[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield]
We just returned from a vacation in Spain, and I can now fully understand the relaxed vibe, friendly nature, and tapas cuisine culture that Silla Del Toro has created. Cuisine culture is a strange concept to most folks, myself included, but let me explain.
In the States, we have bigger homes and places to entertain others, and in some cases, we can accommodate many others for dinner parties or special occasions. Whereas in Barcelona, where we were, the houses were primarily small apartment-type dwellings that couldn’t afford the space of too many folks mingling about.
Hence, the local residents of Gracia, the area we stayed in, would enter the cuisine culture by migrating into the coffee bars and bodegas we frequented daily to interact with their friends and share food and frivolity.
Silla Del Toro has perfected this concept by offering some of the same tapas and relaxed atmosphere we experienced overseas. The inviting space has exposed brick walls, beautiful tile flooring, and large, comfy booths that beg you to stay a while with your amigos.
Sharing small plates with others and trying new and exciting flavors is what tapas is all about. I didn’t think my wife, Cecilie, would humor me by trying all the smoked sardines, rabbit pate, or other dishes that were not our typical go-to eats.
But I applaud her for being adventurous with her palate and sampling all the tastes Spain offers.
You can do the same by ordering authentic tapas plates, such as Spanish sardines, lightly fried with lemon and garlic to wake up your taste buds.
We try new things each time we visit but always have a few favorites, like the Pulpo Parilla, which is octopus that is first cooked in Sous-vide and then finished on the grill for a nice char. It’s served with paprika-seasoned roasted fingerling potatoes and velvety-soft…
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