to think most people would assume you share tapas?

[AaDB]

Why suggest going for tapas, take part in a discussion to ensure a good mix is ordered and then take your food and say you will not be sharing?

@ mixed randoms

Have to say, I wouldn't suggest going with some of my friends as I know they wouldn't like the offerings and I wouldn't particularly want to join them at some of their fav places wetherspoons so maybe not a bad thing to find a compromise

The problem here comes from a big misunderstanding of the term "tapa". In Spain, a "tapa" is a tiny, individual portion of food that is given free with a drink. It is meant for one person. If several people go out to eat, they order "raciones", which are dishes full of one type of food each, and it should be enough for every member of the table to have at least two bits each. So tell the restaurant owners to stop ripping you off and use the correct Spanish term if they want to sell proper Spanish food. What you guys seem to be given is a strange hybrid between a tapa and a racion which wouldn't satisfy any Spaniard. Raciones are also CHEAP and GOOD food. In the "pseudo-Spanish" restaurants I have visited in the UK, ordering a tapa would cost you the same or more than a whole main dish, which is rubbish. Tell them to either open a proper Spanish restaurant with all its implications, or just call it a pub and stop benefiting from the exotic connotations of a Spanish name.

So there :P

I'm in the sharing tapas only works if there are just 2 or 3 of you group. The portions are too small to go round a lot of people. If a large group I'd split into smaller groups for ordering. 1 squid bit and 1 meatball is silly. Also agree that some tapas is designed so one person can try 2 or 3 things others come in bigger portions to share.

It's cichetti or Italian side dishes. It is easier to describe as tapas even though it isn't Spanish. I love eating the food of the country I am visiting and like trying new things. The thing I love about being English is that we will take any world cuisine and make it our own. Pasta, curry, homemade kebabs, roast, Thai, Chinese, pancakes and bacon (or anglicised versions of) are all on the weekly menu here and I love that.

IMHO tapas/cichetti are small dishes for sharing. I now see that the concept of sharing food is something that some people have a fundamental problem with. I'd hate for my friend to be uncomfortable and at least I understand that this is an issue now.

I don't eat meat and don't have an issue with not trying half the food. I would have thought that the great thing about sharing this type of food is that you can order more if you want it? I must over order because I always have plenty.

I think the company should be a group of friends, it wouldn't work well if you don't know the other diners.

Any more than 7 and it turns into a buffet.

Sharing Tapas in a restaurant setting is a UK marketing concept. [and a rip off]

Not authentic and not how it is 'meant' to be done.

UK...or anywhere else outside of Spain.

I don't know if you really have to feel inclined to share EVERYTHING do yu? if you order anchoas for example and get 3 on a tiny plate, I don't think you have to share. i used to live in spain and i would have been fairly confident about eating what i ordered myself. obviously if you get more than you think you can eat - push it into the middle. if you order something that is one half of a roasted red pepper with a tiny strip of aubergine and courgette then just pull the dish nearer to you and eat it. I seemed to remember people didn't share as much as we believed they share. I think we panic and take the sharing thing too much on board. It's a more relaxed thing. It's not liek share that god dam you.

auryune, true, and often they push the pinchos on you and pinchos (or is it pinxo?) they are free. FREE! do you hear this la tasca?!

At the restaurant we go to, they bring a free limited selection around with drinks.

The thing I love about being English is that we will take any world cuisine and make it our own

YY AaDb we don't really have parties of our own but St Patrick's Day, Chinese New Year... we'll join in

and YY to amberleaf marketing is the genius curse of this country. Mind you, I was in Florence and an American in my hotel was marvelling that the city didn't have a Starbucks. No, because the Italians can't do coffee, can they? That was a few years ago. The evil empire have probably taken over now.

This thread has had me googling Tapas and drooling at the pictures.

Add message | Report | Message poster aurynne Sat 04-May-13 04:19:29
The problem here comes from a big misunderstanding of the term "tapa". In Spain, a "tapa" is a tiny, individual portion of food that is given free with a drink. It is meant for one person. If several people go out to eat, they order "raciones", which are dishes full of one type of food each, and it should be enough for every member of the table to have at least two bits each. So tell the restaurant owners to stop ripping you off and use the correct Spanish term if they want to sell proper Spanish food. What you guys seem to be given is a strange hybrid between a tapa and a racion which wouldn't satisfy any Spaniard. Raciones are also CHEAP and GOOD food. In the "pseudo-Spanish" restaurants I have visited in the UK, ordering a tapa would cost you the same or more than a whole main dish, which is rubbish. Tell them to either open a proper Spanish restaurant with all its implications, or just call it a pub and stop benefiting from the exotic connotations of a Spanish name.

So there :P

^This^, a zillion times ^this!

Have been reading this thread getting more and more incredumalated and then got to aurynne's post and now want to smother her in the oil in which the Gambas al ajillo swim and lick it off. (That's a good thing btw)

I've never had tapas before. I feel like I've missed out on something very important!

If my licking of you would make you uncomfortable in any way, aurynne, then I'll just dab at you with a nice bit of pan instead.

I once went for tapas with a friend's group of friends. The waiter kept depositing the dishes at one end of the table - by the time they worked their way down my end there was nothing left. I was starving when I got home (and paid an equal share of the meal to add insult to injury).

I'm not a pushover by the way - I just didn't know the group well enough.

Another time I went for tapas with my own friends who insisted on not sharing and ordering our own dishes

Despite this, I love tapas but agree - no more than four of you works best :o

I go by the rule that if a dish is ordered by 'the group' then it belongs to the group (and therefore is shared) and if it is ordered by a specific individual then it belongs to that individual (and is only shared at their say so).

Did the friend have a say in the restaurant choice? If not might be why they did a Joey?

My ex BIL is not a sharer, greedy cunt still bitter

aurynne is absolutely right.

Tapas is not a meal. In Spain (Spanish Spain- IYKWIM) you get a tapa with a caneca for say 1?. You go from bar to bar to sample a little morsel with a drink.

If you want a plate of food to share you order a racione. You would go for tapa and drinks in the evening say, then have a proper meal at 10/11 at night. Or you would sit and order raciones to share, bigger plates, over a couple of hours. You would not order everything at once, the dishes would come sporadically, and then you would order more, as you wanted.

The idea of having to sit in a group and order tapas as you get in the UK ( yes the dreaded 3 kebab scenario!) fills me with dread. Especially with gambas. don't touch my gambas!!!

I hate sharing food. The first (and last) time I went to a tapas bar, without really appreciating what the score was was horrible. I was happy for others to order, again, not really knowing. Out of all the dishes that arrived there was a paltry selection of about two dishes that I liked. Ended up with a sparrows worth of food and paid £20 for the privilege!

Much prefer to order something I know I'll like and have it on a plate that is ALL MINE

I have been twice to tapas restaurants here and honestly, the vision of a group of English people politely trying to eke out teeny tiny bowls of bland food and feeling ever so pleased with that despite being absolutely ripped off is pretty depressing.

Really, I'd rather go to a pub and chuck some crisps and peanuts on the table.

Limited I will celebrate any event. We are having a Star Wars themed food day today and tomorrow we are having a Mexican feast for Cinco de Mayo day. Monday is bbq - lots of lovely salads and bread, homemade doner kebab, tandoori chicken, salmon and steak. We will share them all.

I'd much rather go for a meal or something to eat than go to a pub. This style of drinking and eating seems like a good compromise; food is either well made and delicious or it isn't. Raciones/cichetti are great. Not so keen on La Tasca/Estilo but mini AaDB likes them.

Star Wars? So you gatecrash intergalactic parties? Respect.

Pigsmummy We all decided on the bar we wanted to go and I sent a menu plan in case people wanted to eat. We had the option of going for a meal later but we were have a brilliant time and decided to stay in the bar. Friend in question took part in a discussion where by we all decided between us what to order. The inclusion of bread, meat, fish and veggies were debated and discussed. When the waiting staff brought the food Laura 'Tribianni' said 'that's mine and I won't be sharing'. I thought she was joking at first but she was obviously stressed at the very idea of sharing her selection. I think she did have a try of leftovers but wasn't keen to try a selection as it came. We all spent the same on drink and food and the bill was split equally; no calculators required.

I don't think my friend had this type of food before. She has since said she likes the food but not the sharing (fair enough). I would hate to go for this type of food with a greedy guzzler.

Limited I love it. I am AaDB and I am an Intergalactic Party Crasher