In Spain the dinner hour is late — somewhere between 10 p.m. and midnight, depending on the season and how far south you live. Meeting friends for tapas after work takes care of growly stomachs. Tapa is the generic term for little bite-sized snacks taken most often with a glass of wine. The word tapa is derived from the Spanish verb tapar, “to cover,” and the originals were slices of bread or meat used to cover glasses of sherry between sips. Pintxos is the Basque word given to such snacks speared with a toothpick. A montadito, from the Spanish verb montar (“to ride”), is bread with lots of toppings, though it can have bread on both sides.
Many cities have dedicated tapa zones, each establishment often with its particular specialty. In Logroño, the wonderful medieval city and capital of La Rioja, the L-shaped Calle del Laurel and Travesia del Laurel streets boast dozens of tapas bars within a small area. Apparently King Juan Carlos gave them his royal seal of approval, and Hemingway praised them in his own inimitable fashion, too. Many establishments in this famous wine region have an excellent selection of wine by the glass — I came fresh from visits to the magnificent Bodegas Campillo and the historic Faustino, so I happily sipped my way through the lists. As for food, locals insist you must eat only the specialty of each place and then move to the next. At Bar Soriano, it’s grilled mushrooms, at Bar Sebas, it’s potato tortilla and at Bar El Perchas, it’s hot, fried whole pigs ear (cartilage and all). Want something other than ear? They won’t hear of it.