what are tapas?
Throughout
the mediterranean region, there is a tradition of eating small, simple plates
of food, or little mouthfuls, to be consumed over drinks with family and
friends. In spain, this tradition began in the southeastern region where
sherry is made when innkeepers would put little plates on top of the sherry
glasses (copitas) to keep out the flies and dust. In time, they
began to add little bits of bread, cheese or ham to the little “covers,”
or tapas, and a wonderful tradition was born. Today, tapas bars
are found in every region of spain and offer a range of tapas that can be
anything from a dish of olives or a plate of cheese, to sophisticated cooked
dishes.
At
césar, chef Maggie Pond honors this tradition by offering authentic
tapas made from the finest spanish ingredients combined with the unrivaled
fresh meat, seafood, and produce of the san francisco bay area. Maggie has
traveled throughout spain and continues to go back each year to scour the
markets for new ingredients, and to eat and cook in the finest tapas bars
in barcelona, madrid, and san sebastián. She brings back recipes
from all over spain, including signature dishes such as our salt cod &
potato cazuela, canapé de boquerones (sweet, white
spanish anchovies), spicy tuna & egg bocadillo, and mel
i mato for dessert, as well as her own inspired creations like fried
potatoes with herbs and sea salt, croque señor (toasted
palacios ham & cheese sandwich), and our fabulous bread pudding. at
césar, you will not only find the most extensive tapas selection
in this country, but a broader array than one is even likely to encounter
in spain. In fact, all that’s missing at césar is the sawdust
on the floor.
23 junio 2008
paella de la semana: pollo adobado , $19.75
(chicken, bell peppers, tomatoes, onions, cumin, nutmeg, & saffron
in a chicken broth; please allow 25 minutes)
olive oil fried marcona almonds, $6.75
marinated olives, $4.75
(the first dish is complimentary)
a plate of jamón iberico paleta, $11.75
(just released in the U.S. iberico ham)
cucumber gazpacho with piquillo peppers & mint, $7.75
fennel-dusted petrale sole with arugula salad, $11.75
lamb with artichokes, lemon & mint, $12.75
orange & avocado salad with orange red-wine & cumin vinaigrette, $8.75
calamare a la gallega, $8.75
salt cod & potato cazuela, $6.75
pimientos de padrón (some are hot, some are not), $8.75
matrimonio, $8.25
(pickled white anchovies & olive oil-marinated anchovies)
patatas bravas with tomato & alioli, $8.75
a plate of jamón serrano, chorizo soria & butifarra, $9.75
three spanish cheeses: iberico, mahon & mucia al vino, $9.75
bocadillos
spicy tuna & egg, $10.75
manchego & greens, $9.75
potato & onion tortilla with red pepper, $9.75
smoked salmon, capers & queso fresco, $9.75
postres
bread pudding with orange-caramel sauce, $6.75
crema de chocolate, $6.75
organic strawberries with rose cream, $6.75
panellets (catalan-style cookies with yam, almond & coconut), $5.75
mel i mato with almonds & dried apricots, $6.75
cinnamon-chocolate ice cream, $6.75
*while available-may run out early
18% service charged to all parties of eight or more
in order to conserve, water will be served on request.
bar hours:
noon-midnight
seven days a week
kitchen hours:
sunday-thursday
noon -11:00
friday-saturday
noon -11:30
bar césar shattuck
1515 shattuck avenue
berkeley, california 94709
510.883.0222
for special events and catering please
call 510. 985.1222 or
bar césar piedmont
4039 piedmont avenue
oakland, california 94611
510.883.0222
césar on piedmont
is open for desayuno (coffee, tapas, churros & bloody marys )
8 am - noon
seven days a week