iTapas

Okay, okay, so maybe the name is a bit too dot-com to be cool. After all, that bubble burst a long time ago. But maybe that's alright. The tapas bubble seems not to have burst yet, and iTapas is one of many small plates restaurants to take this concept and add a California (read: Asian fusion) twist. Will iTapas survive the downward turn this trend is sure to take sometime this decade? Not being a fortune teller, I cannot predict. I can, however, talk about the food...

I have an unholy obsession with garlic. I will order almost anything with this most flavorful bulb as a main component. I've even tried garlic ice cream (and will again, once I buy an ice cream maker!). So it goes without saying that when we spied not one, but three garlicky dishes, I asserted that all three must be ordered. My suggestion was well-received, and we enjoyed the soft shell crab quick-fried in the manner of Chinese salt-and-pepper squid (fried in a light lacy batter, then tossed with salt, pepper, and chilis). Under the direction of owner Hung Le, this recipe gets an update: threads of garlic co-mingle with the rings of serrano and jalapeno peppers that cover each piece of crab, fighting for prominence with bits of scallion and the ever-present kosher salt.

Veering away from the Asian theme for a few plates, we devoured the simply prepared Brussels sprouts in a garlic, butter, wine sauce. This classic combination of flavors was complemented well by the two out of the three wines in my wine flight. Even more suited to the wines? The most popular tapas dish ever: garlic shrimp. A handful of plump shrimp are cooked gently in chili- and garlic-infused butter, then tossed with a bit of parsley and presented in a steaming hot mound rising from a pool of deliciously rich sauce. This was so good, I sopped up the rest of the garlicky goodness with some bread!

Speaking of sauces, the short ribs in a port wine reduction were delectable. Tender to the point of falling apart, bathed in a sinful, paprika-tinged sauce, this warranted another piece of bread to soak up every last flavorful bit. All three of the wines in my flight went well with this dish, though the Malbec seemed to work the best, its finish turning chocolatey after a bite of the beef.

Back on the Asian side, we really enjoyed the tempura green beans. They had just the barest coat of batter, and were served with an unexpected vinegar and soy sauce mixture, instead of the classic tempura sauce. Also on the table was the duck wonton in duck consomme. This dish comes with about seven wontons, each a little bigger than a large walnut. Flavored lightly with ginger, they are centered in a bowl half-filled with a delicately seasoned, yet utterly savory broth accented by thin shavings of scallion.

For dessert, we had the cheese plate and the miniature churros. The cheese plate came with three different (yet never identified) cheeses that we suspect included a brie, asiago, and port salut (though, really, we can't be certain). Also on the plate were parmesan crisps, crackers, quince paste, and an innovative grape salad--red seedless grapes, halved and showered with thin ribbons of mint leaf.

The churros were, predictably, wonderful. It's hard to go wrong with fried dough, especially when it's rolled in a super-sweet cinnamon-sugar mixture. The shot of hot chocolate that sat next to them was a bit too sweet for my taste, but I think most people would find it just fine for dipping.

Overall, this somewhat overwhelming trip around the world in eight plates was scrumptious. Next time I'm in town, I'll be back for more of that garlic shrimp!

iTapas
445 Emerson St.
Palo Alto, CA 94302
650.325.4400