Step slightly outside the Gaslamp Quarter and into Broadway Circle and you\u2019ll encounter Tapas & Beers, a casual yet stylish restaurant specializing in Spanish, French and American dishes. The cuisine is represented by flags of those countries looming from an interior front wall.<\/p>\n There are also 20 beers on tap. Their lines and coils are encased in a tubular sheath of exposed ice that partly runs the length of the bar. It\u2019s a unique focal point, and on hot days especially, nobody can resist touching it.<\/p>\n High-top tables dominate a dining room distinguished by tall ceilings, big front windows and walls clad in brick and wood. Situated in the same historic building as Dobson\u2019s Bar & Restaurant, the space shows off classic architectural details both inside and out.<\/p>\n Owned by two French guys \u2014 Francois Patanchon of Bordeaux and Nael Chami from Lyon, which he calls \u201cthe city of food\u201d \u2014 their menu hopscotches between modern-day Spanish tapas such as chorizo deviled eggs and herby whipped goat cheese to French sausages, assorted flatbreads and crafty sandwiches.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll also find seafood paella, roasted chicken, and mussels strewn with prosciutto in shallots and white wine.<\/p>\n Without complaint, a friend and I consumed sinful amounts of brie cheese imported from France, only due to our lack of foresight while chatting non-stop during this busy lunch hour.<\/p>\n As an appetizer, we encountered the buttery cheese melted over a medley of earthy crimini mushrooms and saut\u00e9ed onions draping fingers of toasted baguette bread. Though listed as \u201cfrom Spain\u201d on the menu, the construct tasted gloriously French.<\/p>\n Of the two soups we tried\u2014one of them an ultra-creamy lobster bisque\u2014the restaurant\u2019s signature mushroom soup was luxurious thanks to a heavy lacing of brie melted into it. So incredibly rich, it could\u2019ve passed as fondue.<\/p>\n We shared the \u201cCalifornia burger,\u201d named as such because there\u2019s avocado and bacon on it. But it makes landfall in France as well given the generous puck of brie cheese crowning it. This is one of the tastiest burgers I\u2019ve had in a while, due also to the charred flavor it adopts from flame grilling. (I\u2019m growing weary over the greasy, fried patties served everywhere else.)<\/p>\n Baby back ribs served in a cast iron pan were exceptionally tender. The tangy barbecue sauce cloaking them reminded me of the vinegar-based versions common throughout eastern North Carolina. As far as baby backs go, these were larger and meatier than most.<\/p>\n At the last minute, we put the kibosh on a trio of assorted crostini, realizing they\u2019d be redundant to the mushroom-brie toast we previously ordered. Though on a return visit, I\u2019d eagerly encroach on the salmon with sun-dried tomatoes, and the strawberry with burrata cheese and basil. And despite our brie overload, the crostini with brie and roasted red peppers would end up on my table too.<\/p>\n As they do in France, said Chami, everyone orders dessert at the end of a meal, whether it\u2019s lunch or dinner. \u201cBut Americans, not so much\u201d he noted.<\/p>\n I\u2019ll revisit on a day off to indulge without consequences in the accommodating beer list, which features seasonal releases and established brands from a host of local breweries such as Ballast Point, Latitude 33, Belching Beaver and more.<\/p>\n For many in the room, sipping suds on a workday wasn\u2019t an issue. There were plenty of brews flying around among folks dressed in business attire. Beer is half the experience here. Though for me, even after one pint in the early afternoon, I\u2019d burn and crash soon after returning to my desk.<\/p>\n![\"A](\"https:\/\/sandiegodowntownnews.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/09\/Tapas-and-Beers-Nael-Chami-at-bar.jpg\")
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So we opted for key lime pie, which held no similarity to the classic version born in the Florida Keys. This featured a neutral custard set inside a round pastry shell. The citrus element was scant, and the buttery graham cracker crust was sorely missed. But it\u2019s otherwise a fine creation provided you\u2019re not expecting to be blown away by limes.<\/p>\n