[Disclosure: We were invited for a complimentary dinner at Tasca Dali for the purposes of this blog]
Say the words ‘Tasca Dali‘ to anyone in Warwick, and the chances are they’ll have an anecdote from one – or many – visits to the little place on the High Street that quietly appears to have been keeping people happy for the last 12 years.
When those premises went up for sale, it could have spelled the end of Tasca Dali. But instead, it marked the start of a new chapter – one that co-owner Alex Clayton vows will mean the restaurant will remain in Warwick for least another 20 years.
A great thing for the town, in my humble opinion, if the food continues to impress in the same way it did when Mum and I went along to the new venue slap-bang in the middle of Warwick’s Market Place.
No menu – just five courses of traditional Spanish fare put together by the team, many of whom remain the same. And served up with wine from producers that the owners boast personal relationships with, and a personal element that reminds you that Warwick is the bastion of independent eateries packed with personality and passion.
Tasca Dali’s location may have changed, but everything else has stayed pretty constant. Jorge ´George´ Triana is now co-owner as well as manager, working alongside head chef José ‘Jonny’ Darias Delgado, as well as Rafa Liste Toledo in the kitchen and Nohemi Ramos front of house, comprising a team who have been with the restaurant for more than seven years.
We arrive early on a Saturday and while the restaurant itself is cold, the welcome is warm. It’s a bigger space than the previous venue, and didn’t quite have the cosy feel you might want from this kind of restaurant, but that was soon helped with the arrival of table after table after table until the place was full. From big tables at the front of the restaurant, to people perched on higher stools at small tables tucked in corners, not to mention the walk-ins that have to be turned away.
With no menu, we’re not sure what we’re going to get, which adds to the excitement. As does a large glass of wine from a list of producers that Tasca Dali proudly say they know well. Soon it’s joined by a large tapas platter to kick things off. Stereotypical some might say, or just authentic? I’ll go with the latter, especially given the quality of what’s on it.
Serrano ham and Spanish sausage, sliced thinly as it would be over there in Spain where the sun shines. Iberian cheese and Manchego, with all the salty nuttiness that makes them so great. There’s bread and good quality olive oil.
But it’s the Spanish omelette that secures top spot. Not quite Bar Nestor tortilla, but a different beast. Less oozy, potato packed, but still full of flavour. And we can’t forget the mojo sauces that transport me right back to the Canary Islands with their sweet, heat-laced tang.
We’re enthused. We speculate over whether it’s just because we’re hungry but agree that no, that was a good start. It gets better. The joys of a surprise menu is you can’t make silly mistakes like ignoring a simple soup. Because this vegetable soup is excellent. Potatoes, asparagus and leek, with a heat of ginger, and topped with crispy fried Serrano ham.
If there were any fears that Tasca might be playing it safe, the next two courses put paid to those. They also live up to owner Alex’s claims that this is a place whwere it’s about cooking in the traditional Spanish way, in the way that they’ve been preparing meals in their homes for generations.
That means none of the standard ‘Spanish’ fare you’ll find on chain tapas restaurant menus. The third course is a fillet of trout, cooked just right and served with beetroot, and a mint yoghurt and white wine sauce. The description is enough to raise both of our eyebrows, and I’m convinced it won’t work. Yet it does. The lactic tang of the yoghurt and freshness of the mint cuts through the trout, while the beetroot adds colour and earthiness.
The only criticism, if any, is that it’s the size of a standard main course – despite being part of a five-course taster menu. As is the hefty chicken that comes next. It’s stuffed with goats cheese and mushroom and wrapped in more of that Serrano ham sourced from Spain, then draped in a vibrant blueberry sauce and perched on thick slabs of potato.
It’s a daunting prospect, especially after the trout. And not the most delicate of dishes to tackle. But its rustic appearance has a rustic, home-cooked feel of traditional Spain. And more importantly, the flavours are good. We each vow we won’t be able to eat even half of it, then proceed to devour far more than that. Even if it does leave us groaning at our full bellies.
Dessert is Tarta de Santiago – a traditional Spanish almond cake that I only learned about thanks to a WI Spanish Cookery Course for work. Yes, I did just write that.
But that’s where any criticism ends. I can see why Tasca Dali has such a great reputation. It’s simple, authentic, honest food served by people who care and aren’t scared to do their own thing. There’s no Instagrammable flower wall, no slick gimmicks. It’s just good food, focused on flavour, and served up with decent Spanish wine and beers.
I don’t know about you, but that will more than do for me. And I have a feeling it’ll more than do for everyone else too.
