Tapas Bars in Paris

There is nothing like extending a vacation either through anticipation of things to come before a vacation, or of past memories of a great vacation. My thoughts last evening turned to the Bars à Tapas that I found on my vacation in Andalusia, Spain. A quick search on the Internet found several Spanish restaurants and Tapas Bars in Paris. Little wonder since there are hundreds of restaurants in Paris.

La Fonda, Bar à Tapas

The first referenced on the list of Tapas Bars, La Fonda, is not terribly far from my neighborhood and after a walk past the Jardin du Luxembourg, I was in front of La Fonda, 173 rue Saint-Jacques, not far from the Panthéon in the 5th arrondissement of Paris. This small, narrow bar was smoky and crowded but the tapas indeed were quite close to those I enjoyed in Andalusia, although at Parisian prices. The Spanish, French-speaking hosts were welcoming and helpful in choosing the right combination.

Just three tapas were enough to convince me..., roasted red peppers in tomato sauce; small roasted shrimp in garlic oil; and then, fried tender calamari with small lemon slices. Crusty bread and chilled, fruity white wine complimented the tapas and made this little corner of Paris well worth the stop for a not-so-heavy diner. La Fonda brought me back to the wonderful Tapas Bars and exotic Andalusia, Spain, and indeed made me smile thinking of vacations past.