Sometimes size
does matter. The risk of tapas tasting is that these tiny dishes are designed
to amuse the appetite, to tempt but not to overindulge. It’s perfectly easy to
order dish after dish because they’re small- and, after all, what damage could
just one more tiny tapas really do? A fatal question, and one we’ve learned to
ignore as we continue to follow the tapas trail. Here’s the second instalment
of our little hunt for Salamanca’s best tapas bars: the highs, the lows, and the
places to categorically avoid.
Recently, our
taste buds have directed our tapas trail down an adventurous, if somewhat
dodgy, route. Sure, eating the touchstone tapas dishes makes for a good evening,
but we wanted to sample something a bit different. Tail of a bull, intestines,
pig ear or pig face: you name it and I guarantee we’d prepared our (poor) palates
to give it a go. It’s not necessarily a normal pastime of ours, this desire to indulge
in speciality dishes, but as I always say: you cannot claim to dislike
something until you’ve tried it once. Step up Bar Cilleros- a tapas bar
recommended to us for its slightly unorthodox menu. Beforehand, I’d secretly
lined my stomach with a sandwich, but turns out this was a futile effort: not
only was the bar dark and dingy, but the tapas selection was extremely tame. The
strangest dish on offer was ox tongue, which of course we promptly ordered. I
didn’t mind the texture (yes, it was slightly chewy) but its sauce left a lot
to be desired. Across the road, we investigated Felipe II, a bar packed with
locals but not with decent tapas choice. Many of the dishes had already run out
by 10pm- very disappointing, especially for Spain. In the end, we braved the
intestines. How were they, you ask? Imagine something jellied and slightly crunchy, cover it
in a questionable tomato-based sauce, and then make it lukewarm. No, I’m not entirely
sure if I would order them again. 
Still peckish, our tapas
route continued down Paseo de Canelejas to La Meson de la Cocina Charra. Frequented by locals and students alike, this
bar has a lovely welcoming atmosphere, and its choice of tapas is wonderful,
too. The menu features a great selection of tostas (my favourite is with smoked
salmon and cream cheese) and, if you’re particularly hungry, ask for the bocadillo
with tortilla francesa- the best sandwich ever. We often eat here, and being
good friends with the owner definitely helps. Ask Bobby to make you his special
sangria, I promise it will lead to a good night. Next door, El Globo made a culinary
impact for all the wrong reasons. Innocently sitting by the bar, the waiter
suddenly gave us both a cup of caldo on-the-house. Traditionally a soup broth
made from boiled jamon bones and vegetables, caldo is a speciality in Spain.
This caldo, however, was essentially a cup of fat- made even worse when the
waiter poured in white wine. Verdict: not a place we’d visit again, and if we
did, we’re definitely not sitting anywhere near the bar.
Heading towards
Plaza Mayor, Casa de las Morcillas is good for those who like (surprise,
surprise) morcilla. We had an enormous platter of various different types:
deliciously rich but incredibly filling, and definitely one to share. Our
favourite was the morcilla de Burgos, made with rice and onions. Meanwhile, Van
Dyck appears to have gone out of style with the Salamantinos; instead, Casa Paca’s tapas bar on Calle San Justo appears to be the locals’ new
favourite haunt. It pays to get here early (by early, I mean around 9pm): we
went on a Friday night and it was standing room only. The range of tapas here is
fantastic, and the kitchen just kept churning out delectable dishes. Our
favourites include the creamy paella, the crispy calamari, and the tosta with
morcilla, foie gras and jamón iberico- each an epicurean masterpiece. Next
door, Casa Paca also has an elegant restaurant for proper, sit-down dinners.
The soups here are particularly worth a mention, as was the full-bodied cuchinillo asado
(roast pork). A word of warning, though: steer clear of the fish, especially the grilled seabass. Mine smelt
like it had walked to the restaurant.
The sheer amount of discarded napkins on the floor of Casa Paca's bar suggests I am not alone when I highly recommend it. This little city is full to the brim with great tapas bars, but you really can’t beat this one for its sublime flavours and authentic ambience. A true taste of Spain, our verdict is make this your stomach’s first stop if you’re ever in Salamanca.
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