Here at Ceviche Tapas Bar & Restaurant, in the spirit of Catalan tradition, friends linger over tasty tapas, signature sangria and aged Spanish wine. While Ceviche is the original tapas restaurant in the region, tapas originally came from Spain.
Origins
Tapas are small plates of food that are typically served with alcohol. There is no exact story of the origin of tapas, but there are two popular claims about how tapas began. According to legend, the idea of tapas arose when King Alfonso X of Castile became very ill during his term as king. King Alfonso could only consume small portions of food and wine at a time. As a result, he declared that no one should be served alcohol without some sort of food. Thus, the idea of small plates was born.
Another tale suggests that bartenders would serve wine with a saucer on top of the glass to keep the files out. Soon, people realized they could use the saucer to serve bits of olives or cheese. This makes sense because the word “tapa” literally is defined as a cover or lid.
Tapas Today
Today, tapas can be found all over the world and it has evolved to encompass a wide variety of ingredients and flavors. Due to Spain’s diverse landscape, tapas vary greatly by region. The northern coastal region specializes in seafood tapas that are rich in fish and cattle whereas the tapas inspired by the western region have plates that involve more lamb and pig.
At Ceviche, our culinary masters transport you beyond the borders with more than 50 tapas dishes, so there’s sure to be a favorite for everyone at the table.
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