La Tasca's and a Glorious Tabla de Quesos Españoles

I'm all for trying new places and new things, but there are always those places that you find your mind drifting back to, and know that it'll never disappoint. That's how La Tasca's is for us (Katie and me). There are several locations, but our fall-back is the one on King Street in Old Town Alexandria. This place has seen us through many a date night, date happy hour, date luncheon..whatever. Turns out Spanish Tapas are delicious no matter what time of day it is.

I can personally vouch for the savignon blanc, and I'm pretty sure that at this point we've sampled all of the vegetarian and seafood options and never been disappointed (except for maybe the fried calamari..it was on special and we got talked into it.) Some of our regulars include: Montado de Salmon Y queso Fresco- toasted bread with smoked salmon and cream cheese, Arroz Cremoso de Setas- Spanish risotto with Manchego cheese, porcini, and wild mushrooms, Setas al Ajillo- assorted wild mushrooms lightly sauteed in garlic and olive oil. etc etc. The point is, the menu is extensive, and we spend long periods of time perusing and discussing what 5-6 would make the most delectable meal.

This past time we visited La Tasca's, fueled by leaving the baby and our keys at home in good hands, we ordered a pitcher of Sangria and began our methodical discussion of the menu. We decided to begin with a few starters-- a mixed bowl of olives, some garlic and a cheese platter--of which we have yet to stop talking. See below

Tabla de Quesos Españoles

A sampling of imported Spanish cheeses served with quince paste: (in order from mildest to strongest)
Tetilla – A mild cow’s milk cheese, aged only one week and great with sliced apples
Manchego – A mild, slightly salty sheep’s milk cheese with a grainy texture
Delicia de Cabra – A goat cheese that is creamy, elastic, and extremely white in color; it is mild and salty
Serena – A soft, spreadable cheese made from Merino sheep’s milk; has a buttery flavor
Cabrales – A blue veined cheese cured in Asturian mountain caves, smells more potent that it tastes

Never have I been more delighted with a cheese platter. Needless to say, though we ordered a few other things, we filled up on cheese and Sangria. Decadent!