Bar Isabel

WHILE CHEF Grant van Gameren’s restaurant empire continues to expand, up to seven at last count and seeming to grow each season, his original College Street tapas bar has lost none of its nocturnal charm.

Perpetually crowded and just the right amount of cramped, the restaurant evokes the best of Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter wine bars, and with a kitchen that stays open until 2 a.m., barcelonés would feel right at home. There are legs of jamón ibérico de bellota, sliced by hand, of course, and excellent olives along with plump boquerones, creamy jamón croquetas and rich, house-made morcilla. Chef van Gameren’s work here speaks loudly of his abiding love of Spain, its food culture and, in particular, its tapas.

From clams and oysters to snow crab and sidestripe shrimp, the seafood here is treated with appropriate respect. Whole grilled octopus is a classic. Anything plated with the Spanish blood sausage morcilla (lately, chickpeas and shrimp) is to be recommended. Spanish wines that go beyond Rioja are available by the glass, while a sherry selection worth exploring is complemented by a cocktail list that quietly remains one of the city’s most thoughtful and well-executed.

Dinner
Sunday to Thursday
6:00 PM until 12:00 AMFriday and Saturday
6:00 PM until 2:00 AM