Tappas
by Sue Gordon
It's never easy to launch a new restaurant, particularly in a suburban locale where the existing options are mainly chain restaurants and pizza shops. People are used to going elsewhere for more stylish dining options. That's why, on a Friday evening barely two weeks past opening, it was particularly gratifying to see the dining room at Tapas on Main fill up with chatty, smiling diners in parties of twos and fours and more. Clearly, this refreshingly creative newcomer to the Bucks County dining scene has stuck a chord with mid-county residents hungering for something beyond Blooming Onions and Stromboli.
Located on busy York Road just north of Almshouse Rd in Jamison, Tapas on York is the collaboration of CIA-trained chef, Ernie Pio, and Tina Kelley, owner of the popular Lynchino's Catering of Huntingdon Valley. Ernie and Tina share a passion for food and hospitality and have created a menu that is brave enough for foodies, while still offering a bevy of dishes to satisfy more traditional palates. The décor is casual and sophisticated. An open kitchen, surrounded by a counter faced with natural stone, serves as the restaurant's focal point. Well-spaced tables, modern lighting and colorful Picasso-esque paintings give the main dining room an upbeat, contemporary vibe.
When you first hear the name Tapas on York you might assume, like I did, that the restaurant serves Spanish-inspired food. And, like me, you would be wrong. Here the word "tapas" simply refers to the concept of building your meal around multiple small plates, sharing encouraged. The menu is totally eclectic and hard to describe in terms of one or two specific cuisines. However, the chef's preferences seem to tilt slightly towards New Orleans and the Southwest.
Since this was our first visit, and we wanted to get an overview of the portion sizes and seasonings, my husband and I ordered a series of smaller plates to share, and also two of the larger entrée-sized portions.
Some of the hits at Tapas include: Creamy Apple Onion Soup, similar in texture to French onion, but with a chicken base and ribbons of sautéed apples melding with the translucent onions. A sprinkling of cheddar cheese and a hint of cinnamon gave this sweet savory soup a lovely, deep flavor. The Shrimp Po' Boy Bruschetta, fresh chopped tomato salad with peppers and onions, mounded on slices of crusty French bread and topped with a plump fried shrimp, was a nice combination of tang and texture.
To finish reading about Tapas on York, turn to page 133 in our Winter 2014 issue of Bucks County Magazine.