I've heard lots of enthusiastic reviews of tapas bars but for some reason have never felt any desire to try one out myself. This weekend, a friend suggested we try La Tasca after seeing the Dark Knight in Chinatown, initiating a new, fantastic dining adventure!
I liked the feel of the interior as soon as I stepped inside--dim lighting, interesting decorations covering every inch of the walls, cozy booths with vibrant pillows. Our server explained what tapas were--small plates of signature Spanish dishes--and left us to decide which ones we wanted out of the large and varied menu (everything sounded amazing). There were some more expensive choices of meat and seafood ($10-20) but also plenty of good cheap selections ($5-10). We finally decided to try:
Patatas Panadera con Salmorejo--Fried slices of potato with a cold dip of tomato and garlic
Montada de Salmon y Queso Fresco--Toasted bread topped with smoked salmon and cream cheese
Patatas Bravas con Ali-Ali--The best known tapas - deep fried potatoes in a spicy sauce and garlic mayonnaise
Crema Catalana--Catalan custard cream with strawberries
(The sangria, in many varieties, looked really good too, and now I regret not trying it :P)
Everything we ordered was under $6 but still really tasty yet mild. We especially liked the salmon (super fresh) and dessert (creamy and sweet with a nice little crunch from the granulated sugar topping). For "small plates," the portions were still pretty big--the salmon tapas included 3 big bread rounds topped with plenty of fish--and definitely satisfying. The atmosphere was really cozy and relaxing too. And our whole meal was only $25 for both of us, tax and tip included--a great value! I definitely will try to go back next time I'm in the area :) In the meantime, I'm really eager to try the other tapas bars out there after this fantastic introduction to "small plates".
