Muchas Tapas

In light of my recent journey through Madrid and Portugal, it's rather fitting that we reviewed Vega for this month's issue of offBeat. I have plenty of stories to tell and meals to write about from that trip, but I understand that some of you become rather jaded when reading about our adventures through foreign countries. Instead, look out for a special Labor Day edition post on Monday with a few tales from my travels on the Iberian Peninsula.

In the meantime, click on the above link to checkout our review of a tapas bar quite a bit closer to home. As is usually the case with our stories in offBeat, none of our photos were "press worthy." Still, a picture (even a not-so-great one) is worth a thousand words.

The coriander crusted seared tuna could be a lesson in the serendipitous combination of rare tuna and avocado, as long as you get a fresh piece of fish. For best results, order on any day other than Sunday.

Tempura fried frog legs with tomato ailoi. The batter was crisp, light, and greasless, while the aioli provided a nice cooling background.

The Vega Dog of chorizo, grilled onions, and mustard aioli all wrapped inside a cornmeal pancake. Great idea, but it was difficult to eat in a hot dog like manner and the flavor of the chorizo could have been a bit better.

But as I am sure you are well aware, not all sausages are created equal. This special of duck sausage over polenta was the probably the best dish on one particular visit. Smooth texture, rich flavor, with a great spice level.