My spouse and I dined at Tapas on Main for lunch on a
Saturday afternoon in early February 2016. Tapas on Main is open for lunch on
Mondays through Saturdays, brunch on Sundays, and dinner daily. Reservations
are available by telephone or via the Open Table reservation system. The owners
of Tapas on Main also own Mesa Modern Mexican in Easton. (The same group also once
owned the now-shuttered Pacifico in the Promenade Shops.) We have eaten at
Tapas on Main several times since it opened in May of 2011, but this review
describes only our latest experience.
Tapas on Main is located on Main Street in Downtown
Bethlehem. The restaurant has two main areas: the bar, which also offers some
high-top seating adjacent and one large booth at the rear (perfect for groups),
and just up one step from the bar area is the main dining room, with individual
tables as well as some tables that share a banquette on one wall. Both dining
areas are handicap-accessible because the restaurant has a second door to the
street from the raised area (this door is generally closed except for special
circumstances). The design of the restaurant evolved from years ago when it
housed two separate storefronts. (Previously, this restaurant space was occupied
by the Viennese Pastry Shop, and more recently Tika’s Restaurant, but it
appears that the “third time is a charm” because Tapas is successful there.)
Tapas on Main recently opened a French creperie called Cachette, which is
adjacent to and connected internally to Tapas main dining room. (Cachette is in
the storefront previous occupied by the Seasons Olive Oil & Vinegar Taproom.)
The interior decor features dim lighting and lots of wood with dark-colored earth-tone
paint accents. Wine bottles decorate one wall in the main dining area, and
towards the back of the bar area, a stacked-stone wall with niches for candles
is attractive. Windows separate the bar area from the main dining room. The
restaurant also offers sidewalk dining in warmer weather (dogs are welcome!).
Parking is available in nearby parking garages, or on the street (metered
parking). The restaurant validates 2 hours of complimentary parking in the
garages, but it is not available for the metered street parking.
Chef Rafael Palomino prepares authentic Spanish cuisine at
Tapas on Main; however, not all dishes are tapas. The restaurant also serves
salads, sandwiches, and entrees if you prefer a more traditional dining
approach. On our latest visit, we shared a few dishes from their tapas/shared
plates menu, including the blue crab croquettes (served atop drops of mustard
aioli), the pork belly (accented on top with sweet red pepper jelly), and the
calamari (accompanied by an aioli dipping sauce), followed by the chicken
flatbread (which also includes cheese and arugula). For dessert, we shared the
flan, which was crowned with a strawberry and set atop a bit of fruit drizzle.
The crab croquettes (approximately five to an order) actually tasted like crab!
(So often when we order something flavored like that, it just tastes like
filling, but not this time!) The sliced pork belly was plentiful (about seven
slices) and well-crisped on the edges. The calamari was some of the best that we
have eaten lately – the squid circles were perfectly cooked and not chewy, and
the lemony, salty breading was just right. (The only suggestion that we have is
that we would have enjoyed a few baby squid with tentacles in the mix, but only
rings were served.) The flatbread was piled high with shredded chicken and gouda
cheese, as well as arugula and a tomato spread. We were pleased with the food,
and there were many additional items on the menu that we would like to try next
time. The bar serves as many as eight seasonal sangrias and Spanish and South
American wines, in addition to all the usual favorite alcoholic and
non-alcoholic beverages.
We will return to Tapas on Main because we like the
location, hours, ambiance, and food!
March 2017
June 2018:
