Tapas 44. Be Warned.

When I first saw Tapas 44 I knew it couldn't be good. It was too commercialized and too big to be a good tapas bar. I wish I could say I was wrong and that I had the best tapas of my life, but I can not. 

I ordered the "jamon iberico." For €4,90 a plate it was not cheap, but not hugely expensive: the first tip off. Jamon iberico, billed as the best ham in the world, should be expensive. Really expensive. Deep down I knew it wasn't going to be the real thing, but I was hoping. What emerged was something that looked akin to fake ham. It was just regular, mediocre ham. Nothing special, not fatty or deliciously greasy, and certainly not jamon iberico.

One of the people I was with accidentally ordered the baby eels and shrimp on toast. It was only €3,90, even though the baby eels are thought to be one of Spain's biggest delicacies. The plate came out and it was very clearly frozen baby eels, frozen shrimp, simply heated up with some garlic and butter and plopped on a piece of toast. The eels tasted like butter and garlic and had the texture of cooked ramen noodles.

Final Grade: F, do not go to this place unless you are desperate…ok, no, not even if you’re desperate. Go to the McDonalds across the street instead. This place sucked.