Tapas

I started my sister blog to avoid writing about beer to much over here. But every now and again I attend an event and can’t decide where best to put it. That happened recently when I was invited to a ‘Food Pairing Dinner’ at Ibérica, Spinningfields. Since it was hosted by Spanish brewery Casimiro I decided it was better suited over …

Summer is my absolute favourite season. Mainly because I love the sun; eating and drinking outdoors just makes me happy and everywhere looks and feels better in sunshine. I can’t help getting grumpy when the days start getting colder and going dark earlier. The only thing stopping me coming down with a dose of S.A.D before January is autumn and winter food, game in particular. …

I like to think I know Manchester pretty well, especially when it comes to eating to and drinking. But I’d never heard of Sandinista when I was invited to preview their winter menu. I assumed it must be new, but it turns out the Latin-inspired tapas bar/restaurant has been tucked away on Old Bank Street, next to the Royal Exchange Theatre for four years. Who …

Slightly stale Cinnamon Swirl aside; I really enjoyed my visit to Wood. Wine & Deli in Manchester’s Northern Quarter last year. Back then it felt very much like a wine bar and deli that served food rather than a restaurant. But head chef Gary contacted me recently to see if I’d be interested in sampling some of their new small plates after shifting …

Despite being a lover of Spanish food it’s not a cuisine I often eat outside of Spain. Mainly because most of our restaurants are usually full of the same old clichéd dishes that are inevitably never as good as the real thing. Also, so much traditional Spanish cooking is fairly simple but relies on the quality of ingredients and I don’t think …

These days, us bloggers are often criticised for accepting ‘freebies’, personally I turn down far more than I accept but when I do it’s with a completely clear conscience. Partly because they’re not actually ‘free’ at all, we provide publicity to the restaurants which otherwise would have cost them far more than a bit of free food. More importantly, good blog posts take a …

I think eating at Casa de Tapas Cañota was my most fun restaurant experience ever. Not the best overall but probably the most ‘fun’. Run by the Iglesias brothers who also own well loved restaurant ‘Rías de Galicia’ and ‘Tickets’ with Ferran Adrià my expectations were set pretty high. You can tell it’s a fun place immediately from the bright …

Chef Carles Abellán had revolutionised the tapas scene with his restaurant Comerç 24. After working with culinary legend Ferran Adrià at elBulli and other restaurants for 15 years he opened Comerç 24 in 2001. The food there is elaborate ‘designer tapas’ with influences from Mexican, Italian and Asian cuisines. I recently visited his second restaurant Tapas 24. Certainly more traditional …