapas and stuff like little mini fish and chips and mini steak and chips.

That's quite a small tapas menu you've got there. No goats cheese one . . my favourite. But the black pudding one looks nice.

Enjoy!

[trubble]

Thanks. I'm hoping for something olive-ish and something garlic-ish and something very-drinkable-and-gorgeous-red wine wine-ish. Then I will be happy.

[Patrick]

S'not the original version then with bits of salami covering the wine glasses to keep the flies off then!? ;D

Olives are the work of the devil.

Will there be cocktails?

[everso]

I've never had tapas. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous of them. I wouldn't know how much to order for one thing. I expect, though, at some point I will give them a try as I like Spanish food.

[everso]

Jul 31, 2010 17:15:00 GMT Patrick said:

S'not the original version then with bits of salami covering the wine glasses to keep the flies off then!? ;D

Olives are the work of the devil.

Will their be cocktails?

Never! The other day I ate virtually the whole jar of queen olives stuffed with jalapeño peppers. They were luvverly.

[riotgrrl]

We're off here today for Sunday lunch.

www.tapasinternational.com/menus/tapas_international_lunch_062010.pdf

[Patrick]

Cor! Who said you couldn't still get lunch for two quid! ;D

Eeeee. I remember the day when you get a whole roast dinner for £1.50.

[Weyland]

Aug 1, 2010 10:56:39 GMT @riotgrrl said:

We're off here today for Sunday lunch.

www.tapasinternational.com/menus/tapas_international_lunch_062010.pdf

Love the traditional Spanish tapas, such as tarka daal.

Mahlzeit, or eet smaakelijk, as they say in Holland.

[everso]

Hope you have a nice lunch, Riot. Will you come back and let me know what you ordered? I really want to know what sort of sizes the tapas dishes are. Do you share them with others? (I might have a job with that)

There are a couple of tapas places in Chelmsford so I might be tempted to give them a try.

[everso]

We're having lamb chops today, with roast potatoes, roast sweet potatoes, broccoli, peas and baked onions.

Followed by apricot and apple pudding.

Just a light lunch then.

[Weyland]

Aug 1, 2010 13:27:23 GMT everso said:

I really want to know what sort of sizes the tapas dishes are. Do you share them with others? (I might have a job with that)

I'm no expert, and I've never had tapas anywhere but Spain, but tapas to me is little snacksize bits of this and that, served on a big plate for sharing. Some spicy, some not. The trick is to order plenty, and order some more if somebody nicks your favourite. With plenty of beer and/or Rioja.

I tell a lie -- I've had some in Amsterdam as well, but that was in a Spanish restaurant (*). See above. Dunno what British and/or Irish attempts at tapas would be like, but I cannot deny being a bit sceptical.
__________________________

* Within walking distance of the central station. Highly recommended, and not expensive . . .

Spaans Restaurant "Centra"
Lange Niezel 29, 1012 GS Amsterdam, 020 6223050

[Patrick]

Aug 1, 2010 13:29:00 GMT everso said:

We're having lamb chops today, with roast potatoes, roast sweet potatoes, broccoli, peas and baked onions.

Followed by apricot and apple pudding.

Just a light lunch then.

So far it's been; A bowl of (Aldi) Shreddies. A slice of coffee and walnut cake and two chocolate cream biscuits.

I like a bit tradition on Sunday. Eh!?

[Weyland]

Aug 1, 2010 13:29:00 GMT everso said:

We're having lamb chops today, with roast potatoes, roast sweet potatoes, broccoli, peas and baked onions.

Haven't decided yet, but probably corned beef hash with baked beans.

Was planning on minced-lamb kebabs with basmati rice, a hot dhal, pita, lime pickle and salad, but I just can't be bothered.

Will give Sherlock another chance later.

[riotgrrl]

Well, they do (it seems) cheaper prices during day time, and for under £30 we had:

2 large red wine
1 pint lager
1 Pinchos morunos (spicey chicken Morrocan kebas)
1 Patatas Bravas
1 Queso de Cabra al horno (goat's cheese with a sweet chilli sauce)
1 Chorizo y butifarra negra (chorizo and black pudding - this was absolutely terrific)
1 Paelle de pollo (chicken paella)
1 Mini popadoms and spiced onions (this was actually spectacular. The popadoms were newly cooked and lovely puffy, and the spiced onions were newly made, with fresh coriander, etc; the nicest spiced onions I've had in any Indian restaurant)
1 chunky chips
1 Pepper steak and chips (not the best thing on the menu, but a nice wee side dish)

T'were good.

I'm a bit pissed now.

[trubble]

Jul 31, 2010 17:15:00 GMT Patrick said:

S'not the original version then with bits of salami covering the wine glasses to keep the flies off then!? ;D

;D No, unfortunately not; I imagine that would be a nice enough way to get drunk.

Olives are the work of the devil.

These ones were.

I don't know why restaurants don;t stock beautiful olives. Surely any chef could marinade them to make them delicious instead of opening a can...

Will there be cocktails?

There should have been. We were so busy talking that we kept forgetting to look at the menu - next time there will be cocktails, for sure.

[trubble]

Jul 31, 2010 21:42:48 GMT everso said:

I've never had tapas. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous of them. I wouldn't know how much to order for one thing. I expect, though, at some point I will give them a try as I like Spanish food.

I didn't no how to order so I asked. I was told that people usually choose one or two dishes between them to share while they sip their wine and decide which dishes to order next, and then they order as many as they like, to share.

I might like Spanish food but I have never eaten any. Last night the only thing Spanish there was the wine - oh hold on, was it? Perhaps we had the french one in the end. Even the music was distictly New York/Dublin Jazz with chart tunes on the stereo during the break. The waitress may have been Spanish, it was hard to tell. But my friend and I tried to dress a little Spanish to match the food, so perhaps we were nearest thing to Spanish there.

[riotgrrl]

But what did you have to eat Trubs?

[everso]

Aug 1, 2010 19:12:37 GMT trubble said:

Jul 31, 2010 21:42:48 GMT everso said:

I've never had tapas. To tell you the truth, I'm a bit nervous of them. I wouldn't know how much to order for one thing. I expect, though, at some point I will give them a try as I like Spanish food.

I didn't no how to order so I asked. I was told that people usually choose one or two dishes between them to share while they sip their wine and decide which dishes to order next, and then they order as many as they like, to share.

I might like Spanish food but I have never eaten any. Last night the only thing Spanish there was the wine - oh hold on, was it? Perhaps we had the french one in the end. Even the music was distictly New York/Dublin Jazz with chart tunes on the stereo during the break. The waitress may have been Spanish, it was hard to tell. But my friend and I tried to dress a little Spanish to match the food, so perhaps we were nearest thing to Spanish there.

I'm trying to picture you in a mantilla.

[Patrick]

So that's one Plus Vote from Riot - One Minus Vote from Trubble.

Perhaps you should swap restaurants next week!