Arturos Tapas Restaurant
Tapas
The History of Tapas. According to legend, the tapa tradition began when Castile's King Alfonso the Wise recovered from an illness by drinking wine and nibbling small dishes between meals. The King subsequently ordered taverns to serve food along with wine and the tapas became a kind of loophole in the Spanish law allowing people to drink.
The original tapas were slices of bread placed on top of glasses of sherry between sips. This was a practical measure to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry. However enterprising Bartenders started putting small snacks on the bread, and the lowly tapa (from the verb tapar, "to cover") became as important as the sherry.
Nowadays, tapas are requested as starters or as main courses. Generally 3 – 4 tapas dishes are adequate for a main meal.
1. Sopa del Dia |
Soup of the day served with croutons |
£3.25 |
2. Pan de Ajo |
Garlic Bread (v) |
£1.95 |
3. Pan de Ajo con Queso |
Garlic Bread with Cheese (v) |
£2.20 |
4. Pan a la Catalana |
Toasted Bread topped with garlic, tomato and coriander (v) |
£2.80 |
5. Pan Mediterraneo |
Toasted Bread topped with tomato sauce, melted cheese and anchovies |
£3.00 |
6. Mexican Style Nachos |
Nachos topped with melted cheese, served with Salsa sauce, fresh jalapenos, red onions and homemade sour cream. (v) |
£3.70 |
7. Aceitunas Mixtas |
Mixed marinated Olives (v) |
£2.25 |
8. Reina Pepiada Ensalada |
Chicken and lemon mayonnaise mixed with fresh avocado and fresh parsley |
£4.25 |
9. Ensalada Mixta |
Leaf salad with tomato, tuna, onion and egg wedges |
£3.65 |
10. Queso Iberico |
Iberico cheese served with Membrillo jelly (v) |
£4.50 |
11. Jamón Serrano |
The famous Spanish cured Serrano ham |
£5.25 |
12. Selección de Embutido |
Selection of Spanish cured meats |
£5.25 |
13. Patatas Bravas |
Fried potato topped with a spicy tomato Sauce (v) |
£3.95 |
14. Patatas Bravas con |
Fried potato served with a spicy tomato Sauce and topped with melted cheese (v) |
£4.15 |
15. Tortilla Española |
Traditional Spanish Omelette (v) |
£4.50 |
16. Champiñones al Ajillo |
Mushrooms lightly sautéed in garlic and olive oil (v) |
£3.35 |
17. Queso Frito |
Fried Brie with Redcurrant Jelly (v) |
£4.95 |
18. Dominos |
Traditional South American Tapas. Black bean topped with white cheese (v) |
£4.00 |
19. Albondigas |
Meatballs in Tomato Sauce |
£4.95 |
20. Pollo al Ajillo |
Chicken breast cooked in white wine and garlic |
£5.25 |
21. Pollo Picante |
Chicken breast cooked in garlic, tomato and fresh chilli peppers |
£5.25 |
22. Pollo al limon |
Chicken in lemon and garlic sauce |
£5.00 |
23. Cajun Chicken. |
Chicken marinated in Mexican Cajun spices |
£4.50 |
24. Alitas de Pollo |
Spicy chicken Wings |
£4.00 |
25. Chorizo al Vino |
Spanish spicy sausages sautéed in red wine |
£4.00 |
26. Lentejas con chorizo |
A traditional Spanish dish. Lentils with Spanish spicy sausages |
£4.00 |
27. Cordero al Vino |
Lamb Shank in a Red Wine Sauce |
£5.95 |
28. Gambas al Ajillo |
King Prawns in Garlic Sauce |
£4.50 |
29. Piri Piri Gambas |
King Prawns in chilli |
£4.50 |
30. Calamares Fritos |
Fried Squid Rings |
£4.00 |
31. Mejillones Mediterraneos |
Mussels in creamy Garlic and white wine sauce |
£5.50 |
32. Pescaditos |
Whitebait served with lemon wedges |
£4.00 |
33. Boquerones |
Fresh Anchovies (not salty) marinated in olive oil and garlic |
£4.00 |
34. Ensalada de Gambas |
Mixed salad topped with prawns in spicy Marie Rose sauce |
£4.25 |
MAIN COURSES AND SALADS
Chili con Carne |
Served with rice and garlic bread. |
£7.00 |
Mexican Enchilada |
3 layers of tortilla filled with chilli con carne and topped with melted cheese and paprika. Served with homemade sour cream |
£7.50 |
Pincho de Carne |
Skewers of seasoned Rump steak or Chicken breast on a bed of mixed salad |
£9.95 |
Salmon con mojo |
Pan fried Salmon drizzled with mojo sauce served on a bed of salad |
£9.95 |
Ensalada Mediterranea |
Mixed salad with cheese, olives, sun dried tomatoes, artichokes and piquillo pepper drizzled with olive oil (V) |
£9.95 |
PAELLAS
Authentic Spanish style paellas, cooked to order. Suitable for a minimum of 2 people. Please allow about 45 mins for these dishes.
Paella Valenciana Saffron flavoured rice with chicken, mussels, squids, prawns and vegetables |
£10.50 per person |
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Paella de pollo y chorizo Saffron flavoured rice with chicken and Spanish sausages and vegetables |
£9.95 per person |
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Paella de Verduras Saffron flavoured rice with mixed vegetables (V) |
£8.95 per person |
Tapas Tasters
New to Tapas
Taster menu 1
(Meat option)
Pollo al Ajillo (chicken in white wine and garlic)
Albondigas a la Jardinera (meatballs)
Chorizo frito al Vino (chorizo in red wine)
Champiñones al Ajillo (garlic mushrooms)
Tortilla Española (potato & onion omelette)
Patatas Bravas (fried potato in a spicy tomato sauce)
£25.00 for 2 persons
Taster menu 2
(Fish option)
Calamares (fried squid rings)
Gambas al Ajillo (king prawns in garlic)
Pescaditos (Whitebait)
Champiñones al Ajillo (garlic mushrooms)
Tortilla Española (potato & onion omelette)
Patatas Bravas (fried potato in a spicy tomato sauce)
£25.00 for 2 persons
Taster menu 3
(mixed - Fish & Meat options)
Gambas al Ajillo (king prawns in garlic)
Pescaditos (Whitebait)
Chorizo al vino (Spicy sausage in red wine)
Pollo al Ajillo (chicken in white wine and garlic)
Champiñones al Ajillo (garlic mushrooms)
Patatas Bravas (fried potato in a spicy tomato sauce)
£25.00 for 2 persons
Taster menu 4
(Vegetarian options)
Pan a la Catalana (bread with garlic, tomato & coriander)
Queso Iberico with Membrillo jelly
Dominos (Black bean & white cheese)
Champiñones al Ajillo (garlic mushrooms)
Tortilla Española (potato & onion omelette)
Patatas Bravas (fried potato in a spicy tomato sauce)
£25.00 for 2 persons