From Basque to Bravas

BY LIZZIE WILCOX

Formerly known as Mara Basque Cuisine & Lounge, Tapeo Eatery & Bar offers Spanish tapas at the east end of Giralda Plaza. They have an expansive interior, as well as plenty of outdoor seating options on the pedestrian walkway. Seeing as it was a cool evening (and by cool we mean below 80 degrees), we opted for a table on the Plaza.

From 4 to 7 p.m. on weekdays, Tapeo offers half-priced cocktails. Their drink menu includes lots of classics, like a margarita, a Moscow mule, an old fashioned (called a Rum Fashion here) and a cosmopolitan. However, after sampling quite a few happy hour menus in this city, it was refreshing to see some different concoctions.

Inspired by the people next to us (who were tossing back dirty martinis) we ordered the lychee martini. Instead of just mixing lychee juice with Tito’s, it seemed as though the fruit was blended or pureed, giving it almost the consistency of a frozen drink. A+ for texture and flavor. We’ve sampled lychee martinis at a handful of Gables establishments and would argue that Tapeo has the best in the city.

Like any good Spanish restaurant, Tapeo offers both red and white sangria. The white sangria, made with cava, rum and topped with fruit, is served in a tall, narrow glass. The sweet, tropical-looking drink will transport you from the mainland of Spain to the Canary Islands. While lychee martinis and Aperol spritzes may be relatively standard drinks you can order at any bar or restaurant, we hardly ever see them on a cocktail menu, meaning they rarely enjoy happy hour discounts.

Unfortunately, their tapas aren’t part of happy hour. But we still wanted to sample a couple of plates. Fortunately, most of the small plates only cost around

$10. The menu is divided into three sections: The Soil (vegetarian), The Deep (seafood) and The Ranch (meat). From The Soil, the rustic baby potatoes ($8) – known as patatas bravas to the rest of us – are covered in a spicy brava sauce made with paprika. The potatoes are cooked to crispy perfection and the brava adds a nice side of heat. From The Ranch, the croquetas de vaca frita ($10, shown above) are a delicious spin on the classic ham croquetas (which are on the menu, too). They also have codfish croquetas in The Deep portion of the menu for those who prefer theirs in seafood form. If we were staying for dinner, we definitely would have tried the Andalucia chops – grilled lamb chops with saffron risotto – or the seafood paella for two. ■

Hot Chicks

Eating House already has great deals on pasta dishes on Wednesday nights. Now on Tuesdays from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m., they’re serving four different styles of hot chicken, like Nashville Style (cayenne and brown sugar) and Havana Style (cayenne and sazon completa). They can be served as a chicken sandwich, chicken and waffles, or with black truffle mac and cheese, coleslaw and corn on the cob.

Health Hub

Known for its healthy options, Carrot Express on Miracle Mile has released new dishes. The vegan picadillo bowl is made with Beyond Meat picadillo, served over brown rice and topped with black beans, avocado, pico de gallo and sweet plantains. The menu now also includes an avocado toast tartare: Zak the Baker bread with smashed avocado, crumbled feta, red pepper flakes and either tuna or salmon tartare.

Fresh Calories

The game to play at Seasons 52 on Miracle Mile is calorie counting. The menu keeps the count for you – along with leaf symbols next to “our favorites,” what they consider to be the top choices in their self-consciously fresh, seasonal fare. We went with these favs: A cup of butternut squash soup (190 calories), a shared Korean BBQ skewer (235 for our half), and a sesame-grilled salmon salad (510 calories). Funny, we didn’t feel that full after 935 calories! ■