give me your favourite, and the favourite spot to have it.

I unfortunately don't recall the name of the place, but it was near the bull ring in Sevilla and of several outstanding tapas the one we remember best was stuffed (bacalao and ?)piquillo peppers.

Does it have to be in Spain?<BR>My favourite is called El Parador and is by Mornington Crescent in London.<BR>Kavey<BR>They do many wonderful dishes, I particularly like the one with sweet potatoes and also the chicken livers in onion and sherry.

marko,<BR>Where? In Spain? What city? Seville, Madrid, Barcelona, Cordoba, San Sebastian?????????

i know it's a stupid question, can someone explain what is a Tapas and a Tapas bar.<BR>thanx

Hi<BR><BR>tapas are small dishes taken with aperitifs in Spain.<BR><BR>Sometimes they are so good, they become the main meal !<BR><BR>The best choice I found was in San Sebastion. The best taste was in Madrid .... don't remember the name, but leave the Melia Castillia and turn left and left again.<BR><BR>Best individual tapas was carne caliente. Earthenware plates heated in the oven, wiped with olive oil, add a little garlic, then cook raw bull fillet on it at your table. Magnificent.<BR><BR>Peter<BR>

sorry Carmen...Madrid, Cordoba,Sevilla, and Barcelona.<BR>LOved the sound of the Carne Caliente..,<BR>washed down with a good vino tinto,<BR>muy bien !

And different regions in Spain have very different types of tapas, so it is hard to generalise.<BR><BR>Doug

marko,<BR>Madrid: <BR>"El Tempranillo"** (Cava Baja #38) Hip spot with exposed bricks -across<BR>from Casa Lucio-jam packed at 9:30 then thins out around 11-great<BR>selection of wines by the glass, canapes on tasty peasant bread, called “tostas”, fabulous<BR>artisan cheeses, pates, salads and omelettes. Most locals go with a big<BR>group and share. Try the "tosta de trigueros" (fried egg with baby<BR>asparagus). Open til 1 a.m.<BR><BR>"La Taberna de los 100 vinos"*** (Nuncio #17, on the same circuit and<BR>around the corner at down the street from Casa Paco) Constantly changing<BR>selection of wines by the glass from Spain's best bodegas. Rustic, beamed bar, originally the stables of the adjacent Palacio de Anglona. Wine buffs flock here. Informative and friendly waiters in raspberry-pink shirts and black aprons. They serve true gourmet tapas (even sushi) and raciones (portions for 4) at reasonable prices. Always crowded (but very worth the wait for a table), very lively. Tight (smoky) seating on bare wooden tables in front, also has d. room. Have to fight for a table on weekends because "Madrile&ntilde;os" know a good thing when they see it. It's a winner if you love wine bars. Everybody's favorite tapa is the "Andalus". They also serve “make your own” cheeseboards.<BR>

Going to be in Barcelona in June. Best spots in Barcelona?

Cafe Iberico<BR>Lasalle street, Chicago, IL

marko,<BR>Barcelona:<BR>"Cal Pep" (Placa de les Olles #8-near Picasso Museum)-get there early (by<BR>1:30) to have tapas at the lively, miniscule, crowded bar, exceptional<BR>grilled fish ("peixet fregit")/seafood prepared by owner. Just order what locals are having and house white wine<BR><BR>"El Xampanyet" (Montcada #22, up the st. from Picasso Museum)-old time,<BR>classic champagne (cava) bar since 1929, decorated with pretty tiles-"pa amb tomaquet" (peasant bread smeared with garlic, tomatoes and olive oil)<BR>anchovies, cider, great homemade p. chips on the house-always crowded.<BR><BR>Also "Euskal Extxea" (Placa de Montcada #1, on northeast corner) for Basque pinxtos, "Santa Maria" (Comerc #17) and "La Vinya del Senor", opposite the Santa Maria del Mar church. All 3 in the hip, artsy section of La Ribera, "El Born"<BR>

These two places are among the best tapas in Barcelona (and anywhere else for that matter)<BR><BR>Cerveseria Catalana, on the corner of Mallorca and Rambla Catalunya. They are focused on seafood and "montaditos", which are small pieces of bread with different toppings. Try the "solomillo" (medium rare slices of excellent beef) or the "datil" (may sound strange, but these are pitted dates, filled with cheese, wrapped with bacon, breaded and fried... amazing!)<BR><BR>Casa Tejada, on Tenor Vi&ntilde;as 3, very near plaza Francesc Macia. Traditional tapas, but done the right way. Ask for Vicente, and trust his recommendations as selection changes daily. It is not cheap.

Marko,<BR><BR>We loved a tapas bar near the bullring in Sevilla (or maybe it was en route to the Basilica of the Macarena) called El Rinconcillo. Maybe this is the one Dick could not remember the mane of. <BR><BR>In Cordoba we loved the Taberna de Pepe for either a sit down dinner in the restaurant (upstairs) or tapas (downstairs).<BR><BR>Maria

any recomendation in San Sebastian?

marko,<BR>A second to Jean's Bcn rec of "Casa Tejada", and best of all, it's completely off the beaten tourist path.<BR><BR>My favorite too in C&oacute;rdoba is "Taberna Casa Pepe" in the Juder&iacute;a.<BR><BR>In Sevilla's Barrio Santa Cruz, "Modesto" (Cano y Cueto #5, near the Murillo Gardens) for fantastic "coquinas", small clams in a great white wine and garlic sauce, and all seafood/fried fish tapas. Outdoor terrace, always crowded with local families.<BR><BR>Near the Plaza Nueva downtown, "Casablanca" (Zaragoza #50, to the left of the Hotel Inglaterra), featured in B.Apettit and fav of the King-5 star tapas in little earthenware dishes. But you have to stand at the tiny little bar. No menu-just survey what the natives are eating and point.<BR><BR>In Triana, across the Puente San<BR>Telmo bridge on the other side of the Gualdalquivir, "Albariza" (Betis #6)-chalk white walls and sherry casks as tables-40+ varieties of tapas-have tiny lamb chops("chuletillas de cordero") or shrimp omelettes ("tortilla de<BR>camarones")-featured in NY Times.<BR><BR>In San Sebasti&aacute;n the tapas are taken to an even higher level-nothing quite matches Basque pinxtos, I think.<BR><BR>In the Old Quarter, the Parte Vieja, the terrific but small "Bar Tamboril" (Pescader&iacute;a #2) and larger and always packed Bar "La Cepa". The street Kalea 31 de Agosto seems to consist almost exclusively of pinxtos bars, and there are plenty as well on Kalea Ferm&iacute;n Calbet&oacute;n. The drink of choice is the slightly tart Basque white wine, "txacol&iacute;" served in short, wide rimmed glasses.<BR><BR>Downtown, "La Espiga"(San Marcial #48) is always packed at mid-day with locals.<BR><BR>In the Nuevo Gros section, across the Zurriola bridge and beyond the Kursaal performing arts center, the "Alo&ntilde;a Berri" (Berminham #) and "Bergara Bar"(General Arteche #8)<BR>These two serve beautiful-to-look-at designer tapas, miniature haute cuisine (amazing) and have won the annual competition for best pinxtos in the city.<BR>Happy grazing.

I've only been to a few Basque pinxto places in Barcelona. Two I really enjoyed were Sagardi, on L'Argenta, in the Gothic Quarter near Santa Maria del Mar (they pour cidra, the hard cider, in a long arc from the keg on the wall), and one on the east side of Passeig de Gracia, about a block south of Gran Via (don't recall the name, but there's a symbol of a Basque man in a beret on the outside.)

Now thats good information !!!!<BR>Does anyone elses mouth water ?

Mine certainly does!!!

I know someone going to Barcelona shortly and decided to see if I could find the name of the Basque pintxo (not pinxto, as I previously thought it was spelled) place on the east side of Passeig de Gracia, about a block south of Gran Via. All I had remembered was that there was a symbol of a Basque man in a beret on the outside.

Anyway, it's called Txapela; it's at Passeig de Gr&agrave;cia, 8 and at the website below you'll see the Basque man in his beret...smiling because, of course, he just had some of the delicious pintxos!

http://www.webares.com/english/rest/...s/frbttx20.htm