Tapas, tapas, tapas.

It's hot in the States these days. Everyone's eating it. Everyone's paying a lot of money for it. It's a chance to show off how cultured one is, what good taste one has and just how much one <em>loves</em> Spanish food.

Of course, my friend D. took me out for tapas. Spanish tapas is not American tapas. Spanish tapas is delicious but traditionally served in dirty, slightly gritty hole in the wall spots. People stand at the bar eating tapas with a toothpick, throwing greasy napkins on the floor and smoking. Just for the record, smoke hangs in the air and cigarette butts also find their way to the floor.

Some places are slightly nicer. Like the one in the pictures below.

[caption id="attachment_3914" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Tapas and Cider "]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3914" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/30/tapas-and-kalimotxo/img_6816/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3914 " title="Tapas and Cider " src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6816-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

We cozied up to the bar. D. ordered.  Here's to having a friend in Madrid who speaks Spanish and is willing to put you up for a long weekend!! D. knows his tapas from potatoes bravas to Spanish omelet and a range of other dishes which I can no longer remember the names of.<!--more-->

I'd be willing to go back to Madrid anytime and eat tapas with D. Yum, yum, yum.

[caption id="attachment_3915" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Tapas Bar"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3915" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/30/tapas-and-kalimotxo/img_6818/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3915 " title="Bar of Tapas" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6818-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

The great thing about tapas is that because the dishes are small you get to try a lot of different foods, flavors, textures and combinations.  As you may remember my recent post about <a href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/18/mini-thanksgiving/" target="_blank">mini-Thanksgiving</a>, I love mini-things.  Tapas clearly fits the bill.

Speaking of bills, tapas was also affordable. Unlike in the States I might add.  It never ceases to amaze me the way Americans go to Europe look around, take a good thing and make it either bigger (grande Starbucks latte) or more expensive (15% tipping in restaurants) in the States.

[caption id="attachment_3916" align="alignleft" width="614" caption="Tapas"]<a rel="attachment wp-att-3916" href="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/2010/11/30/tapas-and-kalimotxo/img_6819/"><img class="size-large wp-image-3916 " title="Tapas" src="http://www.karolinkabulgaria.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/IMG_6819-1024x682.jpg" alt="" width="614" height="409" /></a>[/caption]

My first night of tapas, I was also introduced drink I'd never heard of (or tried) called kalimotxo (pronounced calimocho). Kalimotxo is Basque. That's cool. Basque. Kalimotxo maybe not so cool. It's half coke and half cheap red wine served up fresh with ice cubes. So it looks like cheery coke but tastes like overly sweet slightly sparkling red wine.

I gave it a shot though because D. told me I had to. He can be persuasive.

This was also a when in Madrid moment.

When in Madrid eat tapas and drink kalimotxo.