In Barcelona, most people don't go out to one restaurant and have a multicourse meal. Instead, friends get together and flit from one tapas bar to another, spending the evening eating and drinking at several establishments until they get their fill. Each tapas bar has its own specialty -- maybe a spicy sausage here, some fresh squid there.
That tradition is coming to Miami with the Estrella Damm Wynwood Tapas Journey. The Barcelona pilsner that's been brewed since the 1800s has teamed up with some of Wynwood's best restaurants to create a tapas crawl. Ten restaurants have teamed up with Estrella Damm to offer a special tapas-and-beer deal meant to be experienced by friends.
From September 16 to October 6, stop at any of the participating restaurants on the tapas crawl and receive a special three-tapas plate and a beer for only $20. Sounds like fun? It is!
Short Order gave the tapas crawl a test drive by invitation. We made it to only six of the ten participating restaurants before we passed out in a food coma, but we had a fantastic time trying the food. Truth be told, we're thinking two or three restaurants in one night would be ideal for most people, and there's always tomorrow to explore others.
Here's a glimpse of the tapas we tried:
The Butcher Shop's tapas platter includes homemade spicy chorizo, Mongolian chicken wings, and pan-seared pierogies.
Pride and Joy's tapas plate was gigantic. A platter of fried heirloom tomatoes, a Proper sausage, hickory-smoked duck confit, and cornbread make one hearty meal. We suggest sharing this mammoth serving to make room for more stops on your journey.
Jimmy'z Kitchen offers bolitas de queso with guava sauce, chickpea fritters with mint sauce, and arañitas with mayo-ketchup sauce.
If you haven't been to Rincón Escondido, here's your opportunity to discover this little gem. Tapas offered include meat and vegetable bambas, chistorra a la sidra, and bambas de queso.
The Corner's tapas plate includes a Mediterranean tuna and white bean salad, pan con tomate, and grilled cheese Catalan.
Will Call's tapas are of the all-American sports bar variety -- perfect for watching the game. The special tapas platter includes pig skins, chili fries, and Will Call wings.
Other restaurants participating include Cafeina; Soi Chinese Kitchen; Time For Wine; and Wynwood Kitchen & Bar. To see all the menus, visit estrelladamm.com/miamitapasjourney or download an app complete with maps. Right now, it's available for Android platforms only, but the Apple app is coming soon.
While you're eating and drinking, we know you'll be snapping pictures, so share them on Facebook with hashtag #wynwoodtapasjourney. If you get more than 20 likes, you'll be automatically entered to win a trip to Barcelona to experience the original tapas crawl.
Follow Laine Doss on Twitter @LaineDoss and Facebook.
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