la.foodblogging

Tapas has been long reviled as nouvelle food that reeks of elitism: overpriced, undersized and smug. Tapas has gotten a bad rap. Far from being gauche, tapas has a rich history as Spanish dinner food. Fact is, I like the idea that my entire dinner is comprised of appetizers. The appetizer, at least in haute cuisine, is really where the chef takes the most creative liberties to come up with something fun, tasty and unique. Entrees are usually reserved for the traditional preparations of starch, vegetables and protein.

We go to the C&M on Hollywood Blvd located right next to Wacko (which houses the La Luz de Jesus gallery and where we bought our Shag picture) Nice parenthetical aside. Cobras and Matadors is the brainchild of restaurant heavyweight Steven Arroyo, occupying the space formerly home to Boxer, another Arroyo venture. I never ate at Boxer, but I am thoroughly pleased with C&M. We go there at least once a week, first stopping by Wacko for a little tittilating glance at some of the art rock or fetish books, then hop next door for a table. Usually bustling on the weekends, C&M is quiet during the week, so you can just walk right in and sit down.

The space is not the most inviting, but it is certainly interesting. Made a bit cold by high ceilings, dim lighting and decor that is predominantly black with accents of red, the furniture also lends to an industrial feel as it is contructed from dark metal and wood. No matter, the space does work for atmosphere, but it is certainly far from plush.

We are greeted promptly, and served a bowl of mixed olives accented with sweet roasted almonds, with a cute metal pit spit ramakin on the side. Great contrast in salt/sweet, soft/hard. The menu is a carnival of ecclectic dishes, each distinct and interesting. The lomo emphucado is a slice of raisin bread crowned with dried cured pork with a slice of tres leches cheese. Add to that a forkfull of the accompanying tomato salad, and you have a perfectly complicated Spanish bruchetta. Everything works together, which is the beauty of tapas.

The sweet and spicy prawns are my favorite dish. Served four on the plate (which you’ll never see in an Asian restaurant, four symbolizes death), they are indeed, sweet and spicy, but pleasantly so. Coated to perfection and cooked to the right shade of brown glaze. Nayan ordered the butternut squash, which was vibrant yellow, creamy and sweet, and lent a brightness to the meal.

I’ve had albondigas before, and I always associate it with meatball soup, but in this case, it is spiced turkey meatballs. They are quite dense and a bit salty, and I love the sauce that served as their bed. It helped, again, balance the salt and other flavors.

Whatever you think about tapas being a ripoff for the size, you will re-evaluate your opinion after going to C&M. The portions are smaller than entrees, generally, but they are hearty and satisfying. We ordered a four cheese flatbread with sauteed mushrooms, and it was a nice size ‘pizza.’ In fact, we usually take leftovers home with us, as two dishes per person is a bit much (depending on how hungry you are, that is.)

My last comment and only complaint is the paper tablecloth. This is a tapas restaurant, not a Maryland crab joint, there is no need to use a huge tablecloth made out of the same material as a grocery bag. Each and every time I reach for something, I catch my sleeve on the paper, and it gets annoying as hell after the 16th time. Other than that, Cobras and Matadors is a total hit.

4655 Hollywood Blvd
Right next to Wacko

By Zteve (see more of his posts). You can find more of Zteve's writing at his own website Gastrologica