Pardon The Punctuation...for those of you who have been following me for a while you know how much I love me some Spanish tapas. Specially a place that offer authentic Spanish food. Mundaka restaurant in Carmel, California offers just that. Hidden in a tiny courtyard in the heart of downtown Carmel sits this quaint spot. In a part of the country where you're surrounded by people discussing which private jet they own it's nice to find an unpretentious place like this. Right when you walk in you're greeted by a leg of "Jamon Iberico" which will make you smile every time. My server Robert was outstanding, knowledgeable, and really loved his job. A+ all the way. Here's what was for dinner.
Patatas Bravas: fried potatoes, brava sauce, aioli. A solid version of a traditional tapa. The potatoes tasted freshly cut and the brava sauce was excellent.
Croquetas: Applewood smoked bacon,olive, bechamel. These were okay. I'm more of a fan of the traditional Spanish croqueta with jamon serrano instead of the applewood bacon. Also it had a little too much bread crumb for my taste.
Garbanzos: fried garbanzo beans, white truffle salt. Perfectly made Spanish garbanzos. As far as I'm concerned if you had to only order one thing to munch on with with a beer this would be it. The truffle salt was a nice touch. I can't to make them at home and add the truffle
Hamburguesa: mini lamb burger, pickled cauliflower, truffle fries. This was a delicious plate. The lamd was perfectly seasoned and the fries tasted fresh like my grandmother used to make them. Yummy.
Calabacin: Summer Squash, toasted almonds, manchego. A nice vegetarian dish. Could have used a little more manchego.
Butterscotch Crema Catalana: The butterscotch worked really well for this interpretation of crema Catalana. Nicely torched sugar on top with that rich custard...yum.
Pan Con Chocolate: All I'm going to say is that I could eat this for breakfast lunch and dinner. The sea salt brought out the intense flavors for the chocolate.
If you're in Carmel make your way over to Mundaka. The family atmosphere will make you a customer for life.
