Si Tapas in Downtown Dallas is one of those house-turned restaurant gems nestled in the State and Thomas neighborhood. In addition to cozy interiors, their patio seating is exactly that: tables on a quaint house patio. Enjoy Spanish favorites such at Tortilla Espanola (a spanish tortilla omelet), fried calamari, ham croquettes and a few exotics such as veal sweetbreads or baby eels in garlic sauce, all served up with a healthy helping of Spain’s most celebrated condiment: aioli. Si Tapas’ happy hour is one of the best kept secrets in town, featuring a $3 tapas menu and $12 pitchers of Sangria. Happy hour or not, Si Tapas is the perfect place to spend a relaxing afternoon sipping sangria and noshing on Spanish treats. 
Tag Archives: tapas
Try Not to Make A Mess at Masa 14
Everyone knows Masa 14 at the corner of U street and 14th street. It is that busy and upbeat Asian-Latino fusion restaurant with an electrifying vibe that everyone is willing to line up for, even after a long day of work!
With an interesting concept of blending Asian and Spanish cuisines, the menu offers a wide array of choices – you are not in a mood for Chinese? That’s okay, they have Korean and Japanesy tapas dish for you to try over fancy drinks with fancy names.
A few tapas and mixed drinks in, the atmosphere at Masa 14 only gets better!
Shhh… There are unlimited brunch plates and drinks Saturdays and Sundays from 11am – 3pm for just $35!
Noche
Noche is a tapas staple on the Atlanta scene. Though I wouldn’t say it has the best small plates in town, the price to portion size ratio makes Noche a winner in my book. Most of their plates are a good size, making it easy to get a good deal on dinner, as opposed to some other tapas restaurants where the small $6-$9 plates add up very quickly to a hefty tab.
The Highlands location is cozy and often crowded. The new Vinings outpost is larger, with a big patio to match, and is quickly becoming a popular hot spot. Both locations have a colorful, festive atmosphere and reasonably good service. Other Noche locations are in Johns Creek and Brookhaven.
Noche is the perfect atmosphere for a group gathering and is often a popular destination for casual birthdays or celebrations. The small plate service encourages sharing and conversation. The Highlands location is especially intimate indoors and I’ve always noticed how full of life and laughter the dining room seems to be.
Bonus tip: Monday night all-you-can-eat tapas at Noche Virginia Highlands is one of the best deals in town. For $10 per person, you get about 10 different tapas from a limited menu and once you’ve tried them all, you can keep on ordering your favorites until you’re full! This is a great way to try new items you’d normally not choose for yourself.
Here are the locations:
Brookhaven – 705 Town Blvd NE Atlanta, GA 30319, Phone 404.364.9448
Highlands – 1000 Virginia Avenue NE Atlanta, GA 30306, Phone 404.815.9155
Johns Creek – 3719 Old Alabama Rd Johns Creek, GA 30022, Phone 770.777.9555
Vinings – 2850 Paces Ferry Rd SE Atlanta, GA 30339 Phone 770.432.3277
Small Plates Pack Big Flavor at Masa 14
They say that good things come in small packages and at 14 Street’s newest neighborhood haunt, Masa 14, petite equals perfection. Located just north of popular Logan Circle, the Latin-Asian eatery has received a warm welcome from locals, political hotshots and foodies alike. Take one bite of the miso-glazed black cod, and as it melts in your mouth, you’ll understand all the buzz.
A concept co-founded by celebrated DC executive chefs Chef Richard Sandoval (of Zengo fame) and Chef “Kaz” Okochi (Kaz Sushi Bistro), Masa 14 pac
ks huge flavor into a variety of tantalizing Latin and Asian-inspired small plates – delectable little morsels that will definitely leave you wanting “just one more bite.” That’s good news – with reasonable prices and ideal tasting portions, you can have plenty of bites from a mouth-watering menu selection that’s perfect for sharing.
While you wait for a table at the industrial, yet organically chic establishment, grab a seat at the longest bar in DC. Masa 14 boasts a 65-foot bar with extensive tequila, sake and cocktail selections. For a refreshing start to the evening, order some spicy edamame and have one of the trendy, European bartenders concoct you a “Strawberry Lemonade” to cool off – a perfectly tart blend of vodka, fresh strawberry puree and fresh lemon juice for an extra kick.
Insider Tip: Stick around for some after-hours fun, because Masa 14 features a DJ on most weekend nights. Pair that with a couple of cocktails and a seat at the central communal table, and you’ll be sure to leave with more friends than you came in with.
Imbibe at M Bar for an Ultra Cool Experience
The Mandarin Oriental has finally made its debut in Boston and M Bar has already made a name for itself. 
The stylish and chic bar caters to a 20s, 30s and 40s+ crowd. The bar is almost at capacity on Friday nights when not only hotel guests come down for a drink, but many locals head over for a cool mandarin martini.
You can’t beat the hotel’s ideal Back Bay address located smack in the heart of Boylston Street- making it a perfect meeting place. The interior features a blend of green and gray stone and an illuminated glass bar top, intimate banquettes, and dramatic floor-to-ceiling windows. The custom-designed wine wall houses some 300 vintages.
If you are feeling hungry, take a look at the light fare menu, which ranges from artisan cheeses and Asian-style tapas to braised Kobe short ribs and a poached Maine lobster roll. There are also full size entrees, including an eight-ounce grilled skirt steak and grilled chicken tandoori sandwich, but most people come for the specialty drinks. Click here for more information.
Do You Know the Cha Cha Cha?
Away from the bright tourist lights of North Beach and Union Square, most San Francisco locals head to the Mission District after hours, where one can find the most entertaining fusions of food and nightlife in the city.
One of the Bay Guardian Newspaper’s “Best of the Bay” winne
rs several years in a row, Cha Cha Cha on Mission Street is the perfect way to pre-game your evening. This neighborhood favorite features an extensive tapas selection, including Platanos Maduros (tropical sweet bananas with black beans and sour cream) and Ceviche Del Dia (seafood in a spicy lime vinagrette). There are so many favorites from the tapas menu that most groups have no problem compromising on ordering one of each dish! There is plenty to go around.
One thing to be sure of when starting an evening here is ordering a pitcher of Cha Cha Cha’s famous sangria. The bartenders also make a killer Caipirinha, with Cachaca Ypioca (a Brazilian rum), sugar, and fresh lime. Of course, if the traditional Latin drinks aren’t your thing, the bar has plenty of microbrew beers or sweet cocktails to suit you.
More for Less at Cellar 56
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Your taste buds will be enticed at this bastion of flavor. Getting its name from the 56 types of wine it carries, the obvious focus is on the vino. The large selection comes at a reasonable price with $24 per bottle being the average. And if you just want a taste? Most varieties are just $6 a glass and $3 for half a glass.
The restaurant serves tapas-style small plates like fried oysters and macaroni and cheese- all at a very reasonable three to five dollars per plate. There’s quite a variety here for you to taste at Cellar 56, from wine to fine meals.
Toast to Taxim!
They say Mediterranean and Greek food is the healthiest cuisine there is – thank goodness! Because that allows one to gorge oneself at Taxim guilt-free, no? The thing is, Taxim in Chi-town’s hipper than hip ‘hood, Wicker Park, offers so many ga-ga worthy Greek dishes that you’re going to wish you had five stomachs.
Touted again and again by the press for its over-the-top deliciousness, each and every plate is seriously delectable. The names may give your mouth a work out, try spitting out: Sparágia me avgó pápias – young asparagus, duck egg, wood-grilled no-knead garlic bread, but your tastebuds will reap the benefits. Melt-in-your-mouth lamb, Amish chicken, mouth-watering sea bass and a whole slew of veggie options, the menu is a people pleaser.
Of course, knowing its location too, Taxim certainly doesn’t skimp on the decor. The chic interior is warm, sexy and cozy enough to cuddle up and enjoy a night cap post din-din. Opa!
Cool Place to BOND over Drinks
BOND just may be the hottest place to grab a cool drink in Boston’s Financial District. Located inside The Langham Hotel, this grand dame encompasses an impressive bar with dramatically high ceilings in a room filled with enormous, countless chandeliers. Boston’s most beautiful club is also filled with some of its most sophisticated people.
Once part of the Federal Reserve Bank, the former Julien restaurant was transformed last year into a hip setting for cosmopolitan dining and drinking. Cocktails such as The Trust, Pretty Boy Floyd, Bonnie & Clyde and Butch Cassidy reflect the storied history of the building.
BOND is a high-end lounge that acts like a nightclub: bottle service is almost mandatory to skip the massive line that curves its way through the hotel’s lobby. A stylish well-heeled 20-something crowd comes here late night to dance and party to the DJ spinning tunes on the balcony, while an after-work 30-plus group can be seen sipping bubbly in the Dom Perignon Lounge or relaxing with a glass of Riesling while noshing on a crock of lobster pot pie or ahi tuna tataki and tartar.
Grab a reservation or make sure to get in early as BOND is one of the most upscale and sought after nightlife destinations in Boston. Check out the website at bondboston.com.