<p>Tapas, which originates from the Spanish word "tapa" or small portion, is causing a significant shift in the food culture in India. Local ingredients and excellent cocktails to enjoy tapas have helped fine dining restaurants, and bars convince foodies of the appeal of small, sharing plates of food.</p>.<p>Petisco Goa, a newly opened tapas bar and kitchen in Panjim, reflects the inspiration behind the name in the dishes served here, a culinary journey to Spain and Portugal. Chef Halton represents this combination in dishes such as the prawn a-la-plancha and the backyard barbecued pork served with a rim of locally sourced fresh pumpkin paste. Pranav Dhuri, Founder of Petisco informs.</p>.<p>Uno Más, an authentic tapas bar and kitchen, reopened in Goa in December 2021 after the lockdown. The brand offers Spanish dishes with local ingredients like the Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic prawns in fragrant prawn head oil) and their bestseller Paella. Pallavi Jayswal, chef and co-founder at Uno Más tells us that a move from Mumbai to Goa was always on the cards for the brand.</p>.<p>Fresh takes on tapas have spread across the country's urban centres. Balsa, a newly opened bar and cocktail kitchen in the office district of Lower Parel in Mumbai, offers a relaxed, tropical al fresco dining setting for city dwellers. Chef Nirvaan Thacker insists on using fresh and local produce for his tapas menu. The restaurant offers a diverse menu of tapas with eclectic cocktails, which helps them serve people even with dietary restrictions or preferences.</p>.<p>The real game-changer, however, is Asian cuisine. Japanese, Korean, Thai, Burmese and Vietnamese cuisine has prominent acceptance. Keenan Tham has spent many decades being a restaurateur behind some of the most well known Asian fine diners in Mumbai like Foo, Koko and The Good Wife. According to him, Foo outlets serve over 100 varieties of tapas on the menu. The pandemic made single ingredient sourcing tricky, but it didn't stop the brand from opening four new outlets in 2020.</p>.<p>"The wide scope of Asian cuisine allows us to have dishes like Nikkei Tacos, various dumplings, and choices in maki and sushi rolls," he said. From an innovation standpoint, their Asian Burrata salad or a Togarashi black rice maki stand uniquely apart.</p>.<p>It is a pleasant feeling walking by Rua 31 de Janeiro in Panjim, where tapas bars like Antonio@31 and Makutsu create a vibrant street around the famous Joseph Bar. Walk further to Patto, where Miguel's and Tataki offer immersive cocktail and dining experiences, all with a tapas twist.</p>.<p>Goa is on a tapas hyperdrive with immersive bars like Barsa (Assagao), Bo Tai (Vagator) and Pings Bia Hoi (Sangolda), taking it to the next level.</p>.<p>From suburban hubs to the seashores, tapas challenges the traditional Indian concept of serving sizes and has found favour among foodies. Because as the Spanish saying goes, "there is always room for Uno Más (one more)!"</p>.<p><em>(Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay is a marketing communications professional and a freelance writer, an avid traveller and food lover.)</em></p>
<p>Tapas, which originates from the Spanish word "tapa" or small portion, is causing a significant shift in the food culture in India. Local ingredients and excellent cocktails to enjoy tapas have helped fine dining restaurants, and bars convince foodies of the appeal of small, sharing plates of food.</p>.<p>Petisco Goa, a newly opened tapas bar and kitchen in Panjim, reflects the inspiration behind the name in the dishes served here, a culinary journey to Spain and Portugal. Chef Halton represents this combination in dishes such as the prawn a-la-plancha and the backyard barbecued pork served with a rim of locally sourced fresh pumpkin paste. Pranav Dhuri, Founder of Petisco informs.</p>.<p>Uno Más, an authentic tapas bar and kitchen, reopened in Goa in December 2021 after the lockdown. The brand offers Spanish dishes with local ingredients like the Gambas al Ajillo (Garlic prawns in fragrant prawn head oil) and their bestseller Paella. Pallavi Jayswal, chef and co-founder at Uno Más tells us that a move from Mumbai to Goa was always on the cards for the brand.</p>.<p>Fresh takes on tapas have spread across the country's urban centres. Balsa, a newly opened bar and cocktail kitchen in the office district of Lower Parel in Mumbai, offers a relaxed, tropical al fresco dining setting for city dwellers. Chef Nirvaan Thacker insists on using fresh and local produce for his tapas menu. The restaurant offers a diverse menu of tapas with eclectic cocktails, which helps them serve people even with dietary restrictions or preferences.</p>.<p>The real game-changer, however, is Asian cuisine. Japanese, Korean, Thai, Burmese and Vietnamese cuisine has prominent acceptance. Keenan Tham has spent many decades being a restaurateur behind some of the most well known Asian fine diners in Mumbai like Foo, Koko and The Good Wife. According to him, Foo outlets serve over 100 varieties of tapas on the menu. The pandemic made single ingredient sourcing tricky, but it didn't stop the brand from opening four new outlets in 2020.</p>.<p>"The wide scope of Asian cuisine allows us to have dishes like Nikkei Tacos, various dumplings, and choices in maki and sushi rolls," he said. From an innovation standpoint, their Asian Burrata salad or a Togarashi black rice maki stand uniquely apart.</p>.<p>It is a pleasant feeling walking by Rua 31 de Janeiro in Panjim, where tapas bars like Antonio@31 and Makutsu create a vibrant street around the famous Joseph Bar. Walk further to Patto, where Miguel's and Tataki offer immersive cocktail and dining experiences, all with a tapas twist.</p>.<p>Goa is on a tapas hyperdrive with immersive bars like Barsa (Assagao), Bo Tai (Vagator) and Pings Bia Hoi (Sangolda), taking it to the next level.</p>.<p>From suburban hubs to the seashores, tapas challenges the traditional Indian concept of serving sizes and has found favour among foodies. Because as the Spanish saying goes, "there is always room for Uno Más (one more)!"</p>.<p><em>(Chandreyi Bandyopadhyay is a marketing communications professional and a freelance writer, an avid traveller and food lover.)</em></p>