Happy Hour Sangria & Tapas in San Mateo

Family dinner in the Bay Area.  Since there's a baby in the family, our dinner gatherings are earlier.  I love how baby-dinner-time corresponds perfectly with happy hour.  It's fun for the whole family.

We all met halfway in the Peninsula in San Mateo.  With several options for kid-friendly dining, we chose Cha Cha Cha Cuba.  I've eaten at the Haight St. restaurant up in San Francisco a couple of times.  It's always crowded with patrons eager for sangria and tapas.  This new branch is more family friendly, and at 5pm on a weekday it's the perfect place for my nephew and for happy hour.

Sangria is half off.  We ordered a big pitcher for the table, and it was more than enough.  The price was even better, $12.50!  That's a pretty great deal for all that you get.

A good selection of the tapas menu is $5.00.  They are pretty generous portions for tapas.  The food was satisfying and fun - I love eating with a variety of small plates to choose from.   

The overall experience was pleasant and the service was pretty good.  I can see myself going back here with a group of friends, and definitely during happy hour.

Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

If you can't see the slideshow, check out my Flickr album: Cha Cha Cha

Not-Your-Typical-Afternoon-Tea at Cafe Iguana

One of my favorite pastimes is a leisurely afternoon tea. Little portions, both sweet and savory. After walking around Elements mall in Hong Kong, I found a restaurant that caught my eye because of their Afternoon Tea Set special. Cafe Iguana serves Latin and Spanish dishes throughout the day. Between 3-6pm, they have a set menu for 98HKD. Not bad at all. Fried food, fresh guacamole, and desserts - plus some cold beer - that's a great afternoon.


Place your cursor above "Notes" below to read the captions for each photo.

The slide show here runs on Flash. If you can't see it, check out my Flickr album: Cafe Iguana

Tapas

Cascal's
Tapas restaurant in downtown Mountain View. With their outdoor seating, this is one of the best places to go on a beautiful day.


White Sangria
Light and refreshing. A nice summer alternative to the tradition red wine sangria.

Mushroom Empanadas
Generous mushroom filling inside of a well-baked pastry. Highly recommended.


Fried Calamaris with a Paprika Aioli Sauce
Nicely fried. It makes for a great plate to share with the table.

Tapas Sampler
If your table is hungry, this is the choice to get.