Opened in late April 2017, Tapas 26 is a trendy Spanish tapas restaurant located in the heart of Dempsey Hill. Helmed and led by head Chef Patxi Alvarez, Tapas 26 serves up modern interpretations of classic tapas dishes which are paired well with a fine selection of wines from the best parts of the Iberian Peninsula.

Stepping into 70-seater restaurant, guests are immediately captivated by the elegant simplicity and homeliness of the restaurant, with its white walls decorated with warm wooden furnishings and lighting fixtures.

Tapas 26 has a well curated ala-carte menu, but also features a multi-course degustation. The amuse-bouche for the night was Spanish Croquettes 2-ways, one filled with truffle and cheese, and the other with Iberico Ham. The croquettes were crunchy on the exterior and had creamy and flavorful fillings. Along side were house-made baguettes and early harvest Spanish olive oil, which continued to be replenished throughout the meal.

Throughout the 7 courses there are many standouts and one of those is the Beetroot Salmorejo, served with Tuna Tataki, avocado, and mango sorbet. The Salmorejo, which is a traditional Spanish puree served cold or hot depending on the season, is made with beetroot instead of tomato, giving the soup a vibrancy of colour that could not have been achieved with its classic companion. The Tuna is well marinated and seared, giving it a beautiful char on the outside while still preserving the delicate pink meat on the inside. The sweet mango sorbet is very welcomed and did well to balance the acidity that is prevalent in most elements of the dish.

Another dish that catches a great many diners attention is the Cod Tiradito, which is served with guacamole, chili and piquillo pepper ice cream. A play on the classic Spanish preparation of Leche De Tigre, the cod is marinated with lime for an hour, creating a nice bite which paired nicely with the creaminess of the guacamole and the spiciness of the piquillo pepper ice cream. The dish had a comforting warm heat that wasn’t too overwhelming but definitely potent enough to keep you on your toes.

Perhaps one of the most popular dish on the menu, the Crispy Poached Egg, served with Foie Gras, Cepes Cream and Chanterelles absolutely stole the show. The eggs are cooked souse vide at 60 degrees Celsius and deep fried with panko, creating a textural contrast between the crunch of the panko and the creaminess of the still-molten egg yolk. It is served atop pieces of Foie Gras and a cream of chanterelle mushrooms which added to the decadence of the dish. This is one of the heavier dishes in the course, but surprisingly not overly filling as the portion is just sufficient.

The final dish in the tasting menu is a dessert of Migas, caramelized bread with chocolate and olive oil. The caramelized bread, in addition to being delightfully crunchy, lent an excellent touch of sweetness together with the cinnamon aroma working in synced with the 72% dark chocolate ganache ice cream. In an interesting twist, the olive oil in the dish is served using modern techniques of molecular gastronomy, as delicate little spheres. Each sphere released little bursts of olive oil that helped to round off the whole dish.

With any great Spanish restaurant, Tapas 26’s wine list is very extensive and held a great variety of Spanish wines. The wine list even pinpoints the location of the wine’s creation with little graphics showing the map of that region of Spain, a great complementary read while selecting your wine.

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ADDRESS: 26b Dempsey Rd, Singapore 247693
PHONE: 6479 0100
WEBSITE: http://www.laventana.com.sg/