This one time we went to a TAPAS bar & my grandma didn't come bc she thought we said were going to a TOPLESS bar.....

.......like I would eat in a strip club.  I mean, come on.  Drink in one?  Well, yeah.  But buffet food that's been sitting out all day in the stank of a beaver den just doesn't sound appealing.    Just me? Anyhoo....I digress.
Today I had a lovely day in Santa Monica.  Ryan signed us up for Trapeze School as part of my bday present. So, we headed for the Santa Monica Pier at 10 am.  I'll get to the trapeze experience in another post but right now, I'm talking food.  Afterward, naturally I was hungry and decided we should walk down the street to Blue Plate Oysterette.  When we arrived, it being a Saturday and all, they were running a wait.  This little spot is always crowded and every time I drive by, the seafood towers and champagne seem to call my name.  Being from the east coast, I crave good seafood and apparently, this is the spot. I've never been but today was not to be the day.  I was STARVING. Like, shaking-blood-sugar-very-low-need food-now starving. Sooooooooo right around the corner is a little Tapas place I have been meaning to try for oooooooohhhh only the last two years or so. There were spots at the bar. Lucky us. Sangria sounded delicious......... And bread............And meat........... And cheese.

Bar Pintxo is a tiny place; 2 tables outside, a bar that seats maybe 8 and a handful of tables. Joe Miller of Joe's in Venice takes all his cues from the tapas bars in Barcelona.  He pretty much nails it.

            And seriously, the happy hour looks amazing.  6 tapas for $6 and sangria for $4.

I can totally make a meal outta that.  One more thing....it 7 DAYS A WEEK! love that. Ok. Food.  Tapas range from $3 - $15 with most being in the $5-$8 range.  The wine list, of course, has all Spanish wines ranging from all over the country.  But we ordered a large Sangria $32.  Not the cheapest but we both got a lot of mileage out of it.

We started with Championes Rellenos.  Crimini Mushrooms filled with mushroom mousse and iadazabal cheese with a piquillo ailoi on toasted bread.  Yum. More please. Croquetas de pollo y jamon...little fried balls of chicken, carmelized onions, jamon serrano and bechamel. I could eat a whole bucket. Piquillo peppers stuffed with crab, yes. Head on jumbo prawns with garlic, lemon-parsley, yes, YES! The aftermath below. I don't have time for pics when I'm hungry... too busy ripping off shrimp heads and sucking on them.

Crispy duck breast, lentils with applewood smoked bacon & chorizo....YES! Datlies Rellenos, dates stuffed with blue cheese and bacon.

Majorican sausage with melted spanish cheese, and honey on warm bread.......

and I actually passed on dessert but next time, those churros are mine.  We hardly even got through the menu.  So glad this place is minutes from my house.  I think I will be a new regular. Maybe I can bring my grandma here too at some point, there being no naked ladies and all. GO. Feel like you're in Spain. 109 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, Ca
www.barpintxo.com