This is probably the dumbest question asked on this forum. ;-(<BR><BR>We are going to Barcelona in Nov, and have read so much about "Tapas Bars", but I have to admit I have no clue what a Tapas is. Can anyone help me out here ?<BR><BR>From what I gather, a tapas is something you eat. Which leads to my 2nd question - do you get vegetarian tapas ? By vegetarian I mean, I am ok with dairy (milk, cheese, butter, etc), but no meat, no chicken, no fish, no seafood.<BR><BR>Thanks and pardon my ignorance.<BR>Carl

They are small plates of Spanish style appetizers. I'm sure they will have vegetable and cheese selections also.

Tapas are small dishes, like Greek mezze. Tapas bars specialize in serving them, as opposed to full meals. It's very common in Spain to while away time trying out various tapas dishes and having a glass of wine. They do not all contain meat or fish. I've had wonderful roasted red peppers, eggplant dishes, olives, and other vegetarian tapas.

"Tapas" are basically spanish appetizers. You basically order a bunch of appetizers to split, and that becomes your meal. They can be hot or cold, meat or cheese or veggies or seafood, anything. Here in DC we have several wonderful Tapas restaurants, usually we order 5 tapas between 2 people, and it is dinner. Fabulous. You will love them.

When in Barcelona get a tapa called Papas Bravas- potatoes with a mayonnaise and papkira sauce- really yummy and not available throught Espana.

Hopefully, we can soon play taps over Dubya's so called presidency.....

Carl, <BR><BR>I grew up in Spain and tapas are, by far, my favorite meal style. You order several little plates of food, and invariably, they are all delicious. I'm big into the seafood tapas, but there is a huge selection of typical Spanish tapas that are vegetarian-friendly. For example, there are pimientos morrones (tiny green peppers, usually roasted with salt, some are hot others aren't), olives, queso Manchego (manchego cheese), sauteed mushrooms with garlic, tortilla espanola (Spanish tortilla, more like a quiche made with eggs, potatoes and onion), ensaladilla rusa ("Russian" egg salad, with peas and roasted peppers and eggs, etc) and...well these are just the most obvious ones, which you find pretty much throughout the country. But Barcelona/Catalunya have also a region-specific cuisine which will, undoubtedly offer a myriad of other options. <BR><BR>enjoy and have a Rioja wine for me with your tapas!<BR>Sandra

Carl,<BR>Sandra has given you some great vegetarian ideas, items that you can easily find on any tapas bar menu.<BR>A few region-specific choices for Barcelona/Catalunya to look for: "escalivada" (roasted eggplant and peppers), "pa amb tomaquet" (toasted bread rubbed with olive oil, tomato and garlic), "espinacs a la catalana" (a unique spinach with raisins dish). <BR>For sit down dining, you'll find that "truita de patates" (the delicious potato/onion/egg omelette that Sandra mentioned) and gazpacho on many if not most casual restaurant menus in Bcn. <BR><BR>The "El Mussol" (the owl) chain specializes in grilled vegetables and their gazpacho is delicious. Large, open, barn-like space, you survey and pick what veggies you want thrown on the grill. There's a branch on Arago 261 in the Eixample district and another on Casp 19, near the Placa de Catalunya.<BR>And the tapas bars on the Passeig de Gracia, like Txapela, have pictures of their 50+ tapas on the paper placemat, which is your menu. At Txapela, choose 15 (a veggie brochette), 27 (truita) or 40, 45, 47 49, 51, all strictly vegetarian.<BR>(was amused by their placemat menu, so I kept it!) <BR><BR>Have fun "tapa hopping"!

You can also do a "Tapa Tango", going from one bar to another sampling the tapas in each. Tapa means cover as they used to put a saucer over your drink to keep the flies away. Later they started putting appetizers on the plates.<BR>

If you speak Spanish skip this tip...<BR><BR>If not you might want to learn to say or have written down "with no meat, poultry, fish, or seafood, please" and let your waiter help you choose.

Hi Carl,<BR>I know they are not "tapas", but there is a self-service chain in Barcelona that might be handy for you. It is called "Fresco", and I have been to one near the Plaza de Catalunya and another at the Diagonal. Basically, it´s a huge salad buffet. You pick up whatever you want and then order your drink and pay. Look for a table, and then you can go further inside and there are a couple of pasta dishes (and for the omnivorous, maybe roasted chicken or something like that).<BR>Desserts (fruit, ice-cream, flan) and coffee are also included in the price.<BR><BR>Quite handy, and open all the day.<BR><BR>Rgds, Cova

Kaixo, cova<BR>Hi Carl,<BR>Speaking of "Fresco", if you decide to stay at the H10 Gravina (hope you do!), there's one next door.