Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar: Austin, TX
ta·pa
n. pl. ta·pas (-päs, -päz)
Any of various small, savory Spanish dishes, often served as a snack or with other tapas as a meal.
Tapas are a wonderful thing, and at Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar in Austin, Tx, they are wonderfully done. Any of the small plates of brilliantly conceived and artfully executed bits and bites offered up on the menu at Malaga is worthy of exclaim.
Malaga is a blend of different, distinct styles that, in the context of this trendy, downtown Austin hot spot, work well together. Located on the edge of the Warehouse district on 4th Street, you walk up three stairs into the entrance and are treated to a long, narrow, deep establishment stretching out before you.
The wooden bar stretches the length of the room, along the right wall. Behind the bar are tiers of premium alcohols, broken in regular intervals by diamond shaped wine bins that stack to the ceiling, The far wall is similarly adorned with wine bins. After all, it takes quite a bit of storage to support the extensive Wine List at Malaga.
The pride of this seven page list is extensive selection of Tempranillo and Tempranillo Blends. For our brief, pre-dinner stop at Malaga, we went straight to this section of the list. After brief consideration we settled on a 1998 Montecillo Gran Reserva. While the wine could have benefited from about a half hours worth of decanting, it was still excellent as-is. Enjoyed slowly over the course of our stay, it opened up in the glass and took on notes of elegance as the mature tannins softened.
However, what is an excellent wine, without the right food to enjoy alongside it? Piquillos Rellenos de Queso or as my dinner partner liked to refer to them, stuff stuffed with stuff…always a good choice. Four bright red, fire roasted Spanish piquillo peppers are stuffed with a mixture of fresh goat cheese, capers and chives, drizzled with olive oil and served with fresh baked herb bread squares. The peppers themselves were both tangy and sweet, with a soft texture. The warm, soft goat cheese with the added kick of capers really filled the entire palette with just the smallest bite. The flavors, colors and textures of this dish were playful and excellent.
With this we enjoyed the Plato de Chorizo, Queso y Fruta. This essential little of this, little of that fruit and cheese plate, proved a cool, aromatic contrast to the stuffed peppers. Red seedless grapes, thin sliced green apple and thin sliced pear were joined on the plate with Pamplona Chorizo and a trio of three Spanish cheeses, Mahon, Cabrales and Manchego.
While we only stopped in for a snack and a great bottle of wine, you could easily enjoy a full meal at Malaga. If you consider that two Tapas plates will generally equal an entree, order accordingly. They have great desserts as well, including such traditional Spanish favorites as Manchego Cheese & Quince Preserve.
Malaga Wine & Tapas Bar
208 W 4th St
Austin, TX 78701
(512) 236-8020
