From the sultry Latin sounds resonating from the salsa class upstairs to the first fruity sip of sangria, the warm tingle of summer holidays instantly lapped over us as we settled into a charming evening at the Spanish chain La Tasca in Cheltenham.

Slipping into the summery atmosphere, the sheer thought of squeezing into a swimming costume and sunbathing on the beach was enough to ensure I opted for La Tasca’s ‘healthier choice’ menu. While there’s nothing sexy about calorie counting on a night out, it was a guilt-free selection I hoped my waistline would thank me for when the sun eventually starts to shine in Gloucestershire. My devil-horned dining companion had other ideas, however.

Tapping our feet to the salsa soundtrack and tucking into a bowl of Spanish olives, we plumped for the recommended four tapas selections each and soon found the table swimming with pint-sized dishes, with forks at the ready.

The healthier options included a well-textured and generous salad of crunchy pear, sweet cherry tomatoes, glistening leaves and salty slivers of Serrano ham; a juicy fillet of salmon, served on a bed of wilted spinach with a scattering of plump sweet raisins and more pear; a colourful mix of slow-roasted peppers, onion, courgette and aubergine in a ratatouille-style tomato sauce; as well as grilled tiger prawns complete with shells and a squeeze of lemon, which proved a tasty but messy affair justifying the finger bowls.

With a complete disregard for weight watching, my partner’s dishes included a satisfying slice of Spanish omelette, mandatory on any tapas selection in our opinion; Cordero de Mallorca – a highly recommended melt in the mouth dish with hunks of lamb slathered in a tangine-style, lightly-spiced brandy sauce, accompanied with potatoes, sultanas and prunes; sliced chorizo sautéed in red wine; as well as the undoubted dish of the night Pollo Marbella – chicken oozing with the paprika-tang of chorizo, with peppers, onion and a silky white wine and cream sauce.

My good intentions were little competition for the tempting terracotta bowls steaming with calorie-laden ingredients, with both of us tucking into all eight options with enthusiasm. In hindsight, the combination was too much for two appetites – and could start proving expensive – but we agreed it was a great way to discover new dishes. Between mouthfuls, the healthier choices too got a big thumbs-up from across the table, and would certainly be picked again, particularly now the weather is warming up.

With waistlines quickly expanding and elastic sadly absent from either outfit, we were given a tiny taster from the dessert menu – including a sliver of the chocolate torte, which was light in texture with a rich boozy hint of a Christmas truffle; with the apple pie also winning plaudits thanks to its almond punch, meringue crunch and taste reminiscent of a fluffy bakewell.

Throughout the evening, our waiter Phillippe proved remarkably friendly and swiftly efficient, he also oozed culinary knowledge – delivering personal recommendations with a strong French accent. It is he we have to thank for introducing us to the Spanish tipple Licor 43, which we discovered is a sweet vanilla digestif apparently a national obsession in Espagna. Sipped with a dash of lime cordial, it was an after dinner dose of zingy optimism, which is sure to be a cocktail staple come the summer.

While a touch of gastronomic snobbery about chain restaurants might normally mean that we’d be stingy with the stars, SoGlos.com found itself floored by La Tasca Cheltenham’s combination of freshly-cooked and flavoursome food, laidback atmosphere and sensational service. As tasty as the healthier options menu proved, however, a return visit would certainly warrant more than a few salsa spins to burn off the pounds in preparation for the summer.

Michelle Byrne
29 March 2010