I’ve always been a snacker. I love getting little tastes of all sorts of different foods (sometimes from other people’s plates, which the teacher man frowns upon) whenever I can. The perfect solution to my snack habit? Tapas!
On my first night in New York City with my BGF Carolyn, we rounded up a group of friends (including my food editor girlfriend Tabitha) and headed to Boqueria in Soho to share Spanish-style tapas and wine. The restaurant was cozy yet trendy and filled with beautiful people eating beautiful food.
Our group of six ordered off the tapas and artisan cheese/meats menus to fill our table with a variety of sweet and savory dishes. I was a little too busy chowing the food to take note of everything I ate off the meat and cheese board (hey, we all ordered something for the table, and I just trusted that Boqueria wouldn’t let me down), but surely some sweet person with a better memory than mine will be able to help me define everything in the following picture (help, Tabitha!).
{Our spread of ham and mushroom croquettes (upper left), Serrano ham (upper right) with grilled breads and artisan cheeses was divine.}
{I shared my order of cojonudo — fried quail eggs and chorizo on toast — with Tabitha because my BGF Caro doesn't eat meat (more for me!).}
{The Buñuelos de Bacalao — salt cod fritters — had a nice flaky crust and melt-in-your-mouth middle.}
{I've made these Gambas al Ajillo — shrimp, garlic and Guindilla pepper in olive oil — at home before in my Spanish cazuelas, but they're just too good to not go ahead and order from the tapas bar!}
We washed our tapas down with tasty red and rosé wines. Though we skipped out on a formal “dessert,” Tabitha and I saved a little room for Dátiles con Beicon — dates stuffed with almonds and Valdeón, wrapped in bacon. For some reason, the dates didn’t stay around long enough for a picture…
What’s your favorite local tapas spot? Kansas City readers — where should a self-proclaimed snackaholic like me go for tapas in this town? Tell me your suggestions in the comments section.
