Tapas are a classic Spanish style of dining in which groups share several small plates for the table. They offer the chance to experiment and try things you normally wouldn’t, creating a tasting experience and camaraderie with your dining companions. Tapas also usually paired with alcohol. Luckily for us, this method of dining has disseminated to other parts of the globe. Minneapolis, Minnesota offers Rincón 38, an exquisite tapas bar with an impressive wine list of.
The interior décor of the restaurant is reminiscent of old-world Spain: faded colors, metallic accents, and a rosy glow.
Rincón means corner in Spanish, and the restaurant lies at the corner of Grand and 38th. But while the name might be predictable, the ingredients certainly are not. Chef Hector Ruiz keeps things interesting with a rotating tapas menu full of complex flavors.
Patatas Bravas
Classics like patatas bravas are permanent residents on the menu. However, Ruiz takes a unique approach by sautéing them with asparagus, chorizo, and roasted artichokes. The dish is served with a pimentón and citrus aioli.
Paella
Rincón offers two versions of paella: sevillana, which includes pork, beef, chicken and sausage, and marinera, which has a collection of seafood. Both are served with a fried egg on top, which is not traditional for paella but adds a nice flavor.
Piquillos
The restaurant’s piquillos are stuffed with a honey black truffle goat cheese and asparagus and served over a grilled bread garnished with saffron aioli. The cheese delightfully oozes out of the peppers with each bite.
Marbella
Ruiz takes advantage of Minnesotan ingredients in creating the Marbella with locally-sourced fennel. He pairs it with sea bass, banana finger potatoes, roasted artichokes, saffron tomato sauce and pimenton aioli.
Mero
My favorite menu item at Rincón 38 is Mero, another sea bass dish that truly takes the cake. The polenta cake, that is. It’s chilean sea bass served over a piquillo polenta cake with a truly decadent saffron butter sauce. With both Marbella and Mero, Ruiz is able to infuse beautiful flavor into the fish; no easy feat with sea bass.
Drinks
If Spanish wine is your thing, Rincón 38 is the place for you. In addition to whites and rosés, the restaurant keeps a hearty stock of red wines from regions all across Spain. Want something sweeter? Rincón also boasts a homemade sangria.
Dessert
If you’ve somehow left room for dessert, check out Rincón 38’s dessert plates, called postres. You can try crema catalana, churros, traditional flan, tres leches cake, or chocolate torte. I sincerely recommend the flan.
Tapas, as we know, are delicious. But it’s not necessary to order all the plates you want at once. Rather, taste, experiment, and go with what your stomach tells you. I encourage you to try out Rincón 38 in Minneapolis and let me know what you think!
Website: www.rincon38.com
Rating: ★★★★★
Price Range: $$$
Address: 3801 Grand Ave South Minneapolis, MN 55409
Hours: Sunday–Thursday 3:00 pm–10:00 pm, Friday & Saturday 3:00 pm–11 pm