TAPEO
Boston’s Saucy Eatery Transports You To Madrid By Zain Deane There are two Spanish sisters in Boston who know how to show you a good time. Before you get too excited, let me clarify. I’m talking about Dalí and Tapeo, two Spanish restaurants that bring you as close to the aroma, ambience and taste of Spain as you can get without a visa. Dalí, the original restaurant, is in a quiet corner in Cambridge that is no longer quiet; the place is packed virtually every night and impossible to get into on a Saturday. But Tapeo is no slouch. Located on Newbury Street in the heart of the city, it’s more accessible and just as much fun as its sister. From the moment you walk into the place, Tapeo transports you to Madrid. The hanging legs of ham, blue and yellow tile work, and overstuffed bar area are dead giveaways. The restaurant is divided into three dining rooms on two levels. Downstairs, the boisterous bar is a fun gathering spot where you can sample a few tapas or get started on a pitcher of sangria while you wait for your table. Adjacent to the bar is the Tapeo room, which makes it the more raucous section of the restaurant. The Bodega room is well described – suffused with Spanish pottery hanging on exposed brick walls and a pleasant atmosphere where you can get up and dance to a flamenco song if you feel like it. Upstairs, the Flamenco room is your best bet if you’re on a date. Overlooking Newbury Street, the room is warm and intimate, featuring a fireplace over which a pair of stockinged mannequin legs juts out the wall, crossed in a most coquettish manner. Thankfully, blissfully, the food is as authentic and irresistible as the décor, with an extensive selection of hot and cold tapas complementing a small but delicious dinner menu. Tapeo is perfect for groups because it encourages wandering forks and allows you to fully explore its menu. On the tapas front, most people have to go with the two most famous Spanish imports: Jamon Serrano (the legendary cured ham from Spain) and Tortilla Española (a generous slice of egg, potato and onion tart served cold). But those are just the introductory salvos. My favorite dishes on the tapas menu include the date-jeopardizing Gambas al Ajillo, a small earthenware dish of jumbo shrimp sizzling in a bed of garlic and oil; the Boquerones (marinated anchovy fillets that are completely unlike the American idea of an anchovy—think meaty and fresh rather than salty and bony); and Chipirones Rellenos (stuffed baby squid cooked in its own ink—a true local dish). But there are very few wrong turns on the menu, and I’ve found these to be the result of individual preference rather than accidents in the kitchen. The Chorizo a la plancha (Grilled Spanish sausage) is a popular choice. Croquetas de Pollo (chicken croquettes) are among the safer options for those without an adventurous palate; and the Queso de Cabra (baked goat cheese with tomato and basil) is a must for any cheese-lover. It’s tempting to keep ordering tapas and never veer off course, but the entrees deserve your attention. Headlining the list for most is the Paella, the saffron-rice specialty that is remarkably tricky to get just right, the way they do it here. You can either get the classic version of the dish, stuffed with chicken, chorizo, and seafood, or go with the Paella Oceano, which leaves the meat out. As good as it is, the paellas are not my choice when I eat at Tapeo. I go straight for their superstar. The signature Pescado a la Sal is as much a feast for the eyes as for the palate. The dish is a whole fish baked in a block of coarse salt (a Cadiz specialty). The salt acts as a cooking agent, infusing the meat and making it tender, flaky, and surprisingly not at all salty. The tableside service is my favorite part, and it’s always the event that has the newcomers turning in their seats to watch the action. The waiter wheels out the block of salt, cuts around it with wire, and smashes through to the steaming filet. Expertly extricating the meat, he or she then serves up a portion to each guest, and the rich taste and aroma of the fish does all the rest. When it comes to bringing the real Spain home to you, Tapeo does everything short of handing out boarding passes. And that’s a good thing, because once you’re amid the hanging ham legs, the lilting flamenco guitar, and the orchestra of people enjoying their food and wine, I’m not sure you’ll want to go anywhere.
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