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2008-07-25
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When a friend replied curiosity on my quest to try out Tapeo, the new Tapas Bar that took over where Mink used to be, I knew that things would be rather different, with plenty of explaining to do about the cuisine itself, the dishes and the philosophy within it all. Turned out, none of that were needed. Tapeo has it all taken care of. Tapeo accepts no reservations, and there are no tables either. The clientele is required on a first come first serve basis, and of course the early bird gets the b
The menu is your placemat, mostly in Spanish and a little English. I suggest a little homework in advance will be nice, but the waiting staff made no haste in explaining everything you have in mind...all the questions, all the stories about the food you are about to order. Suggestions were made, and we promptly ordered ham croquetas and tomatoes on toasts to start, followed by "octopus" and "clams", then "lamb chops with salsa verde (green sauce)", finishing off with "crema catalana (Spanish creme brulee)" and "churro (fried donut) with chocolate)
Ham Croquetas are golden globes fried crispy on the outside and surprisingly pillowy soft on the inside, with flakes of ham throughout, I wondered if I was biting into fried cream cheese. The waiter dismissed the notion of cheese, replaced by "bechamel (white sauce)" and a graphic story of how white sauce was made in the first place. Ham is mixed into white sauce and chilled, scooped, breaded and fried until crispy. Tomatoes on Toasts is the Spanish version of the Italian Bruschetta. Fresh bread is toasted, rubbed with garlic and topped with a strained and seasoned chopped tomato mixture. The texture of soft tomato and crispiness of the toast contradict each other, as the sharp garlic and mellow olive oil rounded out the palate for the next bite. It's simplicity on its own.
"Octopus" is a dish as you call it, bite sized octopus is tossed lightly with lemon and olive oil and a generous sprinkling of parsley. The common toughness in octopus is nonexistent. "Clams" are cooked in sherry with a little ham and plenty of olive oil. Sherry Wine takes on a special taste on the clams as you can taste the fresh sweetness from each clam. Lamb Chops are sauteed on a hot pan, medium on the inside topped by a generous spoonful of salsa verde, literally means green sauce, which was made with fresh parsley, capers, anchovies and olive oil. The lamb chops are succulent and sauce is green and fresh. It certainly is an alternative take of lamb with mint.
When it comes to desserts, Tapeo has plenty to offer. We disregarded the homemade vanilla icecream or the tempting Santiago Tart (which is a traditional almond tart) and opted for Crema Catalana, which was a Spanish version of Creme Brulee, and "Churros". Technically "churros" are elongated fried donuts served with a thick hot chocolate for Spaniards' breakfasts. "Crema Catalana" has a crusty burnt sugar coating on top. Having cracked the crust, the custard below is moussy with ana slight chill, with notes of cinnamon and lemon zest throughout. "Churros" are crispy on the outside with a light sugar coating. The chocolate component is replaced by a glass of chocolate mousse richly accompanied with whipped cream and a sprinkling of cocoa. The hot-and-cold, crunchy-and-soft contradictions rounded off a fancy trip to the exploration of the Tapas world.
We intentionally didn't order the jamon (ham) or the famous prawn dish (for next visit). The Spanish Tortilla and Roasted Peppers are also specialties here. Notice that water comes from a bottle and if you intend to drink, they have a good wine list as well. Watching your food being prepared right in front of you may not be something new (as you may have experienced it in Teppanyaki), but the joy of discovering a new type of eating is truly amazing, and Tapeo's service is dedicated enough to be your tour guide along the way.
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