Head to Defence Colony's Tapas World, which brings to you a host of appetisers, both from Spain and India
Head to Defence Colony's Tapas World, which brings to you a host of appetisers, both from Spain and IndiaWhen you are in a mood to snack, the Capital rarely gives you options beyond food items which are often dripping in oil and ghee. So when you hear of a place that has opened up to serve appetiSers, only, you do sit up and take note. Tapas World, in the popular Defence Colony market, is one such place which got me curious. I walked into their outlet one evening, past young shoppers, brisk walkers and those simply lazing around, hoping to check out some tapas dishes. Tapas are essentially snacks which form an integral part of Spanish cuisine. They can be served either cold or hot. If you so wish, you can combine them and come up with a complete meal altogether.
The interiors are carefully done up and spacious; Sugarcane prawns
sweet chilli and basil reductionLegends say that the tradition began when King Alfonso X of Castile recovered from an illness by drinking wine with small dishes between meals. After regaining his health, the king ordered that taverns would not be allowed to serve wine to customers unless it was accompanied by a small snack or 'tapa'. Originally, these were merely slices of bread or meat eaten by sherry drinkers in Andalucian taverns, says The Joy of Cooking. They would usually serve ham or chorizo which, being salty, would make people thirsty and therefore clamour for more sherry. This was quickly adopted by pubs and restaurants which started serving tapas to boost their alcohol sales.
The interiors were warm, with nice comfortable seating arrangements and peppy music. The restaurant is
divided into three floors. The service is prompt. We ordered a Vietnamese char-grilled lemongrass and prawn salad. The prawns were tender and fresh. This, we combined with some Pot roast lamb chops with rosemary and garlic. The lamb was juicy and succulent. The sushis too were pretty good.
True to the tapas tradition, the portions here are small. So if you are a big-eater, you might just have to keep ordering. And with an exhaustive menu, that shouldn't be too difficult. You can get both Continental and Indian dishes here, along with drinks of your choice. We recommend the mocktails, most of which were good.u00a0We ended the meal on a sweet note with Chocolate mousse which was quite good. Head here with your girl gang for those gossip sessions!
At: Tapas World, A-22, Defence Colony Market
Timings: Noon to midnight
Ring: 8800091507
Meal for two: Rs 1,200 + taxes
