Tapeo: Spanish Surprise at the Fort Strip

Seemingly out of nowhere, the Spanish tapas bar/restaurant named Tapeo emerged in the Fort Strip. Save for the fact that it's right in front of Racks, it's quite discreet. I love Spanish cuisine, so the next time we had a lunch out at the fort, this was first on my mind.

Nice, dim, cozy. My kind of restaurant. Most of their tables are more for drinking, since they were high and very narrow. We doubted the food would even fit (comfortably, anyway) so luckily, no one else was there and we did a little table-merging of our own. :)

Spanish flags a-wavin'.

Empanadas and Tortilla on the nice little counter. Apart from the table sizes, we were liking the place. I didn't notice very much because I was just excited to order. This place caught my eye with dishes like Callos, Fabada, Lengua, and Albondigas on the menu. I wanted to try more than I could eat!

Fabada, P175.00

Savory Spanish beans stew, sautéed Serrano Ham, Spanish Chorizo, herbs and spices. Served with fried chunky potatoes, baby carrots and slices of crusty bread.
I'll be honest with you. This Fabada was a bit bad-a for me. Our friends said it was just like pork & beans and though I'd usually be more up in arms over comparing such a fine dish to something I don't like, this time I sadly have to agree. The taste was plain. My bigger gripe with this, however, is that it was very under-cooked for me. The sauce was watery, whereas I like it creamy, and the beans were tough and bordered on having a crunch, while I prefer 'em soft and almost mushy. The potatoes and baby carrot fingers were okay and the bread was good. This meal isn't excessively filling, but the price is fair. I wish there were bigger pieces of chorizo in the soup, but unless they totally change how this is cooked, I likely will not order it again.

Callos, P245.00

Beef tripe (twalya), ox tail, chickpeas (garbanzos) in savory tomato sauce with herbs and spices. Served with fried chunky potatoes, baby carrots and slices of crusty bread.
Better. Callos is up there among my favourite Spanish dishes and it isn't usually made well in restaurants, so the fact that they served it good is impressive. It doesn't really compare much to the rich home-cooked Callos I've had, but it's better than what's in Sunshine Kitchen nearby. If I need a quick fix any day, this is where I'll be going. That olive was exquisite, too.

Verdict: 
Fabada: Bad
Callos: Good

Okay, this was a half-good visit. I hope to have better odds next time, since there are still a few I want to try. They also have buffet for a reasonable P400 between 2pm to 9pm, so we might go for that instead. The buffet menu changes day to day so you might want to check which day best suits your palate. ;)

Love Tapeo? Hate it? Let me know by commenting below, or just tweet me!



Other Restaurants in The Fort Strip:
Good Earth Roasts (GER)
Kasbah: A Moroccan Lunch
Racks: My Favourite Ribs
Sunshine Kitchen: Get your Sunny Side Up

Other Restaurants in The Fort:
IHOP: The Latest Pancake Craze
Jollibee: Ultimate Burger Steak and Flip Float
S&R: My Favourite Pizza
Saint's Alp: Taiwanese Chicken Goodness
SM Aura Premier: Pepper Lunch Express under the Sky Park
Stacy's: The Sweet Kind of Retro
Stella Wood Fired Bistro: Nothing Less Than Stellar
Toast Box: Going Goreng
The Kebab Factory: The TKF Trilogy
Wrong Ramen: The Weirder, The Better

TAPEO
G/F The Fort Strip (at 7th Ave. & 28th St.)
Taguig City
Operating Hours:
Mon - Thu: 11:00 am - 12:30 am
Fri - Sat: 11:00 am - 2:00 am
Facebook: Tapeo


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