My palms are getting sweaty and my heart is starting to race! So my date for tonight could be none other than the heartthrob that was my high school crush. And although I was never able to muster up the courage to speak to her in our days gone by, years later, I finally have a chance to redeem myself by taking her to the highly recommended ‘Tapagria’ to make up for lost time.
Bringing her to see the sunset from the renowned balcony view, was definitely part of my planned charm offensive. But the horrors of my high school days seemed to be repeating itself with the skies being overcast on our date night. My fortunes began to turn however when drinks were served. We ordered a wine sangria which was pleasantly light and refreshing, enhancing our appetite for what was to come.
For our appetizer, we had the scallop wrapped in bacon which was wonderful. Cooked to perfection and lightly seasoned, the freshness of the dish really came through.
We next had the sautéed seafood as the main course which also didn’t disappoint. Like the appetizer, this dish was not too salty and not over-cooked. Simple secrets to success of a great dish you might think, but it’s amazing how many restaurants get it wrong! This centerpiece was also surprisingly well portioned offering good value for the meal.
Dinner at a Spanish restaurant just wouldn’t seem complete without its signature dish, so we topped it off by ordering the seafood paella. The rice seemed a bit too wet for my taste, but my instincts told me that this is the way authentic paella should be. No choice here but to pretend to be sophisticated and offer a polite thumbs-up.
What I am an expert in however is desserts, and in this respect the pumpkin pastry we ordered came in short of expectation. Far from the artisanal work that you might expect from a fine restaurant, this was little more than a couple of donuts with a side of puree pumpkin.
Notwithstanding the poor weather and dessert, Tapagria offers an excellent dining experience overall. Was it enough to rekindle the chances for a nerdy kid with the most popular girl in school? I’m not sure, but I’m hoping that it will at least get me another date.