La Merenda

A month ago I had never heard of La Merenda. Not sure how it snuck by me. It was just one of those times when I was seemingly the last person to find out about something. Situated on the east side of the Walker's Point neighborhood, just south of downtown, La Merenda serves up spanish style tapas with a global theme. For those unaware, I guess the best way to describe tapas is a smaller serving with a narrower focus than that of a full entree. This, plus dessert, is all they have on the dinner menu at La Merenda. The best thing about this style of dining is that you can basically create your own tasting menu, with as few or as many courses as you please. This gives the diner flexibility not found when one goes to a traditional restaurant and must commit to a single entree.

Some of my favorites included Sambal Goreng Udang, which featured beautifully cooked shrimp sauteed in coconut milk accompanied by the spicy sambal and served on a bed of mashed potatoes made ultra-rich with more coconut milk. I also enjoyed the steamed mussels. They were screamingly fresh and and served in a slightly spicy tomato broth that was spiked with sherry. It reminded me a little of a wonderful bloody mary I had over the summer that was made with clam juice. Fried polenta was four savory golden corners situated around a chunky mushroom ragout. The combination of those two elements was nothing short of bliss. The almond flan I had for dessert was also fantastic. The only thing I wasn't a huge fan of was the coriander beef, which I found to be a little underseasoned. Service was good, although slightly detached.

La Merenda recently made the Milwaukee newspaper's top 30 list. I definitely agree. In my opinion, the quality of the food is right up there with Sanford.

3.5 stars out of 4