EMBARGO for Tapas!

The bar at Embargo - click on image for a larger version

Those who read this blog really closely may have noticed that when I visited the Cape right after Christmas I made no mention of my favorite restaurant there, The Roo Bar. That's because things have changed at The Roo since I was there in August: new owners, a new chef, and some new staff. If you check the link above to my earlier post, you 'll see how enamored I was of this place. My recent visits (Christmas and this week) yield a different report. Chef Leah Dubois has left and her replacement, while presenting respectable fare, cannot meet the level of excellence that Leah had maintained for some time. How good is respectable? I ate there several times just after Christmas and twice this week but The Roo is now closed on Tuesdays so tonight I visited a new place on Main Street in downtown Hyannis, Embargo.

Embargo was my first venture into the culinary world of tapas. Tapas? Here's some info from the menu helpful for novices like myself:

The exact moment of the birth of the tapa is lost in time. The closest estimate of its humble origins would possibly be sometime in the eighteenth century. Weary travelers would disembark from coaches and saddle horses, to be met by eager innkeepers with glasses of wine or sherry covered with a slice of bread. In the Spanish language, this covering referred to as a tapas, from the verb tapar, ‘to cover.’ This ‘tapas’ kept insects, dust and unsavory debris from settling into the wine and also served to whet the appetite of the hungry travelers. From this simple beginning the tapa evolved... Tapas today are small, delectable portions of food, served individually, or in groups as a custom designed meal. The use of lean, grilled meats and fresh seafood, vegetables, olive oil and that wonderful flower of flavor...garlic ensure not only a heavenly taste experience, but also a light, healthy fare... The enjoyment of tapas is a way of life for the Spanish casual dining in an unhurried atmosphere where spirited conversations flourish and are shared among family, friends and new acquaintances... The small portion or tapa size allows you to sample many dishes, possibly many different cuisines all in one evening. You have the choice of ordering tapas one at a time or all at once. Each dish will arrive at your table as it is completed in the kitchen for your enjoyment, therefore, not all dishes will arrive at the table simultaneously. This is the essence of tapas- to experience a multitude of different flavors, textures, and tastes...

While the menu is dominated by tapas, there's also an offering of regular entrees. But if you've ever dreamed of just ordering a series of wonderful appetizers, well - that's the essence of tapas! Keeping small, light portions in mind, here's what I enjoyed this evening from the menu:

- A salad of arugula and goat cheese garnished with candied pine nuts and tossed in a warm bacon and maple dressing... Two thinly sliced, fried beet chips topped the salad. The portion was generous and was served with an ample basket of warm bread cut from a baguette and accompanied by a side dish of EVOO over a decent mound of roasted garlic.

- A serving of a manchego grilled cheese with a rather generous cup of curried butternut squash bisque... Readers here know that I couldn't pass up a grilled cheese and I'm glad I didn't let this one pass me by. The cheese was mild, the bread toasted just enough with a buttery crunch sealing in the goodness. I accepted an offer of fresh ground pepper on the bisque - just one grind - but the next time I'll let the curry be sufficient piquancy for this dish. The bisque was as light a soup as I've ever had - having an almost souffle-like airy texture: superb! And it was steaming hot as any bisque or soup ought to be upon arriving at the table.

- Next I ordered one of the two tapas recommended by Harry, the bartender: Kobe beef sliders garnished with bacon and pickled red onion, and a dash of chipotle catsup... The little burgers were served on very fresh buns, toasted perfectly on one side and warm and soft to the touch on the other: perfect! If you've never enjoyed Kobe beef, take my word for it: it's the best beef in a burger you have EVER tasted!

- Harry's other suggestion was the garlic chicken legs which arrived as a leg and a thigh... No complaint here - the thigh was larger than the leg. It may have been my imagination but the chicken surrendered in its tenderness and fell off the bone as my fork approached it but before any contact was made: moist, juicy and tasty with enough garlic to make its presence known but not to overpower. The "legs" were accompanied by baby tomatoes and some basil. Harry was right on both the Kobe sliders and the garlic chicken!

- One more course? Of course! Remember: these are appetizer-sized portions. I wanted something light so I tried the vegetable spring rolls with sweet chili sauce. They were delicious but another time I would order these up front and skip the sauce whose saltiness overwhelmed the delicious rolls and their vegetable filling.

With my tapas I enjoyed several glasses of Yalumba Shiraz Viognier which I found well paired with the variety of other tastes that crossed my palette.

The staff at the bar (Harry and Kat) were warm and welcoming, and helpful for someone ordering for the first time from a tapas menu.

Around 10:00 a keyboard and vocal duo offered soft rock tunes and ballads at a volume that did not overwhelm.

The ambiance is sparse and contemporary but still warm and inviting. The bar where I dined is a large horseshoe in the center of the room with comfortable banquettes lining the wall, interspersed with large table lamps that give a kind of homey but not hokey touch to the room.

A nice surprise was running into a former bartender from The Roo who left to study and live in Boston last year. Back in Hyannis to visit his family, Rodrigo is now working at a place in Cambridge where I'll be having dinner in March and I hope to see him again.

So, if you're in Hyannis - stop by Embargo! And you might try going on a Tuesday night when nearly all the tapas are half price!