Editor Pick
Malaga Wine and Tapas Bar
- April 24, 2001
- Rated 3 of 5 by
Liza from St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
If you have never been to a tapas bar then this is a must try. Tapas is a wonderful Spanish tradition where appetizer-sized portions of food are served to a table of people and are shared amongst everyone. It's a great social atmosphere with friends, the wine is constantly flowing and it becomes more of a dinner event than just a meal. It's great if you want to try a sample of something different or if you just want something small to eat.
Malaga is a relatively new restaurant located downtown Austin in the lively Warehouse District. It's a large hardwood floored, narrow room with dark paneled walls, super-high ceilings and bottles of wine stacked everywhere. (Check out the cool tea lights on the tables that are set in etched, recycled soup cans.) It's casual and cozy, although it's a bit on the upscale side and somewhat trendy. The menu is not as extensive as other tapas restaurants I have eaten at, but all the choices on the menu are very good. Prices range from $3 for marinated olives to $7.50 for whisky beef tips. My favorites are the peppercorn encrusted raw tuna served with a creamy horseradish sauce and the spinach artichoke dip served with crusty crostini. They also make a great fried calamari that's very tender, not to forget mentioning their extensive by-the-glass or by-the-bottle wine list.
After dining you are conveniently located in the heart of Austin's nightlife, so it's a short walk to many of the best places. Immediately next door (and owned by the same people as Malaga) is a martini and cigar bar, Cedar Street Courtyard and Bar. It's a bit pretentious, but fun nonetheless. Or try Fado's Irish Pub two more doors down. Of course you can walk the short distance of two blocks to Austin's well-known 6th Street.
From journal Edible Austin