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Plain Spain

A genuine tapas bar that's a taste of Madrid

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hef and co-owner Julio de Haro brings Spanish culture to every aspect of his tapas bar. The long wine list is strictly Spanish. The menu is inspired by dishes he grew up on in Madrid. Even one of the posters on the wall advertises flights to Spain aboard the former Trans World Airlines. Estragon is filled with vintage finds like this—an old radio stand, a typewriter, a punch dispenser—but the real draw is Boston’s most authentic Spanish tapas menu, with the likes of Basque sausage, jamón blanco with Spanish honey and oil-sautéed Marcona almonds, and croquetas. There are full-sized entrees, too, along with exotic tapas including tongue, cod cheeks, blood sausage, and pig’s head. Olé! Shelbourne

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Tapas were invented when King Alfonso X of Castile decreed that taverns serve small snacks, or “tapa,” along with wine. Tavern owners were happy to oblige, since the saltiness of the tapas increased alcohol sales.