Phantom Gourmet: Bocado Tapas & Wine Bar In Wellesley

WELLESLEY – It's sexy. It's Spanish. And it's sizzling hot. Brand new to Wellesley, Bocado Tapas and Wine Bar proves that small plates can be a big draw.

The restaurant has about 50 different tapas on the menu, large plates like paella, amazing meats and cheeses, and an exclusively Spanish wine program.

"It's really all things Spain. Just a wonderful experience," said owner Mike Covinio. He oversees the Bocado experience in Wellesley, along with their original restaurant in Worcester and an additional spot in Providence. Along with chef executive Steve Champagne, they're firing up the flavors that have made Spain the center of the food universe.

"A lot of bold flavors," said Chef Champagne. "It's fun, it's very colorful food. It's just an atmosphere of sharing. It's a great place to go with a group of people, and it's fun to have people come into your place and enjoy food that way. It's fun to cook too."

The restaurant provides something for everyone.

"If you're a meat eater, you're happy. If you like seafood, you're happy. If you're a vegetarian, if there's any dietary restrictions, having so many tapas, so many options already meet your needs," Covino said.

Atmosphere wise, Bocado is the kind of place you go for date night or a girl's night out. There's an eye-catching bar backed with rows of Spanish wine, chalkboard murals, silverware-inspired chandeliers, and plenty of cozy spaces.

"It's comfortable, it's warm, it's a modern space but you still have the rustic leathers and the style that makes you feel like you're in Barcelona," described Covino.

So first sip some sangria packed with fresh fruit, and when it's time to eat, start with an incredible selection of charcuterie and queso. Or if you like Italian prosciutto, you'll love the thin-sliced Spanish Serrano ham.

"As far as the meats go, the Jamon Serrano is unbelievable. We have three different levels of jamon. We have a beautiful domestic. Our house is a Segovia, and if you really want to taste something like you've never had before, we have an Iberico. Really rich, nutty, buttery. It melts in your mouth," said Covino.

There are so many tapas to choose from here, you'll need a few recommendations. So, check out the golden fried goat cheese with honey & almonds, crispy roasted potatoes with saffron aioli, classic garlic shrimp sautéed with red pepper flakes and olive oil, and a Spanish twist on bacon-wrapped scallops.

"You get four beautiful sea scallops wrapped in bacon. The bacon is nice and crispy. They get a beautiful truffle honey. And then little red pepper flakes so you get a little bit of heat, you get that nice beautiful pungent truffle and then the texture of the honey soaks into the scallops and the crispy crunch. Awesome," the chef boasted.

The menu also offers mini-burgers, or hamburguesas. There's one made with Kobe beef, and a shrimp burger boosted by parmesan, panko, and cherry pepper mayo.

If you want a small plate that's huge on flavor, order something straight from the Josper oven, which runs on all natural hardwood lump charcoal to provide a high temperature and a smoky flavor.

"We do lamb chops, steaks, octopus we do in here," Champagne described.

They even do an incredibly delicious 20-ounce tenderloin, which is sliced for sharing. Cooking the filet in the Josper oven makes all the difference, because that intense high heat gives is a really nice sear on the outside, plus you kick it up with some hot smoked paprika and garlic so you get tons of flavor on the outside and inside. The Spaniards know how to cook a steak!

Of course, the Spanish also know how to do Paella. So, Bocado does it the right way, with slow roasted chicken thighs, chorizo, littleneck clams and mussels all packed into a huge pan of Calasparra saffron rice that gets a bit crispy around the edges.

"It's a meat and seafood party, with this really crispy saffron rice," described Champagne.

For dessert, there's the creamy orange and pomegranate flan, or the always popular cinnamon-sugar dusted churros with melted chocolate.

You can order all of the foods a la carte, or you can order what they call the "Bocado Experience." It comes with a selection of meats and cheeses, a nice big salad for the table, a huge selection of tapas (three, four or five of them depending on how many in your party), a huge entree like the Paella or the steak and you can top it off with the churros and the flan.

The whole experience can be had for about $40 a person.

The newest Bocado is at 45 Church Street in Wellesley, with additional locations in Worcester and Providence. You can find them online at bocadotapasbar.com.

Watch Phantom Gourmet on Saturdays and Sundays at 10:30 and 11 a.m. on myTV38.