“I have no idea what to order. Try Tapas! ”
Do you ever find your self lost in the menu when you go out to eat? I often find myself just ordering my usual entrée. While I am always happy with my choice, I wish I had tried something new and different. I really do enjoy going out to eat, but I am hesitant to trying new things. I fear that I will order this large dish and end up not liking it. It wasn’t until college that I discovered tapas restaurants. The portions are about half the size of normal appetizers, so you can order even more options to share.
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The word “tapas” means a wide variety of small apps or snack plates. Served both hot and cold, the portion is great for trying new things and sharing an abundance of choices for yourself or even with a group of your girlfriends. The idea behind tapas was to encourage interaction and conversation while eating as opposed to being focused on a large dish. I love this because I feel as though my friends and family are engaged in conversation at the dinner table, but once the food comes everyone goes silent!
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There are so man amazing foods in this world to try and Boston is full of vibrant restaurants. I wanted to share my top 3 tapas finds in the area!
1. BarLola
Located at 160 Commonwealth Avenue (Corner of Dartmouth St. and Comm Ave) in Boston, BarLola cooks a fantastic variety of tapas from many different regions of Spain. Many reviewers love the young, fun crowd the restaurant attracts. So if you’re looking to venture into the city and need an enjoyable atmosphere, BarLola is a great choice.
2. Masa
Not only serving brunch and dinner, Masa serves tapas as well. Located both in Woburn and at 439 Tremont Street in Boston, this place is great for those of you looking to try amazing food at a great price. They serve $1.00 tapas in the lounge area and there is an outdoor patio for when the weather gets hot and even has live music on occasion! If you’re looking to celebrate a special occasion or just have a night out on the town, definitely consider Masa.
3. Solea
Now Solea may not be right in the city of Boston but just outside in Waltham, MA – this is by far my favorite tapas bar. The food is outstanding and I was able to try dishes I never thought I would. I tried lobster crab raviolis and quail for the first time, both of which were to die for. Among the other delicious tapas we ordered were baked goat cheese, fried calamari, and some of the most delicious Spanish cheese. Don’t even get me started on dessert! You must try Tres Leches, traditional tres leches cake with fresh mango. We were a group of 5 and it was great to have such a variety of flavors and foods. I would recommend this restaurant to anyone looking for something new and exciting.