Tapas Territory

The small plates at Tapa Toro are a delightful mix of Spanish and Mediterranean influences. And the paella pit cooks up tasty experiences aplenty. 

- Joseph Hayes

ACCORDING TO KATERINA Coumbaros, the cultures of Spain and Greece are similar enough that when it came time for her and husband Vassilis to open a second restaurant, the Andalusian tradition of tapas seemed a perfect choice. And so Tapa Toro, with its imaginative twists on traditional Spanish dishes, was born under the watchful Eye of Orlando at the I-Drive 360 entertainment complex.

“There are similar flavors between Mediterranean and Spanish food,” she says. The Coumbaros own the Orlando franchise of Taverna Opa, where souvlaki, ouzo and belly dancers demand equal time on the hopefully reinforced tables. There’s dancing at Tapa Toro as well (but not on the tables), performed by hand-clapping, stomping, skirt-waving flamenco bailaoras who roam the restaurant.