By Ainsley Chac, University of California Riverside
Summer internship program
Satiate your hunger with tapas!
When I arrived in Barcelona, one of the first things that I noticed was the insurmountable amount of tapa restaurants lining the streets that I trekked on. Tapas are basically snacks, or finger foods that originated in Spain. Dive into this Spanish culture! Here are some tapas that you should know about:
1) Tortilla Española – aka Tortilla de Patata, don’t be fooled by the name, these aren’t corn or flour tortillas, this dish is an egg omelet typically containing onions. The first time I ever tried this Spanish omelet was in my homestay.
2) Patatas Bravas – I don’t know about you, but I love potatoes! Thus this dish is perfect for me. Diced potatoes typically served with tomato sauce or aioli. One of my favorites.
3) Calamares fritos – if you’re into seafood, you’re in luck. Because Barcelona is by the coast, they have great seafood, including this calamari tapa.
4) Croquettes – lightly breaded fritters usually with the consistency of mashed potatoes (bechamel) and meat and finished off with béchamel sauce.
5) Sauteed Mushrooms with Jamón Serrano – I’m pretty sure you don’t need an explanation for this one, but here’s a picture just in case you need it.
6) Pan con Tomate – this tapa is pretty customary to Spanish meals, this dish is basically toasted bread rubbed with garlic and ripe tomato, topped off with olive oil and a bit of salt.
Hungry for more? Check out this article by the Guardian for the top tapas bars in Barcelona!
