HAVING recently returned from Barcelona I was excited to see how Mold’s new tapas bar measured up.
I tried El Tomate with a group of friends from work on a Thursday evening and was very impressed.
For those not familiar with tapas, they are small dishes which you order several of, so there is no first and main course format.
As someone prone to indecision where placing food orders is concerned, I love the way you get to taste different dishes and share them with those at your table.
We opted to choose three dishes each, which we then shared between the five of us. Pretty much everything on the menu sounded delicious to me and when the food came I was not disappointed.
Among my favourites were the patatas bravas, a classic tapas dish of sautéed potatoes and a spicy tomato sauce and the lamb casserole with tomatoes, peppers, aubergines and sweet potato.
Calamari is very difficult to get right and these were far better than some I have tasted in the past.
Overall we were all very pleased with our selection and I was pleased to note that
there were many more tasty sounding options on the menu, which warranted a return visit.
We were all fairly full by this point but tempted by the desert menu, which offered miniature tapas style deserts for only £2.50 each.
For those who like something sweet to finish their meal but can’t manage a large pudding, these are perfect.
I was spoilt for choice as all the options sounded lovely but finally settled for the lemon and raspberry tart, which arrived stunningly presented on a stand with the other desserts and was delicious.
El Tomate brings a good quality yet affordable taste of Spain to Mold and I shall definitely be returning.
The Bill
(Between five people)
2 x bread basket at £1.75 each
2 x olives at £1.95 each
Garlic bread with cheese £1.95
Suckling pig with black pudding, chorizo and tomato £4.25
Meatballs and tomato sauce £3.95
Chicken with red chilli pepper saunce £3.50
Croquettes filled with ham and cheese x2 £3.95
Lamb casserole £4.95
Welsh Menai mussels £3.95
Squid rings x 2 at £4.25 each
Tiger prawns £4.95
Patatas Bravas £2.95
Breaded goat’s cheese, tomatoes and red onion and sweet chilli marmalade £4.25
Creamy garlic mushrooms £2.95
Fried potatoes with sweet peppers, spring onions and chilli £3.25
Glass of rose and lemonade x 2 at £3.60
Pepsi £1.70
Lemonade x2 at £1.70
Stawberry cheesecake, pavlova, crème caramel and lemon tart x2, each at £2.50
Tea £3
Total £94.85