Trying Out Spanish Restaurants? 7 Things You Should Know About Tapa

Are you curious about the appetiser-like dishes served in Spanish restaurants or bars? Tapas are often mistaken for being appetisers, but they’re a lot more than that. Spanish cuisine has a lot to offer, and one of them is tapas. Although tapas may not be the first one to come up in people’s mind whenever they talk about Spanish cuisine, it’s impossible not to mention them.

If you haven’t tried tapas before, it’s never too late to do so. Whether you’re visiting Spain or even looking for Spanish restaurants to try, don’t forget about ordering tapas. However, if you’re going to bars or ordering drinks, you can expect to receive tapas.

In this article, we’ll explore the things you should know about tapas.

1. What Are Tapas?

Tapas are small portions of food that are usually served with drinks or as appetisers. It’s designed to be shared, even if they’re only served in small portions, and can either be hot or cold depending on the kind of dish.

But although they’re often served as appetisers outside of Spain, authentic tapas are often served outside of regular meals. Instead, they’re often served with drinks.

2. What’s the Origin of Tapas?

Although there are many origin stories for tapas, one of the most popular stories is that they’re used as covers for drinks. Before, whenever a customer ordered tapas, they used cheese, ham, or other edible items to cover the drink and avoid dust or sand from mixing with the drink. Another popular origin is that field workers use bread with cheese or ham to cover their drinks to prevent flies from flying in.

Over time, the cover became tapas and improved into various dishes served on small plates that come with people’s drinks.

3. Tapas Are a Social Experience

Aside from the small portions of dishes, tapas are also known as the act of socialising while having a drink in pubs. Meanwhile, they also have a term for bar hopping to sample various tapas and drinks, which is called tapeo.

So, whether you’re in Spain or just living in an area where there are many Spanish restaurants and bars, don’t hesitate to try tapas and tapeo. Of course, don’t forget to ask your friends, family members, or colleagues.

4. You Can Still Enjoy Tapas Outside of Spain

As mentioned, tapas aren’t just available in Spain. You can find the same concept in other countries. And if you’re lucky enough, you can also find a lot of authentic Spanish restaurants and tapas bars in the same area.

Meanwhile, even if you can’t find the authentic ones, and you can only see those fusion restaurants and bars, you can still try to ask if they’re serving tapas. According to some people living in Spain, ordering tapas in Spain can be a bit tricky since some of them don’t have a menu for the tapas, and would just give what’s available for the day.

5. It’s All About Variety

If you have the option to choose the tapas you can order, you can have the freedom to try everything. It can be a variety of dishes, and here are some of the tapas you can expect to try:

• Patatas bravas- made of fried potato wedges served with bravas sauce.
• Gambas al Ajillo- shrimp sautéed in olive oil and garlic.
• Tortilla Española- omelette with onions and potatoes fried in olive oil.
• Croquetas- creamy croquettes made from bechamel instead of potatoes, and usually mixed with ham and cheese.

6. Tapas Pair Well with Drinks

As mentioned, tapas are usually paired with drinks. It can be beer, mixed drinks, or wine. No matter what your preference is, you can enjoy a few tapas when you order in Spanish restaurants or bars.

In some bars, they offer free tapas along with the drinks. However, if you’re at the beginning of your drinking session, expect the tapas to be the most basic ones, and you can try the best dishes as you move forward.

7. Etiquette of Having Tapas

Although tapas may seem a simple and casual way of enjoying drinks, there is still some etiquette to follow. Here are some you should keep in mind:

• They’re meant to be shared
• Use utensils or toothpicks when eating
• Don’t order too many tapas at once
• If there’s a side sauce, avoid double-dipping
• In some tapas bars, you can just throw paper towels or tissue paper on the floor, but be careful since not all bars implement the same practice.
• Enjoy, and don’t forget to try them again

Final Thoughts

Tapas is one way to explore the wonders of Spain. This simple yet precious way of enjoying drinks with the company says a lot about how people enjoy the stories and experiences they encounter whenever they go out for tapas.

Are you excited to experience having tapas for the first time? Don’t forget to share how it went by commenting below!

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aliana Baraquio is a web content writer who also loves cooking dishes from different countries. If you want to experience a Barcelona-style restaurant that serves high-quality food, and a modern, contemporary, fresh feel from the south of Europe, visit TAST Catala Spanish Restaurant.