Tapas Barcelona

Last night, to continue the celebration of Elliott's 21st birthday (and this isn't the last you'll hear about it; his parents are treating us to a steakhouse on Friday), we went to Tapas Barcelona nearby in Evanston. It's a Spanish restaurant that features pizzas, sandwiches, paellas, and tapas. They have hot and cold (frias and calientes) tapas, which are like miniature entrees that are easy to share. You can choose from about 40 different selections.

I've been to this restaurant twice before. The first was years ago and it was great. I ate outside, we ordered the garlic bread with tomato and goat cheese along with the patatas bravas (potatoes in a tomato-hot sauce), and it was great. Their outside seating is enough to make you think you're at a resort -- the good kind -- and makes it worth going. The second time I went it was for a surprise birthday. We ate inside, I got some sort of bland (and assuredly healthy) salad that did not impress, and to top off this life-changing experience, when someone took out a birthday cake, they immediately threatened to charge each of us $3 for cutting the cake.

The combination of all these experiences was interesting, to say the least. I thought I had completely given up on it, so needless to say, I didn't return until last night. Good thing I gave it a chance, too!

We ate outside and I was immediately reminded of my initial (and more positive) experience at this restaurant. Somewhat busy, dark, warm (but comfortable), and right by the pool, the atmosphere was great. We ordered 4 tapas -- a sirloin steak with potatoes in a red wine sauce, lamb empanadas, patatas bravas, and a special that consisted of skewered shrimp and chorizo covered in a lemon-butter sauce served with a saffron and vegetable rice. Two and a half out of four were great -- the patatas and sirloin were delicious and so was the special. The catch? Neither of us must be very fond of chorizo, so we fought over the shrimp. Note: I would not eat shrimp a year ago, despite repeated tastings. I'm not a huge seafood person. As I've been exposed to more good shrimp, I've come to like it. The stuff I had last night was great. The lamb empanada was ok. It was flavored with something that tasted weird to me. Bottom line on the food -- know what you're ordering and don't be afraid to ask questions, which we failed to do! I know some items I saw on the menu (such as the Spanish Omelet) that I would love and should have ordered. I'm happy to say, however, that the food was good enough to bring me back to this restaurant in the future.

Now, for the service. You might think, based on the food review, we were a little disappointed, but you would be wrong. The service was spectacular. Our server was genuine and nice. After Elliott ordered a margarita and hated it (way too much tequila), she eventually caught on and asked if he liked it. When he said it was too strong, she offered to get him something else. He ordered a Sierra Nevada (beer) and loved it. And get this. The margarita didn't show up on the bill! In addition to all this, the timing of our dishes was great. There were never more than two tapas on the table at once -- maybe it was a combination of chance and the fact that I eat too fast, but it was done very well. Also, we were given a free dessert at the end, which lots of restaurants aren't doing anymore these days.

The bill, with his one drink, 4 tapas, tax and tip, ended up being around $35. We were pleasantly surprised with that. It would be easy to get three tapas and split them between two people, so that would make it even less expensive.

Overall, the atmosphere, diverse menu, and excellent service put Tapas Barcelona back into the slew of restaurants that I will consider when looking for something in Evanston. I'm considering going back there for my own 21st birthday in about a month. If you want something that's fun and not-too-expensive, go for Tapas Barcelona.