Cook the Book: 'The Barcelona Cookbook'
When The Barcelona Cookbook showed up on my desk, I initially thought it was a Spanish cookery book, or perhaps a cookbook of tapas recipes. As it turns out, The Barcelona Cookbook is both of these and more. It is a collection of recipes from Barcelona Wine Bar and Restaurants, a group of six restaurants located throughout Connecticut. While the cuisine served at all of the Barcelona restaurants can loosely be called Spanish, the menu is peppered with international influences from the backgrounds of this restaurant group's two owners, Sasa Mahr-Batuz and Andy Pforzheimer.
Mahr-Batuz is a former professional tennis champion and restaurateur, and Pforzheimer is a Harvard-educated chef whose varied resume includes cooking dinners for the Harvard Lampoon, working with the legendary Jerimiah Tower, and creating menus for the Hard Rock Cafe. Mahr-Batuz fell in love with Spanish cuisine while playing tennis in Spain. He wanted to recreate the easygoing, glass-of-wine-and-a-bite atmosphere of a Spanish tapas bar but in Connecticut. Pforzheimer was working as a restaurant consultant at the time, and when Mahr-Batuz approached him with the tapas concept he was immediately sold.
All of this happened in 1996, when tapas were considered pretty exotic. Initially people were a bit confused by the set up. Why were the plates so small? Where were the waiters? Pforzheimer and Mahr-Batuz resolved these issues by expanding their restaurant and offering table service and introducing more substantial hot tapas. Their clientele quickly became comfortable and well-versed in Spanish food and wine.
The menus of the Barcelona restaurants and the recipes in the cookbook are not stuck on being authentically Spanish; Italian, French, Argentine, and Mediterranean touches and techniques show up throughout.
Each day this week we will be highlighting a recipe from The Barcelona Cookbook—tapas standards such as patatas bravas and Fire-Roasted Peppers with Boquerones, Gazpacho Boracho, delicious desserts like Crepas Salguero filled with dulce de leche, as well as some inspired cocktails. So grab a glass of rioja or albarino and get ready for some Spanish tapas by way of Connecticut. —Caroline Russock
Win 'The Barcelona Cookbook'
Thanks to the good folks at Andrews McMeel, we are giving away five (5) copies of The Barcelona Cookbook this week. All you have to do is tell us about your most memorable tapas experience in the comments section below.
Five (5) people will be chosen at random among the eligible comments below. We're sorry, but entry is only open to residents of the U.S. and Canada. Comments will close Monday, July 13 at noon ET. The standard Serious Eats contest rules apply.

Comments are closed: 320 Comments:
The time I was sitting at the bar and some men came in and wanted to know if my date worked there and what time the dancers started. They thought they heard "topless" instead of "tapas."
Michael Z at 1:46PM on 07/06/09
Madrid wine bar...can't remember the name...terrific staff...terrific wine...terrific tapas.
derosa at 1:51PM on 07/06/09
Tapas and sangria, in Las Ramblas, quite appropriately, in Barcelona!
zina1017 at 1:52PM on 07/06/09
Sweetbreads at Jaleo!
MerMade07 at 1:54PM on 07/06/09
A hole in the wall bar in the east of Madrid where we used to watch the Real games - spectacular manchego, grilled sardines, and copious amounts of whatever the bartender served with the $1 canas...
Phil W. at 1:54PM on 07/06/09
At Tapeo on Newbury St in Boston, finishing with drinking cava out of a poron while standing on the table, pouring it down my friends' throats.
simon at 1:57PM on 07/06/09
Tapas in Edinburgh Scotland
de3montecarlo at 2:00PM on 07/06/09
My birthday dinner after moving to NYC: Sharing tortillas and pitchers of (red and white) Sangria with friends in a basement tapas joint.
rockinTACO at 2:02PM on 07/06/09
I arrived on Madrid on my 22nd birthday and had friends take me on a tapas crawl. My first tastes of chorizo, serrano ham, and myriad other delicious Spanish foods.
colleen7583 at 2:07PM on 07/06/09
I was in Jaen at an Improving University Teaching Conference. I was with a handful of attendees tapas hopping from one establishment to the next. It was a fantastically great way to experience local culture and food.
jymbrittain at 2:10PM on 07/06/09
A birthday dinner a few years ago.
KarynMC at 2:13PM on 07/06/09
Most memorable would have to be the first time I ever tried it! Jaleo in Bethesda, MD, a few years back :-)
Cupcake819 at 2:18PM on 07/06/09
birthday celebration with a variety of plates and salsa dancing! owww!
_greenbean at 2:19PM on 07/06/09
Amazing little tapas place in Florence - when I studied abroad my roommate dated the Spaniard owner and they had the most amazing non-greasy or bitter marinated eggplant.
travers at 2:20PM on 07/06/09
At a tapas bar in Las Ramblas... collected quite a stack of toothpicks by my plate.
scaaty at 2:21PM on 07/06/09
My favourite restaurant while i was in school in Chicago was a tapas place, Cafe Iberico. Where else can starving undergrads find a delicious, vegetarian-friendly meal, complete with sangria, for under $10/person?
moniyer at 2:24PM on 07/06/09
Of course the time my mom kept insisting she wanted to go to, as we heard it, a topless bar stands out, but my favorite memory is, years later, preparing tapas for hours on end with my mother for a party. They were a huge hit, and delightfully varied.
lscrabtr at 2:27PM on 07/06/09
The pata negra ham appetizer- a 14 inch plate covered in slices of that divine stuff -- at L'Ami Louis in Paris.
Ortolan at 2:32PM on 07/06/09
Party with my friends in college. The tapas weren't authentic, but they were tasty.
cochon at 2:32PM on 07/06/09
Making tapas and paella for family after a trip to Spain.
loefflea at 2:35PM on 07/06/09
This odd place in New Mexico, where I had (among other things) grilled shrimp in a sort of garlic fava bean sauce. I don't know why that one dish sticks in my head so much, but when I think "tapas," that's where my brain goes every time.
sidebernie at 2:36PM on 07/06/09
My most memorable tapas experience happened sometime back in the early 1990's when my best friend and I spent a weekend shopping in Chicago. Tapas were all the rage and thought we'd hit Cafe Ba-ba-reeba on the north side of Chicago on our way home--we live in the Milwaukee area, so it was practically on the way--not. This was in the days before google maps (although certainly not before actual maps, ha ha), and we had no idea where we were going, and never found the place, although we did end up passing the infamous Cabrini Green public housing development. So....no tapas, but definitely memorable!
Barbd at 2:40PM on 07/06/09
On the last day of our three week tour of Spain, at a little neighborhood bar in Barcelona. We had just finished having dinner but when I passed by this place and saw what some patrons were having, we just had to find room for three wonderful tapas. Seven years later, I still haven't found better tapas.
LindaY at 2:41PM on 07/06/09
Sardines with Sherry vinaigrette
jtennantwise at 2:45PM on 07/06/09
My best tapas experience was at a little hole in the wall restaurant in the Buttes aux Cailles neighborhood in Paris. Tasty sangria with traditional tapas, delicious bread with olive oil and salt. Spectacular!
nadiapayan at 2:46PM on 07/06/09
Actually my most MEMORABLE tapas memory was eating at the Thirsty Bear in San Francisco... it was horrible. well maybe not "horrible," but it was greatly unsatisfactory.
Tenbucc2 at 2:49PM on 07/06/09
first time having patatas bravas (spelling?)... i fell in love!
NYCEater at 2:50PM on 07/06/09
Fried black pudding and prawn croquettes! Yum!
Beanalicious1 at 2:52PM on 07/06/09
My parents giving me a horrified look when they thought I was taking them to a topless bar!
Erisgrom at 2:57PM on 07/06/09
fried goat cheese with honey
cupcup at 3:05PM on 07/06/09
The pintxos, bite-sized tapas popular in the bars of Northern Spain at Cafe Ba-Ba Reeba in Chicago. The mushroom and rice croqueta and the short rib-stuffed piquillo peppers are to die for...!
metrogirl at 3:09PM on 07/06/09
Realizing that it was basically Spanish dim sum... yay!
piepie at 3:11PM on 07/06/09
Taller de Tapas in the El Born district of Barcelona (even though it's a local chain). It was our first night and this meal was a perfect entry into Barcelona food when jet lagged and wide-eyed. The wait staff was courteous and they had both Spanish and English menus. Some of the highlights included:
> A few bottles of Rioja (of course)
> Choricitos a la sidra (chorizo cooked with some sort of cider)
> Patatas Bravas (potatoes with a spicy paprika sauce)
> Gamba al ajillo (prawns with chili sauce)
Delicious!
finkman at 3:12PM on 07/06/09
soft, flavorful marinated eggplant spread on rosemary flatbread...mmmm
jay27 at 3:21PM on 07/06/09
In NYC. Some little place.
apostrophesting at 3:25PM on 07/06/09
my most memorable tapas is at a little place in chicago..........yummy tapas and great sangria.
laur_uic at 3:27PM on 07/06/09
This is the easiest one yet!!! There's a delightful tapas place in Cambridge, MA called Dali...you step inside and it's as if you've been transported to Spain -- portly gentlemen with bushy mustaches dressed in colorful vests serve amazing Sangria in clay jugs, and bring out the most AMAZING tapas ever, including my personal favorite...pork sausage with fig sauce. The fig sauce is so divine that I've been known to order 3 plates all for myself. The sizzling garlic shrimp is also amazing...I love sopping up all the garlicky oil with the bread which is served. I've spent many a happy moment at that charming place, with many friends and loved ones.
juliebugsmama at 3:37PM on 07/06/09
The first time I ever ate tapas was at a local restaurant, appropriately named Ceviche. I've tried many others since, and it's still my favorite. The asparagus with aioli and the albondigas are the best.
jenniley at 3:39PM on 07/06/09
i've only been once, but it was a wonderful experience with some of my best friends (including one from Spain, who made sure we ordered all the best dishes). i can't wait to go again.
coffeeandclouds at 3:47PM on 07/06/09
The gothic district in Barcelona. It's touristy but we had a great time watching them preparing and putting out an increasingly complex array of plates.
rchung77 at 3:50PM on 07/06/09
A friend had a tapas party and each of the guests brought a dish - really neat idea - she furnished the libation.
suegsf at 3:52PM on 07/06/09
After I graduated from college, a friend had a party at his family's farmhouse and we had tapas on the porch. Ah, what a day.
LadyFlambe at 3:52PM on 07/06/09
As a huge fan of the New Haven location, it's pretty difficult for me to decide on one night--there was the night I dragged a bunch of guy friends there after going to a cigar bar down the street and we feasted on tapas and bottles of wine, and then there was our bachelorette party that my friend and I hosted that featured a menu that all of my picky-eater-friends enjoyed (along with some pepper grinder jokes to boot), or another random night when said friend and my husband got dressed up and hung out there all night, eating tapas and watching the bartenders ply one particularly inebriated patron with bread loaves to somehow help them not be so inebriated...
ElizabethS at 4:00PM on 07/06/09
On a warm night outside a cafe in Granada the night before I dropped out of the English language school I was going to there to spend the rest of my summer (and "school money") traveling all over Europe. Must have been something in those tapas!
GretchinF at 4:20PM on 07/06/09
Madrid in the pouring rain. My husband and I wandered into a neighborhood tapas bar to get out of the storm. We spent the entire afternoon and most of the evening chatting with the regulars and sampling all the glorious food and house wine.
npfldmom at 4:22PM on 07/06/09
Madrid, by far.
dopira at 4:24PM on 07/06/09
one night after work the entire staff of my restaurant went to the tapas place across the street to celebrate our chefs birthday. the patatas bravas dipped in spicy honey sauce were a favorite along with the clams in chorizo broth. The sangria was pretty amazing too... it was a fantastic night!
oregonpinot at 4:25PM on 07/06/09
probably the first time i had it in barcelona on vacation as a young teenager...mmmmm =)
sassysprite at 4:29PM on 07/06/09
Tapas in barcelona! mmmm the memories
BaguettenBrie at 4:30PM on 07/06/09
Both of my meals at Mercat a LaPlanxa in Chicago...! The more recent time, for my boyfriend's birthday, was insanely delicious. The evening peaked with a squid ink pasta, with baby squid and saffron aioli. I cook and eat a LOT, but that was one of the most unique and delicious bites I have ever had.
Uh oh, my mouth is starting to water!
lizaj at 4:37PM on 07/06/09
as someone who hates olives and capers, and doesn't much like cured meats, tapas is always a rather miserable experience... except the wine. thank god for the wine.
cdcdcd at 4:42PM on 07/06/09
A pitcher of sangria and my first sardines, celebrating my college graduation with my mother and aunt in London.
annabanannas at 4:42PM on 07/06/09
I had the opportunity to travel to Spain where my friend and I ate plates of these little sweet & hot peppers at two different tapas bars in the same night
foodieteen at 4:43PM on 07/06/09
I had great tapas in Santa Fe with DH and two of his grad school pals as part of the first trip DH and I ever took together. The sangria was fantastic. However, the service was slow, so the part of the evening after the third glass is nothing but a sangria-induced haze of yumminess.
Mizbee at 4:57PM on 07/06/09
In San Francisco a couple years ago, we experienced awesome tapas. The best part was my youngest sister, the pickiest eater in the world, loved everything.
emeraldreverie at 5:17PM on 07/06/09
Tintos Tapas in Los Angeles...the best, authentic tapas anywhere outside of Spain.
amaLosAngeles at 5:28PM on 07/06/09
Years ago at Zarzuela in San Francisco. Great friends, great food, great times!
jeanenne at 5:33PM on 07/06/09
herbed goat cheese balls rolled in toasted cumin seeds, spice blends, pink peppercorns, etc..
Traci7822 at 5:34PM on 07/06/09
Kangaroo and shark pintxos at Bar Garbola in San Sebastian... an Andrew Zimmern moment!
gogocroquette at 5:35PM on 07/06/09
Tapa the World in Sacramento...great atmosphere, good sangria and a tower of plates by the end of the night.
GrimChef at 5:53PM on 07/06/09
A small street side cafe far from the crowds of downtown Barcelona --- early autumn sunset, still a bit warm. We shared a pitcher of exceptional sangria while working on a platter of crisp fried sardines and another of patatas bravas. Not a romantic menu but it sure set the stage for an evening of memories...
czken at 5:55PM on 07/06/09
Mm...a graduation dinner at Barcelona in New Haven! Amazing, amazing shrimp. And the scallop dish - *drool*
coffeelove at 5:58PM on 07/06/09
It would have to be the chorizo at harvest vine in seattle. So good it might influence your serious eats login name.
mr_chorizo at 5:58PM on 07/06/09
a small seaside bar in Cadiz
toptoad at 5:59PM on 07/06/09
My recent trip to Barcelona brought lots of tapas memories but my favorite was unintentionally ordering 18 pieces of fois gras appetizers for 6 people. Ooops. But we held strong and ate it all ... and then we turned into geese.
Grammar at 6:03PM on 07/06/09
weirdly enough, my most memorable, though not necessarily best tapas experience was at a strange little hole in the wall restaurant in Echo Park, CA, attached to a liquor store. Its name was Restaurant Spain. A good friend and i had buckets and buckets of sangria, and enough chorizo and potato balls for a small army.
granita at 6:16PM on 07/06/09
theres a place in downtown Chicago called Cafe Iberico. When we went there the bast thing i had was clams in white wine parsley sauce. It was sooo good i went through 3 loaves of the bread just to soak up ALL the juice and broth that was left over. i felt like i was going to EXPLODE from all the bread :D
hoff_83 at 6:21PM on 07/06/09
during trip to barcelona.
mango at 6:24PM on 07/06/09
So it wasn't Spain...but an amazing little restaurant in Lyon, France two years ago. I've had a love affair with mussels every since.
SEAtoNYC at 6:39PM on 07/06/09
In Ithaca, NY on vacation with my boyfriend.
swampyankee at 6:47PM on 07/06/09
OK, less like tapas, and more like Happy Hour, but a good time had by my family at Woody's Bar on St. John USVI, cheap seafood, cheaper beer, people hanging out on the street when the bar gets too full. Awesome memories.
bobcatsteph3 at 6:48PM on 07/06/09
Cal Pep in Barcelona - yum!!
edinat at 6:52PM on 07/06/09
When I was 5 my family went out for tapas (I think it was someone's birthday) and there was flamenco music and dancing. I was terrified of the giant pig that was on the counter. I had abondigas and tortilla.
gingercookiewithlime at 6:55PM on 07/06/09
Tortilla - at home!
PeanutButter at 7:00PM on 07/06/09
the very first time I had them, at my first professional conference, in Chicago. I felt so grown-up!
bibliothecaire at 7:14PM on 07/06/09
Eating tapas on an outdoor patio in athens on my honeymoon.
bigfatmouth at 7:24PM on 07/06/09
bacon-wrapped dates at Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Chicago. But I hope to overshadow that experience when I visit Barcelona this fall!
drew13000 at 7:32PM on 07/06/09
A Spanish chef on an American vacation was a friend of a friend's and made us a great tapas dinner at home. Really made me want to roadtrip around Spain. One day!
marieinla at 7:35PM on 07/06/09
perhaps not exactly tapas, but tapas-inspired: bacon-date pizza.
malecki at 7:36PM on 07/06/09
made my first tapas and gazpacho at 16 when my mom made us learn how to cook over summer vacation. thanks mom!
any tapas shared with my beloved husband and fellow foody!
momtimestwo at 7:54PM on 07/06/09
no tapas experience but this book could quite possibly change all that. I do love all things Spanish.
PatDA at 7:57PM on 07/06/09
I would love to try tapas, so I am hoping to win this cookbook. Thanks.
Suzzanne at 8:11PM on 07/06/09
pulpo (octopus) a la Goya!
QK224 at 8:35PM on 07/06/09
goat cheese with olive oil and some nice crusty bread
simple and perfect
bmeng2221 at 9:08PM on 07/06/09
Really loved Zarzuela in SF and Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba in Chicago. They'll do until I make it to Spain. :)
TheJTrain at 9:28PM on 07/06/09
I had my first and only tapas experience in Boston last weekend. don't know how it compares, but there were some awesome chicken livers.
ephraim at 9:30PM on 07/06/09
my best tapas experiences were in Vancouver at La Bodega
PoignantTuna at 9:35PM on 07/06/09
an amazing little place called Flats in Bellingham, WA
pumpkinfiend at 9:41PM on 07/06/09
The most memorable would be my first, on a date with a metrosexual foodie who always made me feel so pedestrian. The relationship with him didn't last long, but Tapas and I remain good friends!
miskadventures at 9:42PM on 07/06/09
Thirsty Bear in San Francisco was the most memorable because of the food, the company and they make beer, too.
tenpointfarmer at 9:50PM on 07/06/09
Went to San Sebastian a few months ago and rolled into town pretty late for dinner (even by Spanish standards). Ordered a bunch of things on the menu before closing time, knowing what most, but not all, of the items were. One of the items was called "lecheritas" and looked, um, glandular. Not being a big sweetbread fan, I just closed my eyes and ate it, reminding myself to just do as the locals do. Found out from our concierge the next day that "lecheritas" were salivary glands from a lamb. Wow, that was a first for me! But I can't say that I'll have that again.
dragonroll at 9:50PM on 07/06/09
La Gamba Dorada in Cordoba. We just had a table full of wonderful (mostly) fried seafood and tinto de verano. Yum!
marglewis at 9:51PM on 07/06/09
I've only ever had tapas once, at a restaurant in north San Diego County, not memorable. I need this book to create my own memories!
madball911 at 10:31PM on 07/06/09
Green Bay, WI does not have a lot of opportunities for tapas, so the most memorable tapas I have had was at a Spanish restaurant in Stuttgart, Germany.
cobaltab at 11:02PM on 07/06/09
Beyoglu in nyc - perfect girls night filled with authentic food, much wine and many laughs.
andrearode at 11:26PM on 07/06/09
a delicious can of marinated mussels found in the cupboard
oneperfectegg at 11:32PM on 07/06/09
occasional parties at my house with wine, olives and more wine
bobfole at 11:37PM on 07/06/09
I made a garlicky shrimp tapas dish once while my wife was sick. The smell in the house made her even worse.
My most memorable tapas experience was the second time I made that dish. She was well, we loved it, and then I got a stomach bug later that night. Aaaarrrggh. Memorable, but not in a good way.
For a good tapas memory, I'd say my first visit to Jaleo in DC
Remander at 12:06AM on 07/07/09
The first time I had tapas with my future wife.
arbeck at 1:12AM on 07/07/09
Accidentally stumbling into la "Fiestas de la Paloma" in Madrid and hopping from bar to bar. Sangria, aceitunas, and criadillas. :)
amorporchoco at 2:03AM on 07/07/09
Any one of the many delicious meals I had in Madrid, Zaragoza, or Barcelona.
shoneyjoe at 3:52AM on 07/07/09
My most amazing tapas experience was this weekend: Bar Ferdinand in Philadelphia. Fantastic, fantasic food (I especially liked the baked goat cheese with honey and pine nuts). But with any luck I'll be adding to that list when I head out to Barca for a few weeks on the 19th!
kkulper at 4:37AM on 07/07/09
just last april I had tapas at la boqueria and had my first razor clams. the combination of the intense freshness and absurdly good olive oil blew my mind!
z911empire at 6:15AM on 07/07/09
I don't remember the name of it, but it's on Sunrise Ave in Ft. Lauderdale. It was so fun to try little tasters and focus on the company instead of sitting down to chow down on a conversation stopping carb load.
ky2here at 7:43AM on 07/07/09
I'm going to go ahead and say I've never had Tapas. I live in the middle of Michigan, and there aren't any Tapas restaurants in the area.
velcerick at 7:45AM on 07/07/09
Still waiting to have a real one...
ashtonsh at 7:54AM on 07/07/09
It was a place in Orlando on International Drive, and there was some type of chicken tapas that had us swooning. I could eat them every day for lunch and dinner and never tire of them.
cdziuba at 7:59AM on 07/07/09
I've never had an actual one.. they're (not surprisingly) a bit hard to get in Michigan
flillia at 8:06AM on 07/07/09
place in baltimore, can't remember the name, but it was (might still be there) across the street from the Club Charles. i remember eating a whole plate of garlicky mushrooms by myself.
french tart at 8:30AM on 07/07/09
Chocolate covered chorizo...Unbelievable.
slowdownandeat at 8:31AM on 07/07/09
Tia Pol in New York with my husband for our 3rd anniversary. A bottle of Rose, razor clams, cockles, shrimp heads and a Spanish blue cheese that I wish I remembered the name of. Best blue cheese ever.
slowdownandeat at 8:34AM on 07/07/09
Amazing Tortilla Espanola!
lucylucy at 8:38AM on 07/07/09
The most memorable tapas I've had were actually at a local wine bar, where they serve it in happy hour for half the price. It was great, and easily the best thing in that whole wine bar.
EijiShinrow at 8:38AM on 07/07/09
A place in Fresno, California called Flamenco Tapas of Spain -- the best sangria you'll ever have, but alas, they are no longer open!
RitaM4 at 9:19AM on 07/07/09
inopia in barcelona - i dont even know where to start. there were so many things that were so simple, but so good. the thing that blew my mind was the pineapple. dont know how albert adria found the magic formula, but pineapple + lime zest + molasses = heaven. their skewered meats (chicken and lamb) were amazing, especially for the non-lamb eaters in our group. another amazing thing?? their beer. i've never heard of the brand of beer they serve exclusively there, but it was so dang good.
i'm getting really hungry now, so its time to stop. tapas are awesome.
ptam512 at 9:26AM on 07/07/09
At a sidewalk restaurant in Boston, we had seafood tapas. They were light and delicious on that spring day - and most memorable. Unfortunately, the restaurant closed long ago.
jkershen at 9:27AM on 07/07/09
Just a Taste Tapas and wine in New York for my brothers birthday
escay at 9:38AM on 07/07/09
La Merenda in Milwaukee - I knew we were onto something when my husband ordered the lollipop lamb chops...a second time.
Nezrite at 9:41AM on 07/07/09
Sangria, Beer, Mojitos, and being crowded into the tinest shop I've ever seen with at least another 50-75 people crowding the tinest counter I've ever seen trying to get the attendance attention in La Latina, Madrid.
cickert at 10:04AM on 07/07/09
In Barcelona, my sister and I found this awesome locals hot-spot place. You had to either stand to eat or wait an hour for a table. They served a variety of tapas (including the best tomatoes I have ever had, sausages, cheeses) and 1 euro glasses of cava. I think we tried 10 different things and 7 or 8 glasses, and it cost about $30! Delicious!
rseligst at 10:05AM on 07/07/09
Pretty much everywhere we ate in Spain, but the best was this little dive bar in a tiny town where my great grandparents were born. Spanish-style empanada, grilled squid in garlicky olive oil, ajies de padron sprinkled with coarse salt, salt cod coquettes, ham, cheese, wine...
bitchincamero at 10:11AM on 07/07/09
Some place in Austin, TX - had salmon ceviche for the first time and loved it. Tried to make it at home but it didn't come out that great.
Worst experience - 'Tapas' in rutland, vt which isn't a tapas restaurant but instead some american joint. Worst surprise ever.
christopher at 10:21AM on 07/07/09
I have never eaten as many anchovies! My wife and I did our own tapas thing - flatbread with piquillo peppers, anchovies and manchego, Jamon! quince paste and cheeses, tuna stuffed piquillo peppers, it seemed to go on and on...
oishi at 10:26AM on 07/07/09
Only authentic tapas I've ever had were at a now-defunct Spanish restaurant here locally in SW CT. Tasty but expensive. I need to go to Spain.
gratefulted at 10:27AM on 07/07/09
One of the best dates I ever went on- tapas and Sangria at a place in Baltimore. The food was amazing, especially the spicy mussles, and it made the perfect meal to linger over with my (now) husband
jammin83 at 10:58AM on 07/07/09
Pot-Luck Tapas dinner at a friend's house. Everyone was to bring one tapas and we had chinese tapas, spanish tapas, and american tapas, among others. It was delicious!
Chilisoup1 at 11:17AM on 07/07/09
Tapas at Pipa NY for a promotion dinner with friends and coworkers. Drank too many pitchers of sangria and had the time of our life.
hj7404 at 11:19AM on 07/07/09
My fiance and I were in Barcelona two years ago. The first thing we did was walk the streets and stop into a local tapas bar. The food was amazing and the people were so friendly. We tried many things that we havent had before, sardines in a delicious light sauce, escargot, cheeses, breads, writing about it makes me want to go back! In houston TX we do not have any real authentic Tapas restaurants. I think its time for a trip back to Spain!
htrez at 11:35AM on 07/07/09
Tapas and wine
TNFarmer at 11:42AM on 07/07/09
BARcelona in St. Louis - Delicious food and great Sangria specials. Had the most delicious beef tenderloin over spinach there. Mouthwatering!
sogolahmadinia at 12:03PM on 07/07/09
when I made patatas bravas for a group of friends
armstwa at 12:28PM on 07/07/09
Most memorable? Can't think of too many since they were always a prelude to late nights that were much more notable. Perhaps not tapas, but there's nothing like coming out of steaming hot Spanish club sweat dripping from your brow into the dark of early morning, and trudging to a little stand to have fresh fried churros and rich liquid chocolate. Yum.
Pupster at 12:29PM on 07/07/09
At this place called Red Sky in Marietta, GA. Their corn/lobster dip was to die for!
hayleythecaker at 12:33PM on 07/07/09
tapas and sangria in the city with friends
llama at 12:42PM on 07/07/09
Popping my head into La Fonda del Sol and deciding to try 3 tapas at the bar. The very memorable tuna tacos are raw done in a pumpking seed flour shell, the raw scallops are sweet and fresh and the octopus is tender and flavorful. I can't wait to go back.
Margherita at 1:03PM on 07/07/09
I lived in Sevilla for a summer abroad - my most memorable tapas experince was off Plaza de Cuba, way in the bank twisted streets at a street party filled with locals at 4 am, and going into a little bar and getting the biggest piece of tortilla I'd ever had! I spoke to no one for 10 minutes and I can still smell the olive oil...
csbrown at 1:05PM on 07/07/09
tapas party in spanish class back in ninth grade.
ssultan23 at 1:07PM on 07/07/09
I would love a tapas experience. Can't recall having one! :/
conky at 1:12PM on 07/07/09
I was in Germany on a study abroad. We asked my professor if he wanted to go to a 'tapas' bar for dinner. He thought we said 'topless' and responded, "I am married and have kids! No thank you!" We thought it was a strange response, so we went on to dinner. Only later did we figure out that he misheard us!
KCapogrossi at 1:13PM on 07/07/09
Went to a great little tapas party about 10 years ago in TX...got to chip in and help the hostess, brought my on dish, awesome fun.
arm1970 at 1:13PM on 07/07/09
my first tapas experience. Date with my boyfriend, cozy little hole in the wall, never ending pitcher of red sangria, absolutely amazing stuffed avocados and bacon wrapped dates.
biabiaboiler at 1:15PM on 07/07/09
My only tapas experience was the one I tried to throw with no real knowledge except the morning of internet research :p
Seina at 1:17PM on 07/07/09
It was fall in Barcelona and a local friend took us out to a crowded restaurant with supposedly the best Tapas in the city. We ordered a pork platter of sorts, which included just about everything. Even the pig ear, corkscrew center, hair and all. It was a bit chewy.
cefarlow at 1:22PM on 07/07/09
My first taste of piquillo peppers stuffed with bacalao in Madrid...the love affair began...
ajsaj7 at 1:23PM on 07/07/09
Mine was probably the first time I tried small plate dining at a place in Milwaukee called "Jolly's" it was a cajun/creole restaurant and had a tapas night on Thursday. The chef would make all kinds of awesome dishes and I loved hanging out with friends trying these creations and drinking some Milwaukee microbrews.
EatWisconsin at 1:23PM on 07/07/09
The first time I had Tapas was at a little restaurant in North Carolina, I had baked olives, shrimp in olive oil and patatas bravas. My friend and I sat on the patio and shared a pitcher of sangria. It was perfect.
PineappleJones at 1:29PM on 07/07/09
Barcelona in South Norwalk when it used to be the burger place - although now i'm quite happy with their gambas ajillo and sangria!
vegas at 1:32PM on 07/07/09
One time locally, I dined at La Tasca (never since). It was a fair experience at best, but the one thing I did enjoy sharing orders of was their Manchego cheese. It had a bit of light olive oil drizzled over top of it and was quite good!
finkman at 1:34PM on 07/07/09
Half an avocado, filled with fresh hake fish, topped with a huge prawn and pink sauce. Sevilla - you know how to do it!
k8williams at 1:36PM on 07/07/09
Calamarcitos a la plancha in an alley in Barcelona, wow...
poodle at 1:37PM on 07/07/09
This random place in Barcelona, with the meanest customers and wait staff, had the best patatas bravas I ever ate.
It was worth the taxi ride and getting lost just to have those hot, crispy, potatoes. The aioli was unbelievable.
I'm booking a trip right now....
Juman23 at 1:43PM on 07/07/09
I don't have one...:-(
brooke29 at 1:49PM on 07/07/09
Favorite was also the first - I was on my first big "away from the parents" trip, in DC for a social justice seminar. We ate at this tiny place in DuPont Circle. My parents aren't terribly adventurous eaters, and so this was my first attempt at most of the foods and flavors I encountered. Baked brie, calamari (in retrospect, probably a faux pas, since I was eating with a rabbi), and duck sausage!
honeybee413 at 1:49PM on 07/07/09
Spanish restaurant at the beach in SoCal.
It was a welcome change from most beach food.
tankwatkins at 1:57PM on 07/07/09
The first time a Tapas restaurant opened in Toledo!
Mama Beckala at 2:00PM on 07/07/09
On a jaunt to Cordoba, the highly recommended tapas bar in our guidebook was closed. Dismayed, we began to wander and ended up walking down a tiny, deserted streetway, coming upon an open door into an open courtyard tapas bar. We were the only patrons and they treated us like kings and queens as we drank vino tinto and had amazing tapas I had only dreamed of.
peechfish at 2:07PM on 07/07/09
I don't think Green Zebra in Chicago counts as tapas, though it was a "small plates" restaurant. It was one of the best meals of my life!
Stufsocker at 2:07PM on 07/07/09
Tapas in Salamanca...0.5 Euros each, and the best I had eaten throughout Spain.
petitegourmande at 2:07PM on 07/07/09
My husband and I had our first date at a tapas restaurant...and visiting Barcelona several years ago, I had the best patatas bravas - would love to go back!
eggsonsunday1 at 2:08PM on 07/07/09
Mimi's in New Orleans. I took a freind for her birthday. It was a quiet night and the chef took care of us. wonderful evening.
NO_Pam at 2:20PM on 07/07/09
There is a fantastic Tapas restaurant in Charlottesville, VA. So pretentious it doesn't even have a sign up outside (it does at least have a sign saying the single word 'bar' now, didn't even used to have that), yet good enough that it can get away with that. They do fantastic spanish style tapas, with wonderful local ingredients. Too many great evenings there to name just one :)
sarahdlr at 2:24PM on 07/07/09
Solea in Waltham (outside Boston, MA). So, so good, and we keep going back!
littlestcapy at 2:25PM on 07/07/09
That would have to be a month ago when we stopped in Barcelona on our honeymoon. Ate some great tapas and had a fabulous time in Barcelona.
LttlMichey at 2:28PM on 07/07/09
In Barcelona - wonderful olives and potatoes in pink sauce.
Ltizzle at 2:31PM on 07/07/09
A small restaurant near a lake with patio seating, good friends, good food and good wine.
hungrylikethewolf at 2:33PM on 07/07/09
I just came back from Barcelona. It is so about the tapas. Cal Pep, Bar Central in the back of the Boqueria, Cervesia Catalana, Quimet i Quimet. All, in my opinion, so much better than the 'better' restaurants.
ohmygod at 2:36PM on 07/07/09
Barcelona, I had just turned 22 and graduated college. I didn't really know what they were or what to get. I just remember eating and thinking they were absolutely delicious.
snackpig at 3:09PM on 07/07/09
My first housewarming party, served everything tapas style...total hit.
BigtroubleinlittlePhilly at 3:11PM on 07/07/09
No special experiences yet, but if I win the book I'll make some brave potatoes and together we will save the world!
LauraII at 3:11PM on 07/07/09
Eating so many patatas bravas on Valentine's Day this year at Bar Ferdinand in Philadelphia that I was too full for dessert or going out for drinks after dinner. The combination of pimentón and potato is amazing.
scalvanio at 3:34PM on 07/07/09
we were just in petaluma and had a cheese tapas plate at a place called Grafiti's which was awesome.
agordon10 at 3:39PM on 07/07/09
nothing pops into mind... but making and serving tapas and drinks to friends and family alfresco is always a memory in the making.
cheekfull at 3:40PM on 07/07/09
I thought we were going to a topless bar, and then it was a tapas bar. and then I got drunk drinking mojitos with my israeli and pakistani friends listening to a cuban band.
prunesaregood at 3:46PM on 07/07/09
Firefly Bistro in Las Vegas -- noisy but great tapas!
etirv at 3:46PM on 07/07/09
Potato - Ham - White Sangria on a warm evening in the back yard
mlbykb at 3:53PM on 07/07/09
My first European trip... our first city was Barcelona, second was Palma de Mallorca. While on Palma, we randomly wandered around for dinner on our last night... wandered right into a restaurant where the owner came out to sit and talk with us despite the full house. He wanted to practice his English and, as he said, "sit with a table full of beautiful ladies" haha. He talked to us about each tapas dish, each of which was made with love and wonderful, delicious, and unique to a region that he then told us a bit about... it was a lovely meal and I believe the end tally, for 5 girls and lots of wine & tapas, came to less than 10-15 Euros each. It was amazing and I still think of that night fondly.
feistyfoodie at 4:01PM on 07/07/09
My first experience was a tapas restaurant in San Francisco for a friend's birthday. Because we were such a big group, we ordered everything on the menu - giving me a great introduction to the cuisine!
shandon at 4:04PM on 07/07/09
We went out for tapas for a special occasion and for the first time ever, I had patatas bravas with a fried egg on top. It was scrumptious and I'll always make my PBs this way.
autumnfog at 4:05PM on 07/07/09
Though I haven't been to Spain, my first trip to Cobras & Matadors in LA with BYOW, in a cozy back booth by candlelight, is quite memorable.
foodandscience at 4:08PM on 07/07/09
Hands down. The 20 or so I had a Jose Andres Bazaar in LA.
msecondo at 4:21PM on 07/07/09
The only tapas place I've been is in Ottawa, a place owned by a couple that end up arguing on a pretty regular basis. I'm looking forward to getting to try the real deal in September, though, when I go to Barcelona!
margaux at 4:40PM on 07/07/09
At Rioja in Houston: Garlic soup with a poached egg, sauteed sardines and sushi grade tuna, rare with piquillo cream sauce. Hooked on tapas ever since!
lambowner at 4:44PM on 07/07/09
in madrid on sept 11, 2001. we went to a tapas bar called lateral, on calle velazquez i believe (or serrano i forget which) and everyone was so incredibly nice to us bewildered american students that still didn't know fully what had happened except for the spanish news. the host and waitress were so kind to us, checking to see if we were holding up ok, and we got the meal on the house. it ended up incidentally being my favorite tapas place for the two years that i lived there, but that night was really special because of the kindness of strangers.
megannesta at 4:46PM on 07/07/09
It was in Manhattan, just recently. Memorable for the wrong reasons. The old story of not very good and not enough of it. A place never to be returned to. They need to go to Barcelona to learn about Tapas.
bgcchs@yahoo.com
charmandluck at 4:54PM on 07/07/09
Madrid,
The first place on the first night, the Ham left you feeling like you had never tried it before.
robertm73 at 4:56PM on 07/07/09
Casa Mono in NYC is pretty awesome.
lanes at 4:58PM on 07/07/09
Grilled Sardines - olive oil with sprigs of fresh thyme and lemon slice in the cavity...Bet ya can't eat just one!
thegoch at 4:58PM on 07/07/09
serving them at a party mverno@roadrunner.com
mverno at 5:02PM on 07/07/09
My friend had her niece living with her. Her niece's Spanish class went out to dinner to the Spanish Restaurant in town, and my friend and I went also. We had tapas to start off the meal with - they were wonderful!
Thanks for the giveaway!
js2222 at 5:19PM on 07/07/09
Fonda in El Cerrito, CA. I remember it mostly because I go there every chance I get.
Tactful_Cactus at 5:20PM on 07/07/09
It would have to be the first time I ever heard of tapas, and tried the patatas bravas at Cafe BabbaReeba in Chicago...mid to late 80s maybe?
Rhetor at 5:26PM on 07/07/09
My first taste of pimiento de padron. I have been hooked ever since.
elcorazonsangrante at 5:30PM on 07/07/09
cobras and matadors in LA...yum!
tlinjang at 5:36PM on 07/07/09
My friends have a tapas party every year - my best friend and her (then) bf did toothpicks stacked with figs and sausage in a red wine sauce to win best tapas dish of the night.
joyyy at 5:48PM on 07/07/09
A warm spring night in NYC, good friends, lively music, and fantastic tapas!
flamingo at 6:05PM on 07/07/09
my first experience was in mexico city mexico
sandy89 at 6:05PM on 07/07/09
Dying to have a real one!
legab67156 at 6:07PM on 07/07/09
a nice little spot in barcelona with some delicious sea food
twood at 6:22PM on 07/07/09
Tapas hopping this past April in Seville for the opening of Feria. We were taken by local Sevillianas to the best tapas place for octopus, then on to the best place for Gallician wine, then the best jamon and so on....Ate very well adn then returned home to make white gazpacho and crave jamon serrano!
kileyg at 7:01PM on 07/07/09
This happened quite a few years ago--before tapas became so widely known and popular. My wife and I had exhausted the most commonly known tapas bars in the city. I called the concierge at a four star hotel in town and asked for his recommendations. He hesitated a bit and mentioned a well know gentleman's club in town, thinks I had asked about a 'topless bar'!
; )
beano at 7:22PM on 07/07/09
When my mom bought me a Tapas cookbook when she went to Madrid. We spent an entire day just buying ingredients and making tapas and we proceeded to have Tapas for the next two days for every meal. There was even recipes for multicultural tapas including German Tapas- Olives and "Pickeled" Potatos, Chinese- Cured 5 spice Pork on softbread, Italian- Basil Tomatoes and Aged thin slices of Parm, it was awesome. : P***
MagicOatmealCookies at 7:31PM on 07/07/09
tapas with penelope cruz, oh sorry, that was a dream
mariomenendez at 7:56PM on 07/07/09
So many tapas memories, my mother is from Barcelona and I have been lucky enough to visit 7 times in my life, each time for about a month. What sticks out most is our friend Jauma. My husband and I were there together for the first time on our honeymoon. Jauma decided to take us to this little place, bustling in the city but near the water. We couldn't speak to eachother very well, but he took over and ordered a plate of these little green peppers (2 to 3 inches long) that were fried and lightly salted. MMMM! We ordered 2 more plates, we liked them so much! I wish I could find those peppers here, I'd try to recreate them!
rockymountainmarta at 8:00PM on 07/07/09
The first time I had tapas there was to many to remember, but I do remember the experience! So many flavors! So many foods and wines to try. That is the best way to eat!
jh70095 at 9:09PM on 07/07/09
so many great memories of delicious tapas in Madrid...loved the La Latina area..first time I had baby eels...yum
yumyum30 at 10:03PM on 07/07/09
Delicious tapas in of all places...Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Barcelona is on my short list of places I want to visit.
artmarcia at 10:17PM on 07/07/09
I was 19 when I first visited Europe. After landing in Paris where my luggage did not arrive, hotel did not honored my reservation, not being able to speak French, I decided to go to Spain where I would be listening the motherland tongue, Spanish. Took the train from Paris to San Sebastian where I found myself lost listening to a Language I did not recognized (Basque), continued with my trip and finally arrived in Barcelona where I thought I would have not a problem with the language....wrong again, people spoke Catalan and I felt that if I use Spanish I would be lynched. Hungry and not wanting to cause a conmotion I entered a Tapas Bar where I ordered what I thought was the main course "Gambas al Ajillo". When the waiter brought me my order I told him that I had ordered the adult portion to which he answered "what was I expecting ...the dish was a Tapa. That was my introduction to the concept of Tapas...and I am in love with it.
elexigente at 10:33PM on 07/07/09
My most memorable tapas experience was at Si Tapas in Dallas. Very delicious food and a friendly waitress making great recommendations!
Hurdler4eva at 10:39PM on 07/07/09
my husband and i honeymooned in barcelona. it was his first time in europe, and my first time in spain. we walked into a place called xtapela on passeig gracia fully expecting it to be to like any of the tapas places we'd been to in nyc - tiny, overpriced portions of sad potatoes and sad shrimp. with our first taste of pan con tomate, we were proven WRONG! each bite was bursting with flavor - good bread, olive oil that tasted like olives (how novel!), tomatoes that were warm, juicy and sweet... we spent our first afternoon as a married couple drinking rioja and eating everything we could set our greedy little paws on. each dish was more delicious than the last, and 4 years later, we have yet to find a spot locally that competes with the simple deliciousness of anything we tried there.
i'd like to say that my most memorable moment of our time in barcelona was visiting parc guell or watching flamenco in a seedy basement, but honestly, the food is what i remember, and enjoyed, most.
Ariel777 at 10:54PM on 07/07/09
My most memorable experience was my first one, at Jaleo in DC. We were there for a bachelorette party, and I remember sangria was involved, and it ended with the bride spanking some guy we didn't know with his belt!
Oh, the food was good too...
shalomblack at 10:59PM on 07/07/09
Madrid
no place has better tapas!
gorzd at 10:59PM on 07/07/09
I love tapas, more than just eating an entree. It's fun and deliciuos, can't think of my favorite experience.
sln123 at 11:45PM on 07/07/09
My boyfriend and I had the best mussels in a tapas bar in Boston, and I wish I could remember the place!
ReneeRobinson at 11:47PM on 07/07/09
sun dried tomato goat cheese on a toasted piece of asiago cracked pepper bread .. mmmmmmmmmmm
Deeberry at 11:56PM on 07/07/09
I know what tapas are, but I have never had the opportunity to try them (I am not really a country bumkin, I just never lived where the only Latin meals were Mexican)
CarolHarrity at 12:12AM on 07/08/09
In Hong Kong... truly! I was visiting US expats for two weeks, and they were so excited to try a new cuisine, they missed the variety found in NYC. We went to a newly opened tapas bar, it was sleek, chic and the menu sounded wonderful. But the food... was something along the lines of if you had described tapas to someone who had never actually seen them before and just executed the idea in their native ingredients. Not quite Spanish, not quite Asian, quite weird! Not horrible but def. not tapas in the traditional sense. It was so memorable, and we had such a good laugh drinking "sangria" and marveling on how easy it was to get what would seem like fundamentals wrong anyplace else. I had some great Chinese, Laotian and Vietnamese meals in Hong Kong but this one stuck out as unforgettable, and I am smiling as I type.
In fact, I'm going to email those right now to remind them!
mycherrypie at 1:19AM on 07/08/09
My only experience has been at a tapas restaurant in Ca. Not as exciting as Barcelona, but someday...
toastworthy at 1:38AM on 07/08/09
buying goodies from Fairway and eating the spread at home
winkyj at 2:48AM on 07/08/09
3 days in san sebastian..it really was like a kid in a candy store. we ate dozens of croquettas, anchovies, octopus, seranos, ibericos, fois with lingenberry jam, and the list goes on. there's a tapas bar every ten feet, and everyone welcomes you with a smile and glass of txakoli. the best day was the one with a sardine festival in the town square!
bkc227 at 7:40AM on 07/08/09
I was in a Barcelona wine bar with standing tables only. The people at the next table were eating something that looked like goat heads (I know - gross). My knees started to go weak and I had to go outside and sit on the curb to keep from passing out. I'd love to have a better tapas experience. Maybe I can make some from the book.
clc408 at 8:39AM on 07/08/09
A friend of mine had a tapas party - incredible!! In my travel wishes there are more tapas experiences.
mcferret at 8:58AM on 07/08/09
Making it for my family on birthday last year :)
lisac at 9:28AM on 07/08/09
at some small hole in the wall eating juicy & crisp calamares a la romana (fried calamari) w/ a fresh squeeze of lemon. i can see why it had a long line.
maomau at 11:15AM on 07/08/09
At a restaurant actually named "Tapas" in Denville, NJ. I just loved the food there, but I hear they are no longer there!
LIDARKSIDE at 11:50AM on 07/08/09
amada in philadelphia's olde city http://www.amadarestaurant.com/ is wonderful, jose gares is a restaurant genius!
yooangel at 12:21PM on 07/08/09
A small cafe in Carlton,OR. has a killer chef.
dove1960 at 12:32PM on 07/08/09
Tapas at Mezze in Baltimore are pretty good. Great atmosphere and an upbeat energy throughout the place.
finkman at 12:59PM on 07/08/09
We were going out for tapas with our then very young kids and I overheard my son (about 4) asking his older sister (7 years old) if we were really eating at a topless restaurant and did men have to take off their shirts?!!
deefine at 1:03PM on 07/08/09
My first time at Jaleo in DC turned me tapas crazy. The zing of the sherry vinager in the gazpacho made my mouth pucker and the cod fitters just melted into my mouth. Spain is the next European country on my travel list!
cookinmama at 1:21PM on 07/08/09
potatas bravas at jaleo - fab
Jeane at 1:22PM on 07/08/09
First experience with Spanish chorizo in NYC
omnivore at 1:45PM on 07/08/09
I have to make my tapas--I live in a city 10 years behind the times. Sigh. But I love working with fresh mussels and clams as stated in the review. Thanks for giving the books away!
tignor at 1:51PM on 07/08/09
Sipping wine with my dad, just talking about life, over a few plates of chistorras, croquetas de bacalao, mejillones and gambas al ajillo w/ crusty bread.
gbania at 1:53PM on 07/08/09
What the heck are Tapas? I guess I have never had them.
Sunnyvale at 1:58PM on 07/08/09
The only place I've ever had tapas is at Flamenco Tapas in Fresno CA. Very good!!!
lamora at 1:58PM on 07/08/09
We were in San Sebastian and had some of the best food ever. It's a good thing I love the pig!
jenannschultz at 2:01PM on 07/08/09
I have only eaten tapas once then the place closed. Oh well....maybe with this book I can make my own : )
finsbigfan at 2:28PM on 07/08/09
In Barcelona of course! Stuffed Sea Scallops in the shell equals awesome!
beaubeen at 2:31PM on 07/08/09
the first time i ever ate at a tapas restaurant i got sick and had to be persuaded to give it a second try!
KCapogrossi at 3:10PM on 07/08/09
My first time having tapas was in Sevilla with my best friend and I was shocked at how small the beers were!
Emmerloo3 at 3:21PM on 07/08/09
I got hired for my last job over tapas in Berkeley. Double-yum.
linzarella at 3:23PM on 07/08/09
My most memorable tapas experience was the chef's tasting at Amada in Philadelphia.
GossipGirl at 3:23PM on 07/08/09
The tapas I made for New Years Eve and a couple bottles of Tempranillo.
slvance at 3:27PM on 07/08/09
Was the one I ate and drank so much I don't remember the last half of it.
stevebillings at 3:34PM on 07/08/09
The first time I ever heard of tapas, at a friends' backyard happy hour. Not authentic Spanish tapas but an introduction to the concept, at least.
foodchemistry at 3:50PM on 07/08/09
I live in the middle of the woods. I have, sadly, never had a" tapas moment". Obviously, need the book.
SMartin at 4:17PM on 07/08/09
I'm really sad that I have never had tapas! It sounds like a culinary experience, I need to get on that!
luckymegs1981 at 4:51PM on 07/08/09
One of my most memorable tapas moments actually involved clams. My husband and I were on our honeymoon and we came across a random little seafood place on a narrow street in Malaga. It had the most delicious seafood, but what really stood out was their tiny little clams, in a garlicky herb sauce, served in a hot little metal pan. We mopped up all the sauce with bread and came back the next day for lunch! Their Gambas Pil-Pil (hot shrimp in a spicy sauce) were equally scrumptious.
Nasochkas at 5:01PM on 07/08/09
Also, can not forget the patatas bravas at Bar Tomas in Saria - a northern suburb of Barcelona. It is a whole in the wall bar and one the best kept secrets in Barcelona. Those bravas can not be replicated.
Nasochkas at 5:05PM on 07/08/09
I have nothing memorable that deals with Tapas........
starsmom at 5:07PM on 07/08/09
Every time my husband and I make a meal out of them!
Hal610 at 5:22PM on 07/08/09
Sadly, I have never experienced Tapas, but definitely intend to. Thank you!
Tina12312 at 7:10PM on 07/08/09
I have an "adventurous eater" cousin, who has introduced me to all kinds of foods. Always a good time!
Sooz526 at 7:13PM on 07/08/09
I have never had Tapas either! We did just get a place in town that has Tapas, and when I mentioned it to my co-worker he thought I said that I wanted to to to the new "topless" place downtown.
tmf315 at 7:14PM on 07/08/09
Well, it was more a memorable tapas experience - my friend and I ate our way across Barcelona, always stopping at the various jamon establishments (Palacio del Jamon!) I've never eaten more pork in my life, but boy was it worth it.
LA_Eater at 7:39PM on 07/08/09
My husband and I went to a small restaurant in Boston....Taberna de Haro. We tried all the different Spanish restaurants and thought that this one was the most authentic.
orgsyngirl at 8:45PM on 07/08/09
The first time I ever had tapas was at Pinxtos, which is Basque...attempting to pronounce all the dishes was memorable for me (or at least, our waiter, who found it pretty funny).
firni at 8:50PM on 07/08/09
I flew my girlfriend to Barcelona for a romantic trip during a long-running long-distance part of our relationship. We traveled all around the city sampling tapas everywhere we went. She dumped me two months later. FML (wait, wrong site...)
nikonratm at 9:19PM on 07/08/09
When we were in Barcelona, we quickly realized anything made out of aubergines (eggplant) was the best thing on the menu.
perryli4 at 10:12PM on 07/08/09
I have never had tapas, but willing to try.
derekt1 at 10:20PM on 07/08/09
BBQ mini ribs, they were so juicy!
Jessilyn82 at 10:59PM on 07/08/09
My first tapas were at Cafe Ba Ba Reeba in Chicago. Loved then then - love them now.
elysek at 12:30AM on 07/09/09
I was in Spain in the late 80's and tapas were something that was served only in little non-tourist bars then. I don't think we chose an especially good local bar because most of the tapas weren't memorable - except the olives and cheeses. Heaven!
AsTheNight at 2:18AM on 07/09/09
I had tapas for the first time at a place called Ibiza in Pittsburgh. It was actually Portuguese style food. I ordered (and shared) a delicious garlic shrimp, a sausage and cheese plate, and some vegetable skewers. My friend ordered two different lamb dishes. We consumed a decent amount of wine and topped it off with an almond liquor for desert.
joeqboo at 10:01AM on 07/09/09
I was in the 5th grade in Bolnuevo, Spain and we went to a restaurant called "Virgin Del Mar" right off the boardwalk and they had devine tapas- baby octopuses, small whole fish (sardines?)in various sauces and oils, the egg "tortillas," the rock salt shrimp, jamon right off the leg, yum. amazing and i can't get this in NYC! i will go back in the next year to eat my face off. yum!
adorableannat at 12:17PM on 07/09/09
pinxtos in Barcelona!
finkman at 1:47PM on 07/09/09
I love Madrid and so, know this is sacrilege, but I remember the tapas at Jaleo (and the warm Basque semolina cake -- one of the greatest DC desserts) best.
miette at 1:48PM on 07/09/09
My most memorable tapas experience would be at AOC Winebar in Los Angeles. It was the first place I experienced dates stuffed with cheese and wrapped in bacon.
Mike13241 at 1:55PM on 07/09/09
There is a tiny little tapas place in Harrisburg, PA with live music above an Italian restaurant, Suba. The drinks were fantastic, the music was rockin', the atmosphere was comy, and the food was amazing - Manchengo cheese, olives, fried artichoke, grilled bread with tomatoes and garlic, piquillo stuffed pepper. But the standout was the Tacos. El Ranchero - slow cooked beef with horseradish and chive sauce. After finishing one serving, we ordered another. They were that. damn. good.
foodiedani at 2:29PM on 07/09/09
A Tapas bar recently opened here in ATL - called Noche. The menu is an eclectic mix of small plates - and there is a seemingly endless tequila menu as well.
The place was absolutely hopping and BF and I were hungry so we took two seats at the bar. We ordered some drinks and a few of the tapas. I am a fan of ...let's say "food considered delicacies" so I ordered the beef tongue taco as one of my selections. Three times the food runner came to us with grilled beef steak instead of the tongue. Each time, they let us keep the grilled beef (which was fantastic). I finally asked the waitress "if the restaurant doesn't want to serve beef tongue, why is it on the menu?" I burst into laughter, as, by this time I had a couple of margaritas. Eventually, the beef tongue taco DID emerge from the kitchen and with all the extra orders of grilled steak, we left the place stuffed, to say the least. The good news - it must have been awfully good tequila - no hangover.
therealchiffonade at 2:33PM on 07/09/09
I had been camped out in the Sierra's for a month and a half. I met my girlfriend at Il Luna Basque in San Francisco and it was my first meal out. We drank lots of wine and shared many small plates. It was pretty much perfect!
porky pine at 3:10PM on 07/09/09
At IM Tapas in Naples, Florida, Isabelle and Mary's menu included raw oysters en gelee, stuffed squash blossoms, bacalao croquetas, and a lovely fish that I can't remember the name of because of all that cava.
jayveejay at 3:38PM on 07/09/09
Mmmm. I'm remembering these little potato croquettes. I don't remember what they were called, but I totally remember the taste.
OldHippie at 4:44PM on 07/09/09
The Tapa Bar in Victoria, BC - great friends, great food, great drinks!
andalinc at 4:47PM on 07/09/09
Tapas and Rioja at Esteban in Monterey. Chef Tomas is fantastic!
CentralCoastContessa at 5:00PM on 07/09/09
Went to Mercat a la Planxa for my girlfriend's birthday. Great food (my favorite: the rabbit agnolotti), and a great experience, but we were trapped next to this horrible whiny couple--both in the lounge area, and after we were seated they ended up at the table next to us.
skizziks at 5:14PM on 07/09/09
Never had the pleasure but would love to try them.
southerncooker at 8:17PM on 07/09/09
I can tell you about my very first tapas experience - it was at a TuTu Tango, a restaurant at Universal City Walk in LA, which had art for sale on the walls and really cool placemats for kids (which my husband would often charm a waitress into letting him have, too). Sadly, it's no longer there.
ChiaLynn at 8:39PM on 07/09/09
Barcelona in CT, the beef, the wines !!!!
allelect at 8:56PM on 07/09/09
Only had tapas in one restaurant in my life, in a suburb of Chicago. Went there maybe two or three times before we moved, and it was divine. And so much fun. That was 12 years ago, and I don't recall particular dishes, but it was all good.
dbcurrie at 9:43PM on 07/09/09
By myself, drunk and hungry in San Sebastian.
jervell at 10:56PM on 07/09/09
My first solo trip in Europe was 2 weeks in Madrid. The first night, I went to a place famous for its patatas bravas. As a single blonde woman, it was quite the experience: although I'd never pass as a native, I do speak Spanish well enough to understand passing comments!
dancingwolfgrrl at 1:25AM on 07/10/09
San Chez in Grand Rapids was awesome
arindaadam at 7:26AM on 07/10/09
The first time I ever had a tapas meal, we were in a little bar visiting Asheville, NC. Suddenly a woman at the bar fell backward--stool and all--almost hitting our table, and spilling the entire contents of her sizeable purse! She needed more tapas, fewer drinks--anyway, it was so long ago I've forgotten what our little plates were, only that we ordered about thirty and spent so much!
eluckstead at 1:05PM on 07/10/09
Sorry, I'm a tapas virgin.
jaspevacek at 1:24PM on 07/10/09
I've never had them - my husband goes out to tapas with friends every time I leave town, drives me bonkers! We keep planning on going to a place thats just 20 minutes away but we keep procrastinating.
gibbylet at 1:26PM on 07/10/09
My most memorable tapas experience was in Barcelona, itself. It was my first visit to Spain while studying abroad in the south of France and my first time to have tapas. Tucked away into the back of a restaurant lit mostly by candlelight with cozy brick-lined walls and seating reminiscent of picnic tables with long benches at long wooden tables, we munched on tortilla espanola and sipped some Rioja while listening to a spanish guitar player in the corner. The food was wonderful, the wine was incredible, and the cozy, relaxed atmosphere just topped it all off.
misplacedtexan at 1:30PM on 07/10/09
Arrived at my Spanish host family's house for an exchange program, after a long nap I come downtairs to plates of pan con tomate and jamon, couldn't have been more perfect for the jet lagged stomach!
CreamCheese at 1:35PM on 07/10/09
Finnish "tapas" in Duluth, Minn! http://www.kippis.us
Fiksu at 1:46PM on 07/10/09
Celebrating a friend's birthday in Gallery Place in DC.
ekenyon at 1:49PM on 07/10/09
Ooooh a mixed plate of olives--some black, some green, stuffed with garlic cloves or nothing at all. It was delicious.
finkman at 1:50PM on 07/10/09
...wonderful tapas and wine with my wife on a cold fall day at a quaint little tapas place in Powell, Ohio...
andymcmorrow at 1:51PM on 07/10/09
I had some incredible tapas at Thirsty Bear in San Francisco when we had a sales kickoff meeting for my former company. The patatas bravas were incredible, as were the asparagus wrapped in serrano ham!
kageneko at 1:56PM on 07/10/09
Sevilla, Fall 1997 during program abroad!
ktschenck at 2:00PM on 07/10/09
Plates of queso manchego and beer most nights during my Spring in Seville.
smokeyselig at 2:12PM on 07/10/09
Patatas Bravas in San Francisco's Picaro. Delicious!!!
pandapotamus at 3:22PM on 07/10/09
I got back from my first trip to Spain five days ago! My friend and I ate our way across Madrid and Barcelona - Jamon, manchego, croquetas, gazpacho, dios mio! - but my favorite tapas experience by far was on our last day in Barcelona, in the Boqueria. We somehow managed to get five seats at the bustling Pinotxo stall in the market, and we were even luckier to be served by a man who clearly knows his tapas and seemed happy as a clam to shove plates of food in front of our eager and hungry faces. We started with a plate of garbanzo beans and what must have been anchovy paste, and moved on to pulpitas with white beans, spinach croquetas and carne, and ended with the two most delicious pastries I've ever tasted in my life. We washed it all down with cava, cafe con leche, and laughter courtesy of our Pinotxo barista. If I'm lucky enough to get back to Barcelona, this will be my first stop. I'll come hungry.
Bubeleh at 5:00PM on 07/10/09
Not strictly tapas, since it's Italian, but my prefered ways to eat at my favorite local Italian restaurant is to order a number smaller plates, things like a small bowl of perfectly cooked creamy white beans with rosemary and garlic, topped with two or three large shrimp tails and good olive oil.
Nicholas H at 5:52PM on 07/10/09
My most memorable tapas experience was when I said I would make 24 tapas in one evening, by myself. Not all of them were traditional tapas but there were a lot of tapas inspired tapas flying around.
See for yourself:
http://ericriveracooks.com/2009/04/26/24-24-24-24-tapas/
Eric
ericriveracooks at 7:14PM on 07/10/09
Some anchovy thing. Sorry, can't remember!
jlsmei at 7:29PM on 07/10/09
It would either have to be the time I had lentejas trufadas (with a gorgeous poached egg on top) at Boqueria, or the first time the guy I was dating made me the most perfect patatas bravas. Both moments have made me into a tapas fiend.
mulberryalliance at 1:13AM on 07/11/09
Going to a tapas bar in Barcelona with my dad and getting to drink a beer with him for the first time, it was such a fun grown up feeling. I remember eating tons of grilled octopus (like 3 plates of them)
JSchwo7 at 5:09PM on 07/11/09
I really don't have any either :(
kngmckellar@hotmail.com
kngmckellar at 11:25PM on 07/11/09
JeansandTs@hotmail.com
I have never ever had one. I love to cook and would love to give this book a good going over.
JeansandTs at 1:00AM on 07/12/09
I wandered into a laundromat in Figures, Spain with a backpack full of dirty clothes, noticed a small bar in back and proceeded to do laundry, drink wine and eat snacks with a few locals at noon on a weekday many years ago.
drunkenchef at 7:01AM on 07/12/09
A delicious night out with tapas and drinks for my graduation party!
mannabsn at 2:50PM on 07/12/09
Maria and I went to this wondeful tapas restaurant in Chicago!
saturdaynightfever at 5:52PM on 07/12/09
Goat cheese wrapped in walnuts and panfried.
sachidewey at 8:24PM on 07/12/09
My only authentic tapas experience in Spain was in high school - my h.s. Spanish class went to Andalucia region for a week. All the restaurants and foodstuff was arranged by our teachers, so I can't comment on what exactly we ate and where we ate it...but my oh my was it delicious! I had never had food like that before the trip.
jpark107 at 9:38PM on 07/12/09
I honestly have never had a tapa experience, but i would love to!
imaclutz89 at 10:53PM on 07/12/09
Sadly, my best tapas experience was from the view of my couch into the TV and the Travel Channel. Seems like it was Samantha Brown tasting the fares in Spain. Since then, I have so wanted to do the same. Some day...
Nesie at 11:53PM on 07/12/09
I've never really been to a tapas restaurant, but I'd still love to learn more!
squidlette at 1:19AM on 07/13/09
I do not have a favorite Tapas experience... yet.
madeas at 2:11AM on 07/13/09
I've never had a tapas experience but I'd like to!
blueviolet at 5:39AM on 07/13/09
While on vacation eating these fabulous chorizo tapas.
atreau at 11:07AM on 07/13/09
With my sister at a restraunt in a neighboring suburb. The waiter was wearing a wedding ring, overweight, bald, and missing teeth, but insisted on flirting relentlessly with us anyway. He actually said "I love to tapas". It was totally inappropriate but hysterical.
kirbycolby at 11:28AM on 07/13/09
I found this wonderful tapas restaurant when I visited San francisco. garrettsambo@aol.com
garrettsambo at 11:42AM on 07/13/09
My most memorable tapas experience was at Lucques in West Los Angeles, California.
lilyk at 11:43AM on 07/13/09
I'm feeling out of sorts... What exactly is tapas?
cowleyh at 11:52AM on 07/13/09
Thank you for participating and congratulations to our winners:
Stufsocker
edinat
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eluckstead
ssultan23
Winners have been notified by email and also appear on our Contest Winners page.
Caroline Russock at 12:09PM on 07/13/09