Tasca: Tantalizing Spanish Tapas

Though in a slightly obscure location down Comm. Ave in Brighton, Tasca was packed both times I went, both on a weekend and Thursday night. Its bustling, cozy atmosphere adds to the rustic interior with decorative wall hangings and romantic candlelight illuminating the dining room; though in the bar area it can become over-crowded. The must-have sangria is still worth the wait.

With tantalizing aromas wafting through the air, Tasca has a fairly extensive variety of hot and cold tapas to choose from. Traditional favorites such as sizzling garlic shrimp, patatas bravas (potatoes in cheese sauce), and ham croquettes were all delicious; likewise the setas al jerez, Portabella mushrooms braised in a sherry cream demi-glaze with roasted garlic tostados was delectable. There are also more creative options, such as the tortas del cangrejo, pan roasted black bean and crab cakes served with fresh tomato and cilantro salsa, which was a unanimous crowd-pleaser. Yet Tasca shines more in its classic Spanish dishes than some of its attempts at culinary fusion; the pan-seared yellowfin tuna left something to be desired compared to a nice sashimi. Leave this one to the Japanese, please.

Though the paella lacked enough of the rice crust that forms a coating on the enormous paella pans in Valencia, the "Valenciana paella" with chicken, chorizo, and duckling in saffron-infused rice was still better than most paella attempts this side of the Atlantic (though with noticably undercooked peas), and certainly filling enough for a table of six. The tarta de chocolate grand finale, a flourless chocolate terrine served with a raspberry coulee, was to die for.

Tasca is definitely worth going back to, to taste more of the plethora of dishes; I still want to sample the gratin de verduras: roasted leek, potatoes, and seasonal vegetables baked with manchego and smoked gouda, and served with reduced aged balsamic and black truffle oil. Enticing. Not to mention their classical Spanish guitar nights and flamenco performances (though the Tasca website is unclear about when they will actually be.)

My second visit was during Boston Restaurant Week, during which diners had the option to select from a pre fix menu (Tasca offered an appetizer, entree and dessert for only $16.) Another pleasing dining experience, in my opinion. From the tapas menu I highly recommend the queso fritos de cabra, herbed goat cheese fritters served with greens and oven-dried vine ripened tomatoes. The light sauce, a basil puree I believe, and tomato's stewed flavor mixed well with the fried goat cheese's rich and creamy center. Also quite spectacular was the calamari, which is lightly fried and melts like butter in your mouth - perfection.

From the special pre fix menu for an appetizer we tried the Bacalao cake with a mixed green salad, which was not at all tasty. The fish cake looked like a cold biscuit with some chopped peppers thrown in for color, but upon tasting it I was overpowered by the taste of raw red onion that destroyed any hint of cod. Furthermore, the charred tomato vinaigrette accompaniment was too acidic and failed to compliment the Bacalao, so the dish was a flop in entirety. For the entree choice of specials we had the sauteed filet of haddock, which was cooked well. The artful presentation of colorful vegetables served as a nice contrast to the white fish, and the sweet chile sour creme was an excellent accent (though their was too much butter on the carrots.) Served with an overly generous portion of scallion mashed potatoes and a somewhat bland blackened corn succotash, the haddock was still a tasty but lighter dinner. From the dessert specials my inner chocolate addict had to taste the duo of housemade chocolate truffles, another truly exquisite finish.

Tasca's at its best in its most authentic Spanish dishes rather than some of its more eclectic specials, but ultimately worth the trip.

3.5/5 stars.