I burned my upper lip. A rookie mistake, to be sure.
That’s what happens when you are so eager to annihilate an army of small plates that you impatiently thrust a hunk of crusty bread into a bubbling cast iron skillet of molten goat cheese and immediately chow down.
I suspect George Rodrigues, the chef and co-owner of El Mercat Bar de Tapas, understands my unbridled enthusiasm, as he, too, is obsessed with Spanish gastronomy.
That baked-in wiggle room gives him leeway to draw on childhood memories, play with global flavors and tweak the techniques he honed while working in D.C. kitchens such as the Latin-Asian mashup Tico (now closed) on 14th Street NW, and a Penn Quarter spin-off of Boqueria tapas bar. He likes to chase inspiration wherever it leads him.
I was tempted to cry foul when I spotted one such interpretation on El Mercat’s menu, billed as St. Louis pork ribs coated in cider glaze and mustard seeds. My first thought was, Why bring American barbecue into this?, presuming Rodrigues was trying to replicate a Carolina Gold-style mustard sauce or some other vinegary condiment.
Turns out, he was riffing on the tantalizing ribs he’d devoured while touring a cider distillery in Asturias, Spain, which he describes as “glazed in a sweet sauce and finished with sesame seeds.”
Putting his own stamp on the dish, he swapped the sesame seeds for a medley of yellow, brown and black mustard seeds (imparting notes ranging from “mild, mellow and slightly sweet-tangy” to “deeper spice, earthiness and pungency,” he says). So tender were these ribs that when the glaze adhered one of them to the serving plate, all it took was a tug and a twist to separate the bone from the succulent meat.
The chef’s take on ham croquettes is similarly engaging. The traditional Spanish version is filled with lusty Jamón Serrano and onion-laced bechamel sauce. Rodrigues takes it a step further by folding in fruity quince paste.
“It’s a flavor that immediately brings me back to my childhood,” he says, referencing the guava- and cheese-filled pastries so familiar to Caribbean and South American palates. The two-bite treats are terrific, their crispy shells giving way to a buttery, salty filling complemented by pops of sweetness.
I’d be remiss not to mention the aioli-topped paella, which elicited squeals of delight from my dinner companion one night. “Rather than using aioli as a garnish, I treat it as a thoughtful pairing,” Rodrigues says, adding: “Eating rice with mayonnaise is very common” in Brazil.
His saffron-scented seafood paella (my favorite), is studded with calamari, clams, mussels and shrimp, while another, stained black from squid ink, is crowned with a garlic-spiked emulsion. A meatier version layered with roasted chicken, chorizo sausage and herby salsa verde also gets a saffron aioli glow-up.
The six paellas on the menu feature varying combinations of proteins and add-ins (including duck, lamb and a vegetarian option) and can be ordered in two sizes (a small order is plenty for two people; medium can feed four or more). But all share one delectable thing in common: the crispy layer of toasted rice known as socarrat, which spreads across the bottom of the pan. Rodrigues achieves the crunchy, caramelized texture by cooking down the stock-absorbing bomba rice over a burner and then baking it in the oven, starting at a high temperature so the rice on the bottom forms that distinct crust.
The kitchen’s pan con tomate was one adaptation that a former Madrileña (a friend who spent the past five years living in Madrid) and I both agreed was a hair off. The usual basis for this simple dish is pan de cristal, a bread known for its delicate crust and cottony interior. Rodrigues says sourcing authentic pan de cristal “can be challenging,” so he developed a ciabatta alternative with his bread supplier. The substitute is denser, but still good. It drank up the pulpy crushed tomato spread and olive oil drizzle, and proved a cozy bed for anchovy filets imported from Spain.
An order of house-made lamb meatballs missed the mark for me. Nearly half were noticeably dry, even though they were swimming in a rich tomato sauce, and there wasn’t enough melted Manchego to make up the difference.
Top sellers like gambas al ajillo (shrimp punctuated by smoky paprika and an abundance of fresh garlic) and spicy patatas bravas (spuds fried to a golden brown and smothered in zesty tomato sauce and garlic aioli) fly out of the kitchen at all hours, and with good reason. The patatas are perhaps the most addictive version of fries known to man. (At least this man.)
What about dessert, you might ask?
I meant to get around to it, but then a simple mishap resolved the oversight. The charcuterie board I ordered one night seemed to have gotten lost in the shuffle as our meal was winding down. When my companion asked the waiter about it, he apologized profusely and said he’d have the kitchen assemble the promised meats, cheeses and pickled accoutrements, lickety-split.
Within minutes we were savoring my favorite French dessert—the cheese course—by way of Spain. The array featured two kinds of bread, including a rustic loaf and a raisin-nut variant, plus shaved ham, nutty Manchego, herb-spiked goat cheese, porky chorizo rounds, dulcet membrillo paste and tangy olives.
It was the carby-salty-sweet closer that sueños are made of.
El Mercat Bar de Tapas
1301 S. Joyce St., Arlington
703-567-4369
Hours
Monday through Thursday: 3 to 9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Parking
There are two parking lots in the Westpost shopping complex: one behind the Harris Teeter and one behind the Walgreens/Planet Fitness. The meters in this zone offer one hour of free parking.
Prices
Tapas: $3 to $34
Entrees: $22 to $38
Paellas: $16 to $48
What To Drink
“Some nights, a simple glass of red sangria is all you need—especially when paired with something comforting like croquetas de jamon,” Rodrigues shares when I ask him about his own post-work routine. He’s not wrong. El Mercat’s house-made sangrias ($10 per glass; $40 per pitcher) are easy drinking. I prefer the red over the white. The sweet brandy is balanced with a slightly dry wine, while bits of tropical fruit lend freshness.
The bar also serves a rotating list of cocktails ($13 to $15) including classic old fashioneds and caipirinhas alongside house specialties and seasonal offerings. The Andalusia is a pinkish cooler made with peach puree and grapefruit juice, although that marriage is overwhelmed by the base rye, which makes the drink more whiskey than sour. The Pineapple Smoke is a Mexican fiesta, blending smoky mezcal and aged tequila with spicy jalapenos and refreshing pineapple juice.
Beers ($7 to $9) include domestic brands (Lagunitas, Blue Moon) and imports (Modelo, Estrella Galicia).