NCL Sun question

[getupgo]

Is Las Ramblas Bar and Restaurant a free venue for food? Also, I read somewhere that the Sports Bar has tapas. If that is true, is that free?

[triptolemus]

Is Las Ramblas Bar and Restaurant a free venue for food? Also, I read somewhere that the Sports Bar has tapas. If that is true, is that free?

 

http://www.ncl.com/cruise-ship/sun/onboard/dining#tab_detail

[samiam0403]

Just off the Sun yesterday. Las Ramblas is the tapas bar - and yes, it's free. The Sports Bar is also free and serves wings, hamburgers, chicken tenders, fries, etc. The Sports Bar is open from 5:30pm to 5:30am and makes for a great late night snack.

[getupgo]

Thank you so much. Exactly the information I needed.

[sailandcruise]

On the Christmas cruise, this venue was almost always deserted. The tapas are all pre-made and cold and not very tasty or fresh. We went there one night before dinner and were ignored by the staff; we had to flag down a server who was putting things away at the bar and request service to get our drinks and tapas.

[FireEater]

What is a tapa?

[triptolemus]

What is a tapa?

 

What is Google?

[getupgo]

Tapas were not good on Carnival Sensation either. Seems yo be a low priority item.

[Laszlo]

What is a tapa?

 

 

Tapas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Tapa (food)" redirects here. For the Filipino dish, see Tapa (Filipino cuisine).

This article is about a type of food. For the spiritual concept, see Tapas (Sanskrit). For the Spanish film, see Tapas (film). For the type of cloth, see Tapa cloth. For other uses, see Tapa (disambiguation).

 

This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2010)

Tapas

TapasenBarcelona.JPG

Course Appetizer or snack

Place of origin Spain

Serving temperature Hot or cold

Main ingredients Various

Cookbook:Tapas Tapas

Tapas (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtapas]) are a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or hot (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas have evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. In some Central American countries, such snacks are known as bocas. In Mexico, similar dishes are called "botanas."

 

The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation, because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them.[citation needed] Also, in some countries it is customary for diners to stand and move about while eating tapas.[citation needed]

 

Contents [hide]

1 History

2 Etymology

3 Spain

3.1 Common Spanish tapas

4 Regional variations

4.1 North America and the United Kingdom

4.2 Mexico

4.3 Argentina

4.4 Brazil

4.5 Venetian cicchetti

4.6 Asia

5 See also

6 References

7 External links

History[edit]

 

Tapas bar and restaurant at Plaza Mayor, Madrid

The word "tapas" is derived from the Spanish verb tapar, "to cover".

 

According to The Joy of Cooking, the original tapas were the slices of bread or meat which sherry drinkers in Andalusian taverns used to cover their glasses between sips. This was a practical measure meant to prevent fruit flies from hovering over the sweet sherry (see below for more explanations). The meat used to cover the sherry was normally ham or chorizo, which are both very salty and activate thirst. Because of this, bartenders and restaurant owners began creating a variety of snacks to serve with sherry, thus increasing their alcohol sales.[1] The tapas eventually became as important as the sherry.

 

Tapas have evolved through Spanish history by incorporating ingredients and influences from many different cultures and countries. Most of the Iberian Peninsula was invaded by the Romans, who introduced the olive[citation needed] and irrigation methods. The invasion of the North African Moors in the 8th century brought almonds, citrus fruits and fragrant spices. The influence of their 700-year presence remains today, especially in Andalusia. The discovery of the New World brought the introduction of tomatoes, sweet and chili peppers, maize (corn) and potatoes. These were readily accepted and easily grown in Spain's microclimates.

 

There are many tapas competitions throughout Spain. There is only one National Tapas competition,[2] which is celebrated every year in November. Since 2008, the City of Valladolid and the International School of Culinary Arts[3] have celebrated the International Tapas Competition for Culinary Schools.[4] Various schools from around the world come to Spain annually to compete for the best tapa concept.

 

Etymology[edit]

Though the primary meaning of tapa is cover or lid, it has in Spain also become a term for this style of food. The origin of this new meaning is uncertain but there are several theories:

 

As mentioned above, a commonly cited explanation is that an item, be it bread or a flat card, etc., would often be placed on top of a drink to protect it from fruit flies; at some point it became a habit to top this "cover" with a snack.

It is also commonly said that since one would be standing while eating a tapa in traditional Spanish bars, they would need to place their plates on top of their drinks to eat, making it a top.

Some believe the name originated sometime around the 16th century when tavern owners from Castile-La Mancha found out that the strong taste and smell of mature cheese could help disguise that of bad wine, thus "covering" it, and started offering free cheese when serving cheap wine.

Others believe the tapas tradition began when king Alfonso X of Castile recovered from an illness by drinking wine with small dishes between meals. After regaining his health, the king ordered that taverns would not be allowed to serve wine to customers unless it was accompanied by a small snack or "tapa".[5]

Another popular explanation says that King Alfonso XIII stopped by a famous tavern in Cádiz (Andalusian city) where he ordered a cup of wine. The waiter covered the glass with a slice of cured ham before offering it to the king, to protect the wine from the beach sand, as Cádiz is a windy place. The king, after drinking the wine and eating the tapa, ordered another wine "with the cover".[6]

A final possibility surrounds Felipe III, who passed a law in an effort to curb rowdy drunken behavior, particularly among soldiers and sailors. The law stated that when one purchased a drink, the bartender was to place over the mouth of the mug or goblet a cover or lid containing some small quantity of food as part of the purchase of the beverage. The hope being that the food would slow the effects of the alcohol, and fill the stomach to prevent over imbibing.

Spain[edit]

 

Tapas (pintxos) and Jamón serrano in a San Sebastián's bar

In Spain,[7] dinner is usually served between 9 and 11 p.m. (sometimes as late as midnight), leaving significant time between work and dinner. Therefore, Spaniards often go "bar hopping" (Spanish: Ir de tapas) and eat tapas in the time between finishing work and having dinner. Since lunch is usually served between 2 and 4 p.m., another common time for tapas is weekend days around noon as a means of socializing before proper lunch at home.

 

It is very common for a bar or a small local restaurant to have eight to 12 different kinds of tapas in warming trays with glass partitions covering the food. They are often very strongly flavored with garlic, chilies or paprika, cumin, salt, pepper, saffron and sometimes in plentiful amounts of olive oil. Often, one or more of the choices is seafood (mariscos), often including anchovies, sardines or mackerel in olive oil, squid or others in a tomato-based sauce, sometimes with the addition of red or green peppers or other seasonings. It is rare to see a tapas selection not include one or more types of olives, such as Manzanillo or Arbequina olives. One or more types of bread are usually available to eat with any of the sauce-based tapas.

 

In Madrid, Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León, Asturias, Extremadura, and in parts of Andalucia, when one goes to a bar and orders a drink, often a tapa will be served with it for free. As a drink, it is usual to ask for a caña (small beer), a chato (glass of wine) or a mosto (grape juice). In several cities, entire zones are dedicated to tapas bars, each one serving its own unique dish. In León, one can find the Barrio Húmedo, in Logroño Calle Laurel and in Burgos Calle de la Sombrerería and Calle de San Lorenzo.

 

Sometimes, especially in northern Spain, they are also called pinchos (pintxos in Basque) in Asturias, in Navarre, in La Rioja (Spain), the Basque Country, Cantabria and in some provinces, such as Salamanca, because many of them have a pincho or toothpick through them. The toothpick is used to keep whatever the snack is made of from falling off the slice of bread and to keep track of the number of tapas the customer has eaten. Differently priced tapas have different shapes or have toothpicks of different sizes. The price of a single tapa ranges from one to two euros. Another name for them is banderillas (diminutive of bandera "flag"), in part because some of them resemble the colorful spears used in bullfighting.

 

Tapas can be "upgraded" to bigger portions, equivalent to half a dish (media ración) or a whole one (ración). This is generally more economical when tapas are being ordered by more than one person. The portions are usually shared by diners, and a meal made up of raciones resembles a Chinese dim sum, Korean banchan or Middle Eastern mezze.

 

Common Spanish tapas[edit]

Main article: List of tapas

 

Banderillas, skewer with pickles

 

Papas arrugadas with red mojo sauce

Aceitunas: olives, sometimes with a filling of anchovies or red bell pepper

Albóndigas: meatballs with sauce

Allioli: "garlic and oil" in Catalan,[citation needed] the classic ingredients are only garlic, oil and salt, but the most common form of it includes mayonnaise and garlic, served on bread or with boiled or grilled potatoes, fish, meat or vegetables.

Bacalao: salted cod loin sliced very thinly, usually served with bread and tomatoes

Banderillas, or pinchos de encurtidos, are cold tapas made from small food items pickled in vinegar and skewered together. They are also known as gildas or piparras and consist of pickled items, like olives, baby onions, baby cucumbers, chiles (guindilla) with pieces of pepper and other vegetables. Sometimes they include an anchovy.[8]

Boquerones: white anchovies served in vinegar (boquerones en vinagre) or deep fried

Calamares or rabas: rings of battered squid

Carne mechada: slow-cooked, tender beef[9]

Chopitos: battered and fried tiny squid, also known as puntillitas

Cojonuda (superb female): a kind of pincho, it consists of a slice of Spanish morcilla with a fried quail egg over a slice of bread. It is very common in Burgos, because the most well-known and widespread Spanish morcilla is from there. It can also be prepared with a little strip of red, spicy pepper.

Cojonudo (superb male): a kind of pincho, it consists of a slice of Spanish chorizo with a fried quail egg over a slice of bread.

Chorizo al vino: chorizo sausage slowly cooked in wine

Chorizo a la sidra: chorizo sausage slowly cooked in cider

Croquetas: a common sight in bar counters and homes across Spain, served as a tapa, a light lunch, or a dinner along with a salad

Empanadillas: large or small turnovers filled with meats and vegetables[10]

Ensaladilla rusa: "(little) Russian salad", made with mixed boiled vegetables with tuna, olives and mayonnaise

Gambas: prawns sauteed in salsa negra (peppercorn sauce), al ajillo (with garlic), or pil-pil (with chopped chili peppers)

Mejillones rellenos: stuffed mussels, called tigres ("tigers") in Navarre because of the spicy taste

Papas arrugadas or papas con mojo (see Canarian wrinkly potatoes) (Canary Islands): very small, new potatoes boiled in salt water similar to sea water, then drained, slightly roasted and served with mojo, a garlic, Spanish paprika, red pepper, cumin seed, olive oil, wine vinegar, salt and bread miga (fresh bread crumbs without the crust) to thicken it

Patatas bravas or papas bravas: fried potato dices (sometimes parboiled and then fried, or simply boiled) served with salsa brava a spicy tomato sauce, sometimes served also with mayo or aioli

Pimientos de Padrón: small green peppers originally from Padrón (a municipality in the province of A Coruña, Galicia) that are fried in olive oil or served raw, most are mild, but a few in each batch are quite spicy.

Pulpo a la gallega (Galician-style octopus) or polbo á feira (octopus in the trade fair style) in Galicia, is cooked in boiling water (preferably in a copper cauldron or pan) and served hot in olive or vegetable oil. The octopus pieces are seasoned with substantial amounts of paprika, giving it its recognisable red color, and sea salt for texture and flavour.

Pincho moruno (Moorish spike): a stick with spicy meat, made of pork, lamb or chicken

Puntillitas (Andalusia) or chopitos (central Spain): battered and fried tiny squid

Queso con anchoas: Castilla or Manchego cured cheese with anchovies on top

Raxo: pork seasoned with garlic and parsley, with added paprika, called zorza

Setas al Ajillo: fresh mushrooms sauteed with olive oil and garlic.[11]

Solomillo a la castellana: fried pork scallops, served with an onion and/or Cabrales cheese sauce

Solomillo al whisky: fried pork scallops, marinated using whisky, brandy or white wine and olive oil

Tortilla de patatas (Spanish omelette) or tortilla española: a type of omelet containing fried chunks of potatoes and sometimes onion

Tortilla paisana: a tortilla containing vegetables and chorizo (similar to frittata)

Tortillitas de camarones (Andalusia): battered prawn fritters

Zamburiñas: renowned Galician scallops (Chlamys varia), often served in a marinera, tomato-based sauce

 

 

:D

[FireEater]

Thanks Laszio.

 

Now if op would have said pu pu platter....i am in like flint....:cool:

 

I lived in Spain in the early 80's too. I do not remember that appetizer name.

 

Having also lived in the Far East and Hawaii, I do remember pu pu platter....

[getupgo]

Oh my goodness!

[blan2]

My husband and I really enjoyed the Tapas on the Sun. There were both hot and cold options for our Alaskan cruise. We would often go late afternoon for a snack and then have a late dinner. The Sports Bar is a great venue to sit back and watch a game and the artichoke dip and wings were both very good.

[Out to sea!]

Tapas

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia:D

 

You could just post the link instead of the whole article. :rolleyes:

[Lollygil]

Las Ramblas had wine specials on my last SUN Cruise. We stopped in for a glass of wine and some tapas before dinner.

[dgparent]

Just off the Sun yesterday. Las Ramblas is the tapas bar - and yes, it's free. The Sports Bar is also free and serves wings, hamburgers, chicken tenders, fries, etc. The Sports Bar is open from 5:30pm to 5:30am and makes for a great late night snack.

 

Thanks for that info a sports bar with the UBP package that has fish and chips ? I will be in heaven hopefully the fish'n'chips are good :)

[Fun4Us2013]

Does anyone have any information about the spa. Is there a steam room or sauna available and if so how much

[DMH15]

Thanks for that info a sports bar with the UBP package that has fish and chips ? I will be in heaven hopefully the fish'n'chips are good :)

I have sailed on the Sun twice and I thought they were very good.

[sailandcruise]

Does anyone have any information about the spa. Is there a steam room or sauna available and if so how much

 

There is a small sauna and a small steam room available for free in the locker rooms. get a locker key at the spa desk.