Have you ever been to a Tapas restaurant?

Question

I just went tonight with a friend and let me just say it was HORRIBLE. The food sucked. The witress was even worse. And seriously, we bought a "meal for two" and it was the size of a normal appetizer at any other restaurant in the world. It was a tease. We were not impressed. Are they all like this? Are people who eat in Tapas dining establishments all pretending to eat?

Answer 1

There was one here but it closed down, I heard the way the Tapas were started was for weary soldiers in the old days (1700) that would stop by bars to drink so the bar keeps started making these small tacos for them so they could have some food. They were quick and easy but by no means a complete meal. Why you would set a whole restaurant around that concept is beyond me.

Answer 2

I opened one of the first tapas restaurants in the country when I started Meritage Restaurant in Charleston, South Carolina in 1999. Today we are still going strong because of the original basic principle we have always followed: give a quality, exciting product for a great price.

Since our opening we have been copied numerous times throughout the country, but in every case the new restaurants don't seem to follow this concept so closely. Needless to say many of them have closed but we keep on (9  in restaurant years is an eternity).

I do not know what area you are in, but unless you are in New York City, or San Fransisco I think the pricing should be the same but here are a few of the plates that we offer:

Fillet topped with a crab compote - $9.99 ( a 3 oz. Cut)

Lobster mashed Potatoes - $9.99

Horseradish encrusted Tuna - $8.99

Vegetable Quesidilla - $5.99

Tequitos - $5.99

Fried Catfish - $6.99

Many of the so-called tapas restaurants do not understand the concept and try to rape the Custer's. Tapas means "small plates" and has been around for centuries in Spain but it is a similar concept to dim sum in China. It is suppose to be like sushi, where you get several plates to create your own meal. Our principle is to allow the guests to get 2-3 tapas plates which would be equivalent in size to a traditional sit down dinner restaurant at a price that is around $20.00 per person without alcohol.

We also encourage sharing which makes it a great way to socialize and try many different things. The place you went sounds like they are trying to scalp you and they wont be around long.

Don't give up on tapas restaurants as the ones that are done properly can not only give you a great value but can also be a great time!

Check out the web site at http://www.foodandbeverageunderground to look at restaurant reviews from your city!

Answer 3

no i havent, but my cousin has and they have a bar there and so they call it tapas bar and it sounds like topless bar and yeah lol just something funny

Answer 4

Either you went to a lousy tapas restaurant (which is possible) or you went to a decent one and didn't appreciate it. Maybe it just wasn't to your liking. But maybe you are used to gping top places like Red Lobster, Ponderosa, The Spagetti Dump, etc, where they pile huge quantities of tasteless glotch on your plate to make the average american flinstone happy.

Answer 5

It sounds to me like you had a very unfortunate experience. Tapas restaurants are like any other dining establishment in that there are good ones and there are bad ones and even the good ones have a bad night now and then.

My question to you is how you chose your restaurant to begin with. I like learning about restaurants from various sources such as newspaper reviews, Zagat Survey, yelp.com, and especially friends who share my interest in great food. Occasionally I'll try a restaurant blind. In that instance, I look for happy crowds, smiling guests, and a reasonably even balance of tables with food, without food and being served. If the waitstaff looked bored or overworked, I'll look again another day.

My experience has been that Tapas are best enjoyed with a small group of friends. Since every restaurants portions are different, there's no absolute answer on how many dishes to order. Your server should be able to help you with that.

Some Tapas restaurants offer large plates as well as small plates. All can be shared, and if at first, you don't order enough, you can always order more. Just keep in mind that there may be a lag between dishes because other tables are ordering as well.

When I've gone to Tapas restaurants, I ask the server to stop me when they think I've ordered enough dishes. I start with dishes that I "must have" first, and then work my way through the menu. We never order more than one of anything to start but if we find something to be really yummy, we may order more.

It's also a good idea to see what's being delivered to other tables. If your neighbors appear friendly, ask them what they got, otherwise just ask your server.

If I ever have the type of experience you're reporting, I would be sure to contact the restaurant manager to discuss where they failed. Very few businesses want to develop a bad reputation and will usually work to gain your trust and future business.