Como Taperia

Como Taperia –  I have only been one tapas restaurant once a few years back in Downtown – The Sardine Can which permanently closed down. It was a pretty unique experience since I had no idea on what to expect. The ambiance was dimly lit with multiple candles all over gave the sauce a European flair that evokes you to think having a glass wine to slowly slip on while you enjoy chatting with friends and sharing some small eats. As for Como Taperia – the vibe was modern clean Mediterranean feel with earthy tones to complement the dishes. We ordered a few items which the server recommended since it was my first time there, and I didn’t know what to expect from. So, this is what we ordered. Eggplant – a sweet honey glazed eggplant sliced and fried with some herbs; I felt like it tasted more like sweet potato than eggplant. I wasn’t impressed with it since I was expecting the flavor of the eggplant to come out. Pate w/bread – the pate spread was a little too rich for my liking and on the sweet side and it was too smooth that it felt odd on my palate since I’m use to tasting a slightly textured pate style The 140z t bone anchovy sauce and deep-fried peppers – the steak was nice rare but it didn’t have that beefy juicy taste that I expected and enjoyed. The taste was muted by the anchovy sauce which was more prominent as you bit into the steak. As for the fried peppers – it looked tantalizing but there wasn’t much flavour in it. Surprisingly, the dish I enjoyed the most is the canned sardines imported from Italy with chips on the side. Placing a good chunk of Sardine and oil on top of the chip created a crunch texture with aromatic flavour that didn’t have the typical fishy after taste. Lastly, Charred Pork Neck, Pimenton Butter, Cabbage, Mojo Picon – this was also one of the better dishes to taste for that evening. The pork neck is always a fave for me. It’s qq texture with the perfect fat to meat ratio is a flattering type of meat to work with many seasonings from different ethics cuisine. How Como prepared the dish highlighted the neck so deliciously. Overall, I think I had romanticized my first tapa experience that como didn’t meet those same expectations. Also, I didn’t have any wine which would have made the experience a lot better since tapas are meant to pair it with wine. So overall, I think I didn’t enjoy como as much because my expectations were too high. I think I would give it a try again with wine and see if that will change my view of it.