Tabasco, Purmerend

Yesterday I have visited with a small group a (South American) tapas restaurant in Purmerend. Our purpose was to savour unlimited tapas at the incredible price of 15 euros per person (excluding drinks and desserts). It seems the Dutch cannot get enough of tapas - this sort of restaurants can be found everywhere in Holland lately. Later on I remebered that I had visited the same restaurant in the city of Hoorn - years ago.
 
We had reserved for six and received a large table with a view to the main historic square in Purmerend, the Cow Market. Bread and mayonesa de ajo were brought immediately to the table. Nice.

The menu on the wall and on their website are just full of ortographic mistakes and misplaced number/gender combinations (quesedilla instead of quesadilla, panqueqe instead of panqueque, caipirinia instead of caipirinha, salade instead of ensalada, champinoñes insteado of champiñones, nachos fria instead of nachos frios, etc.). But I am picky, I know - the rest of the group didn't noticed that or was bothered at all.

There were two girls behind the bar and serving us bringing food to our table. They brought the tapas quite quickly but we also had to go three times to the counter to ask for more wine, for water, for desserts and for the bill. In Holland being a waiter/waitress is not a profession - it is rather a temp job for students. They do have the good will - but no specific training for disserting about the food/drinks at the place they work for.  

The cold combi of tapas:  chorizo, tortilla chips with jalapeno peppers and melted cheese, manchego cheese, tuna salad, olives, peppers with capers, achovies and guacamole. Two of these combis were brought to us.

The very yummy warm tapas: deep fried chicken wings with chili sauce, beef and onion, deep fried squid rings, deep fried onion rings, champignons with melted cheese, patatas bravas, meat balls, veggies, chicken mini prickles. Delicious - definitely two thumbs up ! Two of these combis were brought to us. The crema catalana was served topped by ice cream (!) and mint (!?). The general comment was that it tasted rather to crème brûlée with cinnamon powder on top than... crema catalana.

While most South Americans and Spanish prefer to have something light as fruit for dessert and leave the sweet pastries and pies for another time the Dutch only have a warm meal once a day - and then eating out means they OUGHT to have a dessert or "toetje". Generally at Dutch restaurants serving Spanish food I do not see on menus - excepting la crema catalana - genuine Spanish desserts such as flan, buñelo, rice pudding or turrón. Or drinks such as horchata (popular in Spain and Mexico too). Well, I am not so sure the Dutch would like to enjoy a rice pudding or some horchata - rice is just not their thing. However, I think they would love something as simple as coffee with turrones. Apparently, they will have to go to Spain to have them.

http://www.restauranttabasco.nl/

South American food

In Purmerend: Koemarkt 37-39.

Unlimited tapas for 15 euros per person only on Mon./Wed. and Thursdays.

In Hoorn: Kleine Noord 42.

Unlimited tapas for 15 euros p.p. only on Wed./Thu. and Sundays.