Step aside, Mi Luna, there’s a new kid in town. And he knows the proper way to my heart – authentic tapas, wine served in vasos, and live flamenco music and dancing.

The boy and I found ourselves downtown – hungry, thirsty, and craving a little culture. I had wanted to patronize Andalucia for a couple of weeks now and was elated at the chance to go on a Friday night for a true feel of the place.

I literally squealed when they brought us our wine in these glorious vessels….

JUST LIKE SPAIN! When I lived there, I was confused at the lack of wine glasses in the country. Wine is served just like this actually, and I was so happy at being reminded. Props to you, Andalucia. Props to you.

I literally refuse to go to a Spanish restaurant and not order the croquetas. It is one of my fiercest prerequisites. So we snagged a plate of those and their patatas bravas

The croquetas were an unlikely blend of potatoes, goat cheese, raisins and leeks that came together in perfect harmony inside my mouth, and belted their melodious tunes all the way down my throat. I’m kind of in love. The patatas bravas were incredibly spicy (good thing in our book) and perfectly crunchy on the outside. Check.

Raul next ordered the albondigas marroquis (Moroccan meatballs)

However I was not a fan. I could taste the factory farm in the meat. I bet the cow spent most of his life crying before he became those meatballs. Poor cow.

I opted for the earth-friendly spinach salad – complete with beets, pan-fried goat cheese, cinnamon spiced apples and a delicious berry vinaigrette.

We were fortunate enough to have Solero Flamenco as our entertainment for the evening. The beautiful Irma La Paloma es la cante (sings), and her voice melts like butter throughout the entire room, coating you in a sweet film of stillness. It is powerful and raw, and when she sang we couldn’t move. We perched on our chairs, hanging on every word, lest we miss something. It seemed irreverent to speak over her story. Jeremy es el toque (guitar) and his music is so moving that at times I had to remind myself I was in a restaurant in downtown Houston and not sitting around the campfire in the Spanish countryside, listening to the gypsies sing and dance and tell their stories. The vision was so real I could almost reach out and touch them. He blends music with the singing and dancing to an almost unrealistic perfection, and the intensity of his playing was burned into our souls. We were mesmerized. Pair both of them with the flamenco dancing, a passionate frenzy of turmoil, enthusiasm and fire, and the entire show comes together in bewitching unity.

It’s easy to get swept away with them.

We stayed until they finished playing, then ended up taking shots and having dinner with them and hearing their stories.

the lovely Irma - my hat inspired one of her songs that night!

Andalucia definitely gets 5 stars. Because it’s just so pretty inside 🙂

Go here! Go here! Go here! And check out Solero Flamenco’s website and go see them too.