Inside: Spain Restaurant and Toma Bar

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If you're looking to revisit your vaction on the Spanish coast, or if you just want a taste of it, don't start looking for your passport, just head to Downtown Tampa. The Castro family established the Spain Restaurant there in 1980. What started as a small mom-and-pop operation has grown into a full-blown urban hotspot that's packed with Spanish flavor. Spain mixes a little bit of old, with a little bit of new, bringing traditional recipes from the seafood-influenced Galicia region and other areas of Spain and adding the sounds of Flamenco guitar to an ultra-modern, white curtained and stainless steel-accented interior.

On the last Saturday of each month, Spain presents two Flamenco show times with both music and dancing. Although the restaurant is small, the setup makes for an ideal group setting. Sit back and enjoy the Spanish traditions of good food, good company and good music. Ole!

Real Spanish food from real Spaniards: Spaniards sure love to eat, which is probably why the Spain Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. "Café con Leche" (coffee with milk) and "Tortilla Española" (Spanish potato omelet) in the morning, "Palomillo" steak sandwiches and seafood "Paella" in the afternoon, and hot and cold "Tapas" (small plates) and "Bebidas" (drinks) at night, Spain has something for everyone, and at surprisingly reasonable prices at that, considering the setting and amount of food served. Spain is open for breakfast and lunch Monday; breakfast, lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday; dinner only Saturday; and closed Sunday.

When in Spain... The more, the merrier is the idea here. Long tables, sharable plates of food and pitchers of homemade sangria lend Spain to be an enjoyable group atmosphere. The try-something-different appeal makes the restaurant and Toma bar a nice alternative to typical neighborhood bars, although the dress code tends to fall a little more on the dressier side. Opt for jeans and a button-down rather than shorts and a t-shirt if you want to fit in with the crowd.

Just because Spain is a group-pleaser in no way means that it lacks date appeal. There are also smaller tables on the edges of the restaurant that are perfect for two or four.

 
Plenty to go around: In addition to the "Raciones" (entrees) such as traditional "Paella" (rice served with seafood, chicken and chorizo ham), "Filete de Res" (beef tenderloins with onions, mushrooms and sherry wine), or "Grouper al Limon" (stuffed with crab meat and served in a lemon sauce). Spain also offers a large amount of Tapas, both cold (frias) and hot (calientes). 

Choose from cold selections such as "Tortilla Española" (Spanish potato omelet); Serrano ham, Manchego cheese and cured Spanish olives; "Ensalada de la Casa" (mixed greens with feta cheese and pine nuts); and "Ceviche" (lime-marinated shrimp and scallops with tomatoes, onions and cilantro).

Some favorite hot tapas include "Vieiras Corunesa" (large grilled scallops with manchego cheese in a white cream sauce); "Camarones al Ajillo" (sauteed tender shrimp with garlic and olive oil); "Tortas de Cangrejo" (crab cakes served with a chutney sauce); and "Pollo Villarroy" (breaded chicken tenders in a béchamel sauce)."  

Be sure to try the "Croquetas" (stuffed with Spanish serrano ham and creamy cheese, battered and fried and served with aioli sauce). And get at least one dish that comes with the béchamel sauce. The stuff is addicting.

Each person can choose a few tapas, and everyone can share. No worries if you run out. Since they are small plates, you can always order more throughout the meal and it will be out in no time.

Save some room for dulces (sweets): No Spanish meal is complete without "dulces" and "café."  Spain offers typical Spanish "postres" (desserts) such as "Flan" (Spanish custard) and "Chocolate con Churros" (fried dough coated in sugar, served with a rich chocolate sauce for dipping). If all that food leaves you feeling sleepy, ask for a "café con leche" for a little wake-up call.               

Toma Bar: Spain's Toma Bar menu lists loads of drink options to help guests figure what to drink. There are two types of Sangria: Red (made with red wine) and White (made with white wine).  Both are made right at the bar and can be ordered by the glass or pitcher.  Domestic and imported wine and beer are also available, as well as cocktails at this full liquor bar.

Maria, Maria: The Spain restaurant, owned by Maria Castro, features Flamenco music every Friday and Saturday night and a live Flamenco show with music and dancing on the last Saturday night of each month. Javier Hinojosa plays the Flamenco Guitar and Maria Sevilla dances Flamenco, sometimes appearing with other local dancers. Be sure to make reservations because it can be a packed house.  

White is the new red: Many Spanish restaurants use bold reds, golds and dramatic colors typically found to represent the country to decorate their spaces, but the Spain restaurant instead mixes the trendy with the traditional to give guests a unique experience.

Think white curtains and white tablecloths accented by stainless steel to give the restaurant and bar a chic, modern look, paired with dimmed lighting to create warmth and intimacy.

Finding a spot: The downtown Tampa locale can make for a difficult parking situation, but guests can usually find parallel parking spots on neighboring streets in close walking distance.

Spain Restaurant and Toma Bar

513 N Tampa Street

Tampa, FL 33602

Phone:  813-223-2831

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