Ordering tapas for the first time can feel like a puzzle. How many? All at once? Which ones? The good news is that there are no strict rules — just a rhythm that makes the meal better.
How many tapas per person?
As a rule of thumb, order two to three tapas per person if tapas are the whole meal. If you plan to share a paella afterwards, one or two per person is plenty as a starter.
It is always better to order a little less and add more later than to fill the table at once. Tapas are meant to be ordered in rounds.
Start cold, then go warm
A natural order is to begin with something cold and simple while you settle in, then move on to hot dishes.
To start:
- Pan tumaca — bread with tomato and olive oil
- Entremés Ibéricos — a board of hand-carved Ibérico cold cuts
- Bandeja de Quesos — three cured Spanish cheeses
Then something hot:
- Patatas bravas
- Croquetas de jamón ibérico
- Gambas al ajillo
- Calamares a la andaluza
- Albóndigas — Spanish meatballs in tomato sauce
Mix the flavours
A good tapas table balances textures and ingredients: something fried, something from the sea, something with vegetables, something with meat. For example:
- Crisp: patatas bravas or calamares
- From the sea: gambas al ajillo or pulpo a la gallega
- Green: pimientos de Padrón or vegetable tempura
- Rich: chorizo braised in red wine or croquetas
Finish with a paella — or don't
Many tables end with a paella to share. It is cooked to order, so it takes a little time, and some are served for two or more. At Lalín Tapas, the Paella de Marisco (CHF 36) and the Paella Mixta (CHF 39) are the usual choices; the Arroz con Pato y Foie (CHF 46) is the house speciality.
What to drink
- With seafood: an Albariño, a fresh white wine from Galicia
- With fried tapas: Cava — the bubbles cut through the richness
- With cold cuts and meat: a Tempranillo from Rioja or Ribera del Duero
- For the table: a jug of sangría
Several wines on the Lalín wine list are available by the glass, so you can try more than one.
Save room for dessert
Crema Catalana, Tarta de Santiago (a Galician almond cake) and a warm chocolate fondant close the meal properly.
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Lalín Tapas is at Zentralstrasse 111, 8003 Zürich, open Wednesday to Sunday. Book a table online.