TAPAS / SPANISH
Café GRANADA
1506 S. Carrollton Ave., 865-1612
Formerly known as Fiesta Bistro, the menu and overall focus of this Carrollton café is now firmly set on Spanish cuisine. There is a wide range of hot and cold tapas, including many vegetarian choices. A classic paella comes with shrimp, mussels, clams, calamari, chunks of chicken and peas, and another house specialty is the twice-braised lamb shank, which uses both white and red wines. Reservations recommended. Lunch and dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
LAURENTINO'S RESTAURANT
4410 Transcontinental Drive, Metairie, 779-9393
The Spanish cuisine at Laurentino's offers a wide variety of menu items. You'll find 30 tapas, 30 entrées, five soups and three salads. The paella Valencia includes rice cooked in a saffron broth with shrimp, mussels, calamari, chicken, andouille sausage and fresh vegetables. Among the many small plates of tapas is garlic shrimp, which features Gulf shrimp sautéed in olive oil with roasted garlic, cayenne pepper and Spanish paprika then flamed with Spanish sherry. Spanish soups include gazpacho, lentil soup, garlic soup and fabada, made with white beans, sausage, ham and chorizo. No reservations. Dinner Tue.-Sat., lunch and early dinner Sun. Credit cards. $$
LOLA'S
3312 Esplanade Ave., 488-6946
Seafood, meat or combination paellas are the specialty at Lola's. Studded with chicken and sausage or shrimp, scallops and mussels, they are available for one or in sizes large enough for several people to share. Tuna, trout, roast duck and rack of lamb are staples, too. The new weekend specials feature local fish including grilled redfish topped with tomato, kalamata olives and basil salsa. Corn flan is topped with créme fraiche, crabmeat and caviar. Lola's now offers Spanish and California wines, but diners can also bring in their own bottles (with $5 corkage fee). No reservations. Dinner daily. Cash and checks. $$
MIMI'S IN THE MARIGNY
2601 Royal St., 872-9868
The authentic tapas menu lends itself agreeably to any appetite, whether you're in the mood for a nibble or a multi-course meal of Castilian snacks. Try a variety of hot and cold offerings, from the rich and savory mushroom Manchego toast to dessert-worthy honeyed goat cheese croquetas, washed down with a glass of Rioja. Other small plates include ceviche, Spanish cheeses and cured meats, empanadas and shrimp and calamari dishes. No reservations. Dinner and late-night daily. Credit cards. $$
VEGA TAPAS CAFÉ
2051 Metairie Road, Metairie, 836-2007; www.vegatapascafe.com
Starting with red or white sangria, Vega Tapas Café indulges diners with Spanish flavors and creative cooking. Owner Glen Hogh has returned to the kitchen since the flood, with offereings such as grilled shrimp over artichoke ragout and olive tapenade. Also look for pink peppercorn-crusted beef carpaccio with marinated wild mushrooms. Sweet potato pudding with saffron gelato is a perfect way to end the evening. No reservations. Dinner daily. Credit cards. $$
INDEX:
African
American
American Contemporary
Bar & Grill
Barbecue
Belgian
Brewpub
Burgers
Café
Cajun
Caribbean
Chinese
Coffee & Dessert
Creole
Deli
Diner
Fondue
French
Gourmet to Go
Greek
Indian
Italian
Japanese/Sushi
Korean
Latin American
Louisiana Contemporary
Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
Mexican/Southwestern
Music and Food
Neighborhood
Pan-Asian
Pizza
Sandwiches and Po-boys
Seafood
Soul Food
Steakhouse
Tapas/Spanish
Thai
Vietnamese
