I met up with a friend who suggested Espana. When I got there around 6:45pm on a weekday, there were only 3 small tables left available. By 8pm, the place was jam packed and the noise level got a bit too much for the both of us by 9pm. But that was ok, since we were done eating and chatting by then.

It’s a hip/modern tapas place. Cozy and a bit cramped, though I guess that is to help strangers come together and talk, which did happen.

We ordered 4 dishes:

• Salt Cod & Potato Croquettes $8
• Sauteed Fiddlehead with poached egg, serrano ham and mojo rojo $10
• Grilled Asparagus and Leek with quail egg, manchego and romesco sauce $11
• Frito Mixto $13 with halibut cheeks, asparagus, anchovy stuffed olives, salsa verde

The Cod Croquette was really yummy. Super crispy and hot inside – nicely fried. The cod went well with the potatoes, and the lemon juice gives it a nice zesty punch! The mayo on the side is nice for those who rather not have any like my health conscious friend. I used only a bit.

The Fiddlehead was an interesting dish. A new dish added to my menu. I had seen fiddleheads before, but I don’t recall ever trying them. It was bitter, but tasted healthy. It went really well with the thinly sliced ham and oozing yolk of the poached egg. At first, we didn’t know it was an egg because if was breaded and deep fried. I liked it so much, when the neighbouring gentleman asked what I’d recommend, I suggested this dish.

The Asparagus and Leek looked really good, but unfortunately, I was told that this has almonds in the sauce. It doesn’t say on the menu, but after my friend started eating it, she noticed that it had some kind of nuts. We asked our server, and she was right. I tried eating parts that didn’t have any sauce on it.

The Frito Mixto was another dish that was all deep fried. My friend wasn’t too happy about this as she is quite health concsious. The dish was quite delicious, though after a while, yes, the deep fry can be a bit heavy. The olives are tasty!

Overall, I was pretty happy with the food and service. Our server was quite pleasant and was concerned about my allergies. I would like to go back to eat the Cod Croquette and Fiddleheads again. Oh, and of course new dishes too!

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