Barcelona Tapas

201 N. Delaware
Indianapolis, IN 46204
317.638.8272 (tapa)

Before the boy and I settled down on the south side of Indianapolis, we had a sweet townhouse downtown that I shared with a roommate before we met. The roommate found a girlfriend and basically lived with her, so we had this place to ourselves...but that's not the point. When I lived downtown, I walked or biked everywhere and would often pass by Barcelona Tapas. I would see the people sitting outside and smell the wonderful aromas that radiated from the place, but I never stopped in. I heard that it was really expensive (as was my apartment), so I would go to one of my usual spots for dinner with friends.

This particular night was another story. We were celebrating. Celebrating what, I'm not sure, but we were celebrating, damnit. I think I hit a big bonus at work. I wanted tapas.

Tapas, by definition, are a wide variety of Spanish appetizers or snacks. If you've never been to a tapas bar, then it may be a bit confusing. You will order a dish or two, usually with a glass of wine. Then when you are finished, you will order another dish. 

The decor is fun. Lots of red and yellow as well as several paintings of toros adorn the inside and the outside has black wrought iron tables under a red canopy. It was a warm summer night, so we sat outside. 

Our server was over shortly. Fortunately, he was wonderful and led us through the menu, which is written in Spanish with English descriptions. He was knowledgeable enough to suggest wine, as well. I told him that I really like Chianti and other spicy wines and the boy told him that he typically drinks Pinot Grigio and he pointed us to the perfect wines.

The menu is extensive, and although not exactly traditional Spanish cuisine, everything we tried was delicious. We started with Cordero a la Parilla - grilled lamb chops with sherry alioli and Rioja reduction and Mejillones en Salsa Picante – mussels in spicy tomato sauce. The lamb chops were succulent and fell off the bone and the mussels were plentiful, fresh, and sand-free. The sauce had enough spice to let you know it was there, but it was not overpowering. 

The second course was Pincho de Pollo y Chorizo – chicken and chorizo skewer with cumin alioli and  Gambas al Alioli – garlic shrimp with chili oil and fresh lemon. The chicken and chorizo skewer was delicious and seasoned perfectly.The boy really enjoyed the shrimp. I don't particularly care for shrimp no matter how it's cooked. I had a bad experience once.

Last, we ordered Plato de Embutidos – assorted grilled Spanish sausages, which is their most traditional dish. The sausages were wonderful and full of flavor.

The whole meal took about two hours and we were nice and full. I also had 3 glasses of wine to the boy's 1, but who's keeping track? We spent $110 including alcohol and tip, so all in all, not bad. Especially when you consider $40 of that was wine.

The Verdict: So far, this is our favorite restaurant in town. The service was unbelievable and we love outdoor dining. It is a bit pricey when you consider that you're paying close to $7 for a small plate, but for high-quality ingredients, it's worth every penny. 

On another note this blog will now be going to a twice a week blog. As  much as I love to eat, I also love to cook, but I am lactose intolerant so that sometimes limits my choices at a restaurant - or I go ahead and eat it anyway and spend the next two days in agony. Most weeks, I will choose another item off the menu that I really wanted to try and find a way to make it lactose-free. Otherwise I will post another delicious lactose-free meal or dessert option. So we'll have a weekend post with a restaurant review and a mid-week recipe post. Check back later this week for my super easy vegan chocolate silk pie! I promise, no one will know it's vegan unless you tell them.