"Tapa," from the Spanish tapar meaning "to cover," traditionally means a small snack whose purpose is to serve as an informal lid for one's cerveza to keep unwanted pests from taking a dip (that's flies we're talking about, not friends!). Here at Emiliano's, we refer to tapas conversationally as the small snacks that comes before a meal: appetizers. But when it comes to flavor, have no doubt, we've got you "covered."
What is a Tapa?
"The eating of tapas lies at the heart of Spanish tradition, where friends come together to share bowls of simple yet delicious morsels washed down with a glass of chilled sherry or wine.
The word "tapa" means literally "lid" in Spanish. This comes from the days when bar owners served their customers a drink with an edible lid placed over the glass to keep out the flies... from here grew the extraordinary variety of tapas found today in bars all over Spain, ranging from a simple bowl of marinated olives… to bubbling dishes of garlic prawns."
The Essential Mediterranean Cookbook
Tapas Calientes (hot tapas)
tortas de cangrejo
grilled lemon-tarragon crab cakes served with a spicy chipotle aioli
camarones “jerk”
large shrimp sautéed in our spicy sweet jerk sauce, served with amarillos and roasted red pepper aioli
camarones al ajillo
large shrimp sautéed in a garlic and butter ajillo sauce with red and green peppers
mejillones a la marinera
PEI mussels steamed in a white wine and garlic sauce finished with fresh basil and fire roasted tomatoes
arroz y frijoles
a small serving of our popular black beans over your choice of white or spanish rice
vieras y chorizos al jerez
sea scallops and spanish sausage sautéed in a rich sherry sauce
calamari
fried calamari served over field greens tossed in a balsamic vinagrette
empanadas
traditional fried stuffed pastry turnover with a daily selection of fillings
tostones full
“twice fried” green plantains, crunchy and golden, served with our garlicky “mojito”
amarillos full
sweet fried ripe plantains
yuca frita
fried yuca wedges served with our garlicky “mojito”
escalivada
grilled vegetables served hot with olive oil and herbs, topped with parmesan cheese, and served with crisp pita points
nachos cubanos
blue and yellow corn chips smothered with black beans, beef picadillo, white
cheddar cheese, tomato-jalapeno salsa, sour cream and guacamole
alcachofas rellenas
spinach-ricotta stuffed artichoke hearts topped with a creamy béchamel sauce
warm brie
in a spicy mango glaze served with pita chips
mediterranean flat bread
grilled flat bread topped with a rich black olive tapenade, artichoke hearts, fresh tomatoes, chopped basil, and parmesan cheese
arepitas
a trio of mini manchego-corn griddle cakes topped with black bean pesto and fried capers, poblano olivada, and poached tiger shrimp with avocado puree and tomato-jalapeno salsa
crab stuffed portobello
baked portobello mushroom cap with a crabmeat stuffing, topped with queso blanco, served over a calabaza-jalapeño cream sauce
alcapurrias
traditional stuffed masa fritters, one yuca, one plantain, filled with beef picadillo, served with a ginger-acerola reduction.
chorizos españoles
spanish sausage sauteed with chopped garlic, onions and peppers
Tapas Frias (cold tapas)
chips and salsa
black bean-corn salsa with toasted pita chips
tomato-jalapeno salsa with corn chips
hummus trio
classic garbanzo, black bean-red pepper, and red bean-cilantro, served with warm chips
cheese plate
manchego, mahon, and drunken goat cheese whith serrano ham and seasonal fruit served with crostinis
ensalada de pollo al curri
our popular jamaican curry chicken salad served with green apple slices, grapes and pita toast
ceviche de vieras
scallops marinated in lime juice with cilantro, red onion, peppers and garlic
Porciones (portions)
porciones are single a la carte servings of some of our popular latin classics. these are perfect for paring with other tapas to create a special meal
arepas de maiz
a serving of three parmesan-yellow corn griddle cakes
paellita
a small serving of our signature paella with chicken, fish, clams, mussels and shrimp
churrasco
grilled sliced marinated flank steak topped with chimichurri
ropa vieja
shredded flank steak braised in a rich red wine-tomato sauce with onions and capers