what are tapas?

césar tapas In Spain, there is a tradition of eating small, simple plates of food, or little mouthfuls, to be consumed over drinks with family and friends. 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.

césar tapasAt 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.      

 

19 junio 2009

 

 

tapas small plates

 

paella : gambas y almejas ,  

shrimp, clams, bell peppers, tomatoes, garlic & saffron in a seafood broth;   20.75

  (please allow 25 minutes)

marinated olives,  5.75

olive oil-fried marcona almonds,   6.75

cucumber gazpacho with piquillo relish, 7.75

setas a la plancha with garlic parsley oil, 10.75

bacon, garlic & sage wrapped yukon gold potatoes,   6.75

pinchos de pollo a la costa brava with onions & bell pepper, 8.75

alaskan halibut a la plancha with herb butter & rice,   11.75

mixed greens with queso de cabra, black olives & lemon vinagreta,   7.75

*empanada with scallops, caramelized onions, swiss chard & bacon, 8.75

pimentos de padron, some are hot some are not,   8.75

gambas a la plancha with smoked paprika & sea salt,   13.75

 

hanger steak a la parrilla with salpicón, 13.75

endive, watercress, apple & smoked duck breast salad, 9,75

fried potatoes with herbs & sea salt, 8.75

salt cod & potato cazuela, 7.75

a plate of jamon iberico, 21.75

a plate of jamón serrano, lomo embuchado, & butifarra, 10.75

three spanish cheeses: urgélìa, tronchon, & murcia al vino ,   11.75

 

montaditos on toast

boquerones with spicy green olives , 8.75

pickled white anchovies

pan & tomate, 7.75

smoked pork shank with jalapeno alioli, 8.75

 

bocadillos sandwiches

spicy tuna & egg, 10.75

manchego & greens, 10.75

   portobello mushroom , peppers, basil & queso blanco 10.75

 

postres desserts

bread pudding with orange-caramel sauce,  7.75

crema de chocolate, 6.75

mel i mato with poached pears, almonds & honey,   6.75

panellets, catalan-style cookies with almond & coconut ,   5.75

     arbequina olive oil ice cream,   6.75

   cinnamon-chocolate ice cream, 6.75

baked cherry-almond custard,   7.75