What exactly is tapas? Tapas are a variety of appetizers/snacks in the Spanish cuisine that can be warm or cold. The idea is to combine a variety of tapas selection to create an entire meal full of variety. The thought behind tapas variety is to encourage more conversation among diners because they are not focused on their individual dish but the sharing of all of them.
As you walk into Tapas Adela you are welcomed with modern deep red walls in the bar area which has a marble communal table. The dining room is a smaller area with a bold black and silver wallpaper and red carpeting with host to two and four top tables.
As you plan out your meal of tapas samplings you can enjoy a complementary basket of warm bread slices topped with melted cheese and tomato.
Our first dish was the Berenjenas “Fritas” ($4.95) which is fried eggplant lightly dusted with Semolina, Fleur de Sel, and Lavender Flower Honey. The flavors were light and delightful. However, I was disappointed with some of the slices of eggplant because they had gotten very soft and mushy (over fried maybe?)– but not all of them.
From there we moved on to the Alcochofa Salteado ($5.95) with Artichokes, Sherry, Sundried Tomatoes, and Roasted Garlic. Me being a lover of artichokes and garlic fell in love with the combination of flavors and dimension of this dish.
Our next dish was the Calamares Fritos ($6.95), which was fried calamari, pepper chips, and a lemon saffron aioli. The calamari had a nice texture and seemed to be cooked just about perfectly.
The first meat dish we tried was the Bistec a la Adela ($9.95) of grilled steak Adela, arugula, valdeon, and strawberry compote. The meat was tender and the flavor pairing of the cheese and strawberry compote was delightful.
Our last dish was the Cerdo a la Parilla ($8.95) of grilled pork belly, rice beans, and brown sugar syrup. The smell and taste of this dish remaindered me of really good baked beans with bacon. I just wished the pork belly had a bit more crispness to it.
The service and staff were on point and adequate while there. The waiter checked in when needed and made sure our glasses were full. In fact while waiting on part of the party he was polite and made sure we were comfortable.
Tapas Adela
814 S. Broadway
Baltimore, Maryland
410-534-6262
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