Salon de Tapas

AB’s birthday passed recently (errr… a while back; I keep pushing this post off), so we gathered to celebrate.  Unfortunately, I was a bit late for dinner, so as soon as I sat down, I was handed a glass of strawberry sangria (which was surprisingly REALLY good!), and didn’t stop drinking for two hours, so the pictures are incredibly blurry.  As I had no hand in the ordering process, I also don’t know the names of everything.  Oops!

Slices of filet or steak of some sort.  Super tender – at one point, AB actually cut a piece in half by pressing the side of her fork down into a piece, I shit you not – and very flavorful, I liked this dish enough. 

Crispy potatoes with garlic aioli… oh hell yea!  The potatoes were super crispy on the outside, with a nice mash on the inside.  I really loved these and almost couldn’t stop eating them.  Uhhh, they help soak up alcohol?

Jamon Serrano, super blurry.  There isn’t much to say because I love jamon Serrano… and this was no exception.  Ok, well, there is one thing to say, I didn’t like how it was sliced without the fat on the side – this is a big point of annoyance to me when the fat is shaved off pre-serving, I want the fat, dammit – and it was served as is.  No bread to go with it or something; it’s just slices of ham.  I think a lot of places do this, but it always annoys me when they do.  Come on. 

Shrimp sauteed in garlic butter.  I didn’t find it offensive – since I’m not a huge shrimp fan – but nor did I find they would change my mind about shrimp.  They did, however, change my mind about the dish, since this is a very famous and popular tapas dish found at nearly every tapas place I’ve ever visited, and it’s rarely been good.  This was good enough that I decided perhaps I can start ordering it again… and hopefully I’ll hit some of the better versions out there instead of the crap I’ve been receiving. 

Mussels.  I also don’t like mussels that much.  These were okay.  I may have been a lil too inebriated, now that I think about it, because I don’t really remember specific feelings from most of the food… oops. 

Squid!  I liked these.  I remember that. 

My first plate.  I enjoyed what I ate. 

At the last minute, another dish made its appearance; a tortilla or potato & egg omelet.  Yeah, you can probably tell how much I’ve drank by this point in the night… a LOT.  It was as good as a potato & egg omelet can be.  Alright. 

The waiters came by, sang to AB, and delivered our desserts.  I’d ordered the tres leches, which was a bit too moist for me, and HB definitely was not a fan, decreeing it too sweet and… not to her liking.  It was alright otherwise though… a sweet ending, anyway. 

I must add here that the birthday girl and I were the only two drinking and we both shared 2 (small) pitchers of the sangria.  No one else was drinking! so I had to make up the slack for her which I did so gladly

Yvo says: Definitely some dishes here that were great hits, and others that were mediocre.  I would go back to try more small plates; I see this as a great place to just sit, chat, eat, and enjoy a lovely night with friends.  Girls’ night out, or even a date… but that pink-hued strawberry sangria really makes me think of girls’ night out, ya know? 
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