Celler de Tapas

If Spain were to have a traditional meal, tapas would definitely be up there as one of the classics.  In customary terms, a tapa is a bite-sized dish that is eaten as a sort of appetizer or snack, often served at a bar.  A tapas menu can range from a wide variety of things, some hot and some cold, some with meat and others with just cheese or vegetables.  One type of tapa is called a “pincho”, which is a similar concept but uses a toothpick and a bread base to hold the tapa together.  With pinchos, it is traditional that a customer takes as many as he or she would like, and then pays a fixed price for the number of toothpicks that remain on his or her plate.  I have eaten tapas at a variety of restaurants throughout Spain, but Celler de Tapas, although not very traditional, was a delicious spot.  While the tapas here are almost meal sized, they are all freshly made and delicious.  Tortilla Espanola, a traditional tapa of egg, onion, and potato is especially delicious at this eatery.  Another meal that I enjoyed here was the grilled vegetables in Romanesco sauce.  This red sauce, coming originally from Tarragona and made of almonds, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and red pepper is one of my favorite aspects of Spanish cuisine.  It is sweet and salty and a great accent to so many different dishes to which it gives great character.  An interesting experience I had was at a tapas bar, Poe, in Granada.  At this tapas bar, customers order some sort of drink, whether it be wine, beer, or a cocktail, and with each drink are given a free tapa.  In my opinion, this is truly the way to serve tapas.  However, I have yet to find such a bar in Barcelona.  While Celler de Tapas is not as conventional as other Tapas restaurants, the food was delicious, and the concept of tapas is still in place.  The traditional tapas are all offered, and it is definitely worth a try by anyone who has yet to dine here.