This week I was invited along to Tapas Revolution to try out all of their new vegan friendly dishes. Having never been to this restaurant before, I was really looking forward to trying something new and with the weather in the UK reaching mediterranean highs it was the perfect time to enjoy some Spanish cuisine!
I visited the Bluewater restaurant which is conveniently located in the middle of the shopping centre, making it the ideal spot for refuelling in-between all of the spending! As expected the restaurant has a lovely welcoming feel to it with a mix of bar, booth and table seating. It's also the kind of place you could definitely enjoy eating alone without feeling weird about it.
If you didn't already know, Tapas Revolution was founded by award winning celebrity Spanish chef Omar Allibhoy. Omar has really succeeded in putting Tapas on the map in the UK by bringing his much loved simple style of Spanish cooking to no less than 7 locations across the UK. Along with his restaurants he also has also published two hugely successful cook books, Tapas Revolution and Spanish Made Simple.
When it comes to food I am a grazer and I am also someone who always wants to try a little bit of everything. If you're anything like me then you will love tapas! The small hot and cold dishes are ideal for sharing and suitable for any time of day or occasion, whether it be a small casual lunch or a big group dinner. I always tend to save tapas for when I am visiting Spain so it made a really nice change to enjoy it in the UK too. The food along with the heatwave made me feel like I was on holiday anyway!
Our meal kicked off with some 'Picoteo' (nibbles to you and I), and included Pan Con Tomate (toasted bread with tomato, garlic and olive oil), Pan Con Alioli (bread and alioli - yes vegan!) and some Pimientos De Padron (fried sweet green peppers). I was so impressed that vegan alioli is on the menu here and to be honest that alone makes a visit worthwhile!
Next up we enjoyed my favourite dish of the entire meal, the Berenjenas Fritas (crispy fried aubergine with muscavado syrup). If you visit Tapas Revolution, and whether you're vegan, vegetarian or a meat eater, I urge you all to make sure these are on your order. They're divine!
One dish which really pleasantly surprised me was the Ensalada De Alcachofas (crispy green salad, artichoke hearts, green beans, roast peppers and tomatoes in a green olive tapenade). I'm not usually one to ever order a salad when I eat out and it usually presents itself as the most stereotypical vegan option on menus, however I would 100% order this salad again. I don't think i've ever tasted a salad so flavoursome and moreish! I really couldn't get enough of it.
By this point I was feeling pretty full and it surprised me just how filling these small dishes actually are. That being said, I was more than keen to try both the Patas Bravas (roasted potatoes with spicy sauce and alioli - an all time favourite) and of course it wouldn't be a Spanish meal without some Paella De Verduras (vegetable paella). Both of these dishes were exactly what I was hoping for and really made me reminisce about past holidays in Spain and the Canary Islands. We also got to try the Enslada De Tomates (a selection of 6 different tomatoes on a bed of salmorejo tomato sauce) which is a must for any tomato lovers.
The final dish presented to us was one I am very familiar with, but sadly not a fan of, Gazpacho (basically cold tomato soup!). This Gazpacho is a little different to what you may be used to as it also has a watermelon twist to it which certainly made it taste a little fruitier. I think when it comes to Gazpacho you either love it or hate it and even though I can appreciate how refreshing it is on a hot day, it's just not for me!
One thing I can always get on board with though is Churros! These crispy doughnuts coated in cinnamon sugar and served with a little cup of hot dipping chocolate are just heavenly. The most perfect end to any meal, not just the Spanish kind.
In terms of vegetarian options that aren't vegan there is of course the Tortilla De Patatas (classic Spanish omelette) and Piquillos Rellenos De Setas (piquillo peppers filled with mushroom béchamel sauce). There are also gluten free options available. Check out their menu for more information.
I really hadn't been expecting to love every dish at Tapas Revolution as much as I did and I left the restaurant feeling quite amazed by the quality of the food. I would certainly recommend it to everyone and it's so good to see yet another chain restaurant jump on the vegan bandwagon and offer up some really decent options. Restaurants like this are making it more and more easier to be vegan and ensure that vegans can also enjoy meals out with their meat eating friends.
Have you been to Tapas Revolution before?
What's your favourite dish?
* complimentary meal, all views are my own.
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