Salud!

Sure everybody knows that sangria is not probably the highest grade of wine. After all, it's obtained from the third press, the press that is supposedly unfit for consumption. But if you have tried, what we have tried at Zara, then my dearies, that opinion is just about to change.

With over 15 new starters and different varieties of sangria and cocktails to choose from, this one's a veritable treat. The starters are varied and if you thought that Spain had nothing to offer except the usual paella, sausages and omelettes, then think again. From the delicately flavoured cilantro chicken to the robust chickpea salad, it's a delight all the way. There is also the heavenly grilled chicken with basil mozzarella and tomatoes and the honey garlic prawns, which should feature high on the priority list. And the Spanish have also gone a long way in establishing that it is not only the Swiss who make excellent cheeses. Don't believe us? Then try the manchego cheese platter and your opinion will change faster than you can say moo!

When it comes to the sangria, Zara did, for a brief period did have an extensively crafted Sangria menu which had everything from winter woodiness to tropical tastiness. I really wish they would bring it back though!  However, I do recommend the red wine sangria very very strongly. Two glasses and trust me, I’m a happy child! The white wine sangria is also extremely refreshing, with the wine used having a slightly citrusy, sharp note…that plays off beautifully with the crisp chunks of golden fruit. When it comes to cocktails, the highballs (90 ml of alcohol is used as opposed to 45-60 ml which is the usual measure) such as Long Island Ice tea and Bullfrog are definitely worth a shot!

Though Spain is not particularly known for its vegetarian fare, we are pleasantly surprised with the choice of starters on offer. While the Cajun spiced corn kernels is nothing to shout about, the cheese stuffed jalapeno peppers,, served with chunky salsa is a clear winner. Also worth a mention is the mushrooms in red wine and pimentos. Delicately flavoured with garlic and rosemary, this subtle dish is quite strong in flavour.

When we are talking tapas, can chorizo, beef and tenderloin be far behind? Do try the grilled beef tenderloin with potato mash, which is rare, but rendered to perfection. Another hugely popular dish is the Spanish chorizo and baby potatoes. Robust and rich, this one is full of flavour, spice and all things nice. If you are stuffed to the gills after this fabulous feast, then do not despair. Just wash down your meal with yet another heady glass of sangria, and see the world drift by in slow motion. Salud!

Spanish sojourn

There is nothing ordinary about Zara. Not the ambience, not the staff, not the music, not the drinks…and most definitely, not the food. Food, did you hear? Yes, you heard right. While the popular restobar in the city has the crowd ooh-ing and aahing about their delectable, yet affordable cocktails, one service that hasn’t got its due is their delightful food.

Armed with an appetite and a determination to discover more, my colleague and I set off one sunny afternoon to try out the tapas and more at Zara. It’s my friend’s first time here (yes, I know shocking!) and needless to say, she is charmed. “Reminds me of the pubs I used to haunt in the UK,” she quips. I somberly remind her that my club experiences have been limited to the Indian map, but if this is what UK pubs are like…then I’m sure, I will like!

Not wasting any time, we decide to tackle their lunch combos. We pick the sangria as our weapon of choice, a refreshing white one for me and a heady, sweet, red one for her. With crisp, juicy chunks of tropical fruit, the sangria not only soothes my frazzled nerves, but is a revitalising start to the meal. For the starters, our pick is the crumb fried cottage cheese fingers, the Mexican fried spicy chicken wings and the chicken sausages tossed with soy and ginger. While the cheese sticks were simple and subtly flavoured, the sausages were zingy, spicy and complemented our drinks very well. The dipping sauces come in the form of salsa, an interesting spicy mayonnaise and a smooth and piquant tomato sauce.

Slightly stuffed but in the mood for more, the main course brings us to a plethora of choices, but mostly of the Mexican, Spanish, Italian lineage. While the garbanzo beans and mixed vegetables cooked in spicy tomato gravy, reminds me of our very own chhole, the vegetable and bean burrito, passes muster. However, the curried cottage cheese with Alfredo sauce and cheese was a mouth-watering treat, as was the batter fried fish, topped with creamed spinach and cheese.

With no place in our stomachs for even a single morsel more, my friend and I decide to take a rain check on the desserts. However, the next time around, the crepes with orange glaze and ice cream is surely going to be a must have on my list.

The food choices at Zara keeps changing once a month, so as to ensure that the menu is always fresh and updated; something we rarely find at restaurants nowadays. The very healthy portions and affordable prices do not compromise on the quality of the food and this is where the Tapas bar scores way above its counterparts. Salud!

Livin’ La Vida Loca

 

When David Villa and his band of boys took home the Holy Grail of football thanks to some brilliant footwork by Andres Iniesta’s 116th-minute strike, the entire stadium erupted in cheer with the vuvuzelas blowing loud and clear. Yes, it was the night when the Dutch dream was shattered and Holland cried orange tears.

Far far away, in a land littered with clichés of being called ‘the mystical place of snake charmers, Kamasutra, sadhus and slums’, and further down south in seemingly conservative Chennai there was one quaint little place called Zara Tapas Bar which was celebrating the victory of Spain. Why you may ask? Well, though they don’t really need an introduction, Zara is India’s first Tapas bar and probably one of the best pubs in Chennai. 

As I sat at the pub on a muggy evening watching the finals, nestling my tall glass of sangria (that is my way of supporting Spain, apart from drooling over David Villa) a thought suddenly struck me! As a resident of Chennai and now well into my drinking prime, I have probably spent many a night at this pub drinking, talking, dancing and simply ‘sitting’ night after night with friends, strangers and just about every body. Such is the charm of Zara. Not once will you feel out of place, not once will you be asked to leave, unless of course you beat up the manager (I wouldn’t advise this because he has personally spoken at length with me about his fitness routine).

Truth be told though, if there is one reason I keep going back to Zara, It is probably because I personally think they have the best tapas, cocktails and food. Their Spanish sangrias, which come by the pitcher or glass is made with a combination of chunky tropical fruits and wines, dances like a Spanish chica doing the salsa in front of me. The starters range from the ever popular nachos, to interesting dishes like the jalapeno stuffed with cheese, spicy chicken and cheese, cottage cheese and potato nuggets, shredded crispy lamb with peppers, mushrooms and pimentos in a red wine reduction…the list just goes on!

I have said this before, and I’d like to reinstate that for me, if there is a bar in Chennai that really just lets me ‘be’, it would have to be Zara. The place has become a friend in need of sorts- Monday blues, Tuesday musings, Girl’s night on Wednesdays, retro Thursdays, or the Friday-Saturday weekend partying, there is something for everybody at Zara. It’s like a one size fits all…sigh, if only clothes were like that!