Even though 4 Sisters Tapas Restaurant is a different concept from neighboring Verona Woods and Sugar River Pizza, it doesn’t seem to be as busy as those two. After three visits, I am guessing it’s because of the imperfections of many dishes. (more…)
Posts Tagged ‘tapas’
4 Sisters Tapas Restaurant
Sunday, February 11th, 2018Zandru’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant
Sunday, November 26th, 2017
The food at Zandru’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant is good enough that I would order it for take-out, but it’s not good enough that I would dine in again.
When you first walk in, you’ll notice right away how much space is wasted. There’s no feeling of intimacy here; in fact, the stark-white decor makes you feel like you’re in an Apple store. Meanwhile, the service is a bit spotty–on one visit, I was brought an uncleaned cloth napkin, and it took several minutes for me to get a replacement since the staff left the dining area.
I did say the food was good, so here’s a recap.
You’ll find four types of montadito, which is basically sliced baguette with grilled meat on top. The Spanish sausage ($4.50) is tender and has a bit of heat to it. The lightly toasted bread maintains its texture against the sauce, and the onions and black olives add a bit of breadth to the flavor.
Paella can be portioned for one or two people. Of the four varieties, I tried the valenciana ($16/$38). The paella itself is comforting, and I appreciate that the veggies were cooked through. If the dish only had the Spanish sausage, I would have been satisfied. However, it also had chicken, which was so overcooked, I almost gave up chewing it. The mussels similarly were dry.
Some of the best shrimp I’ve ever eaten came in the gambas as ajillo ($9). The shrimp was fresh and perfectly cooked, and the broth in which it sat was garlicky but not in an overpowering way.
The Spanish tortilla ($7) is actually an egg and potato pie. The potatoes were soft but firm enough to keep their form, and they were the primary flavor, ahead of the quiche-like eggs. The onions and bell peppers were not prevalent.
Among the Latin Fusion entrees, I tried the pan con chicharron ($10). The salsa criolla adds a subtle tang to the tender roasted pork, and the bolillo bread held up to bind all the ingredients together.
Zandru’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant is open for lunch and dinner seven days a week.
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See more photos in our Zandru’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant Flickr album.
Fuegos
Sunday, September 24th, 2017
After several visits to Fuegos, I sense that it’s an underappreciated tapas restaurant that would probably double the amount of business if it was located on the Capitol Square or on the far west or east sides of town.
Inside you’ll find multiple dining spaces and a bar that would be suitable for after-work happy hours, if only it were closer to more businesses (Fuegos is located on the corner of Willy Street and Paterson Street, competing with other nearby bars and restaurants for street parking).
Two to three people should be able to share the tapas. One of my favorites was the chorizo de lagarto ($12). I’ve always enjoyed chorizo, but I like it even more with alligator (what the chorizo was made from), apparently. The links were juicy, had the right amount of spices and were not at all gamey.
I also was a big fan of the pulpo en ajo y tomate ($14). The grilled octopus isn’t chewy; in fact, it is very tender. The ancho tomato sauce adds a subtle smoky complement to this incredibly tasty dish.
On the other hand, the tuna in the torre de atun ceviche ($14) was a little chewy. Otherwise, the dish had a nice heat and sweetness to this beautiful dish.
For a little more substance, I turned to the parrilla (grilled) section of the menu. The lomito abierto ($13) is a mouthful. The tender steak shines through, but you do get enough of the ham, cheese and avocado for a satisfying open-faced sandwich. (Note: the egg was missing on my sandwich, and a replacement was brought out on a separate plate.)
If you’re willing, try the torta de lengua ($11). The beef tongue is tender and delicious. In fact, you don’t need any of the toppings, such as the pickled onions or avocado, as the tongue is perfect by itself. The toasted bun was a nice touch.
I do want to come back to explore more of the cocktail menu. I will say that the big margaritas are a steal when they are discounted to $4. I paid the extra dollar for pineapple flavor, and it was definitely worth it.
Dinner features entrees such as a 28-oz. ribeye, grilled lobster tail and a 12-oz. pork chop. Fuegos also sports a vegan menu, which includes tostones (fried plantains), potato empanadas and pastelito (coconut rice cake).
Fuegos is open for lunch Tuesday-Friday, dinner Tuesday-Saturday and brunch on Sundays.
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See more photos in our Fuegos Flickr album.
