Good things come in small packages
By Mary D. Scourtes
BLACKSTONE'S TAPAS CAFE
BOTTOM LINE: Little bites of Spain team up with steaks and other seafood at the beach.
WHERE: 301 Gulf Blvd., Indian Rocks Beach
HOURS: 4 p.m. to midnight Tuesday through Thursday, 4 p.m. to 1 a.m. Friday, 1 p.m. to 1 a.m. Saturday, 1 p.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday, closed Monday
CREDIT CARDS: All major
RESERVATIONS: Yes
SMOKING: Yes
CHILDREN'S MENU: No, but will accommodate
HANDICAPPED ACCESS: Yes
CALL: (727) 517-7778
R E V I E W
INDIAN ROCKS BEACH - The story behind tapas makes for a juicy tale.
Some say the word tapas comes from the plates early Spanish innkeepers used to cover wine glasses to keep the bugs out. Others say tapas were the original bar food - quickly prepared, quality snacks.
These petite presentations are enjoyed with the cocktail of one's choice.
Blackstone's Tapas Cafe, which opened in the summer, presents a flurry of convivial aperitivos. Many encompass seafood, such as smoked salmon with dill sauce, anchovy shrimp with capers and manchego cheese-topped grouper. Vegetable choices include roasted red peppers in a garlic vinaigrette and white asparagus topped with saffron sour cream.
Not all the tapas at Blackstone's are Spanish delicacies. The chef brushes Italian bread with olive oil, tomatoes and garlic for bruschetta; blackens sirloin; and stuffs ravioli with lobster cream.
These multicultural morsels became our favorites, and we suggest piggybacking several to serve as dinner.
For instance, three portly portions of moist, pecan-crusted chicken snap with a gingery horseradish dip. Six oysters, rather small, were big on flavor with a Brie cheese and pepper topping.
Cannelloni wrap hefty tubes of shrimp and crab in a Brie blanket.
Crab cakes are a sophisticated choice, all lump crab dabbed with roasted red pepper sauce.
An appetizing skewer of Caribbean shrimp, with heads and shells left on, is heady with fragrant spices. Peeling them is messy, however.
A wood-fired, four-cheese pizza (Parmesan, blue, mozzarella and manchego) enlivens a standard tomato sauce topping.
Blackstone Sirloin with a pretty pink interior and a crisp exterior presented with a ginger and soy sauce dip.
A silky lobster bisque is rich with our favorite shellfish.
For entrees, there are stuffed quail, osso buco, paella, chicken and ham fettuccine, steaks and prime rib.
Enjoy the wood-fired shrimp and scallops, complemented by lime butter. The seafood is lightly cooked but retains a smoky aroma.
A thick chop will appeal to porky appetites. It's advertised as a whopping 18 ounces, and the serving proved to be enough to share.
Blackstone's filet, cut in sizes from 6 to 18 ounces, is moist and juicy.
Entrees are served with a vegetable medley, a pleasant salad punched up with Parmesan cheese and olives, and a tiny loaf of bread.
Several Spanish desserts, including espresso flan and Key lime cheesecake, vie for your mandatory sugar fix.
The eatery has a large bar and casual atmosphere. On weekends, valet parking is available - and recommended.
Service was friendly, if rushed. Dinner for two ranges from $50 to $65.
Blackstone's Tapas cafe
