La Bodega has long been one of my favorite spots, and we stop in periodically. I finally got tired of cooking and decided to venture out. Friday night in this gorgeous autumn weather demanded that we hoof it through the Highlands and up Bardstown Road for dinner.
We were greeted at the door by a sandwich board advertising their Spanish
rosé for six bucks a glass. I had bid a fond farewell to
rosé about a month or so ago, but here it was again. The day was warm, so what the hey; welcome back, rosé. This one was of a darker color and fuller flavor, more suitable for early autumn than the lighter shades of
rosé preferred on the dog days of summer.
Mr. Hits opted for a cocktail sporting his favorite booze + flavor combination: bourbon and ginger. The Ginger Snap combines Old Forester and Domaine de Canton Liqueur and was served on the rocks.
Tapas-wise, we typically order a showcase of our favorite tapas and audition a couple of newbies.
M1
From the Montaditos list. Montaditos are small bites served on a slice of baguette.
Chorizo, serrano ham, goat cheese, dollop of mayonnaise and topped with a fried quail egg.
Just let that sink in for a mo.
I always order this right off the bat. I cited it as my favorite tapa in town for the
Best of Louisville Critics Panel. The fun part of this trip was now that Mr. Hits is eating a bit of meat here and there, he could try his first M1...and his second. Yes. He ordered another, later in the meal. They're that good, I tell you. It's the richest, most decadent little bite of food there is.
Endive Salad
Yet another item I order without fail. Crisp, bitter endive, crunchy walnuts and a light, tart blue cheese vinaigrette. A super salad.
Patatas Bravas
These are boiled potato chunks that are then lightly sauteed. This current version is quite different from the one we'd had many times in the past. Previously, they had been served in a cream sauce - this time, they were flavored with something spicier and drier. We loved the old version, but didn't miss it at all. This incarnation gets two thumbs up.
Grilled Scallops with Romesco Sauce
This we didn't love. Something sharp in the sauce just turned me off. I rarely run into something I actually dislike at La Bodega - I guess I was due.
P6
From the Pintxos list. They're called pintxos because they are stabbed with a toothpick, or literally, a spike.
Spanish tuna, boiled egg, anchovy, and piquillo pepper.
It's actually all that stuff piled onto a hard boiled egg. A fishy, funky, salty explosion - totally up my alley.
Shrimp Sauteed in Olive Oil and Garlic
This newbie may just have landed itself a spot in our rotation. The shrimp was served in a little crockery full of a highly garlicky and spicy olive oil. Suspended in the oil were slices of garlic and flecks of red pepper.
- Vampin' Lady True Confession: I don't like shrimp. I have tried and tried and tried for years to like it, but I can't make it work. They remain in the small category of foods I actively do not like but fervently wish I did.
I valianty tried these shrimp, and actually found them to be pretty nice (for shrimp). Mr. Hits has always loved shrimp, so he devoured them. The real winner for me was the garlic-red-pepper-olive-oil shrimp bath. Another basket of bread was procured and promptly used to sop up as much of the oil as polite society allowed. I want a bottle of it to use at home. I'd use it as a pasta sauce, drizzle it on steamed vegetables, brush it onto pieces of lavash before baking them into crispy snacks, perhaps even take a bath in it myself.
We left tapas-ed out and glowing with an olive oil sheen. Until next time...
