Please explain tapas!?

I'm from Louisiana and will be visiting NYC next week. I see lots of tapas on the menus at restaurants that I'm looking into. We don't have tapas here, so I'm wondering if someone could explain. From what I understand, they're small portions. Do you order tapas instead of an entree? How many would you order for a party of 4?



I'm mainly looking at Bolo and Tia Pol. We have reservations at Bolo and I'm wondering if we should go with tapas (and if so, how many) or an entree. Do people sometimes order tapas like appetizers? As you can see, I'm clueless!Please explain tapas!?
Since the other have explained tapas, let me suggest Alta, if you are with a group of a half a dozen or so. They have a menu item called "The Whole Shebang". You get one plate of everything on the menu.





Alta is at 64 West 10th Street (at 6th Avenue), 212-505-7777.
They are pretty much appetizers.



I'm from Louisiana too, and I live in Manhattan now so if you need a good southern tour-guide, give me a yell!Please explain tapas!?
Many cultures have a 'small food'. Chinese dim sum, Japanese sushi, etc. That's what tapas is. It's small dishes.



You can go as a group and order several of them and share them. Or you can order one for a snack, maybe as a glass of wine. Or you can order two or three as dinner. For a party of four you might order 6 or 10, it depends on how big they are, how hungry everyone is, how many things you want to try. The whole idea is sort of impulsive, you decide as you go along.



With dim sum and sushi, things go by you and you see them and say 'Hmmmm, I think I'll try that!'. With tapas usually you order them from a menu. But I'm on the west coast, maybe in NYC they have them on display. It's nice to see things, to help you make up your mind.
ooOoo i love BOLO. tapas just means small plates. sometimes they're smaller than appetizers. When I go out w/ say 5-6 people , I order a couple of plates from the tapas menu and maybe 2-3 regular entrees.Please explain tapas!?
Tapas is originally a Spanish tradition and dates back to originating as a bar food. Alot of famous chefs in NYC and around the world have adopted the philiosophy of Tapas into their menus. It allows diners to have the benefit of trying lots of smaller portions rather than one entree alone and gives you the opportunity to be adventurous. It's also like Chinese food in that family style ordering is encouraged, so the table shares lots of smaller dishes.



Number of dishes ordered will depend on the portion sizes. Ask your waitstaff to help you with this. Portions will vary by the type of food and the ingredients too.



Both Bolo and Tia Pol are FANTASTIC restaurants and you can't go wrong. You can order whatever you want in whatever quantity. Yes, you can order them as an appetizer, or a few to consist of your main dish. Tia Pol is a bit more traditional in its food offerings, so yummy, classic and authentic. Bolo goes for more fusion and may be better suited for less adventurous palates.