Review of Bar Gitano Restaurant in Condado, San Juan

For creative tapas that take Old World classics and sprinkle in a healthy dose of Roberto Treviño magic, come to Bar Gitano. This is a unique culinary experience that will take your taste buds in new directions. As someone who knows their Spanish food, I was often surprised by the creations that came my way ... but I can't deny the bold tastes, inventive interpretations, and distinctive flavors at this modern tapas joint.

As soon as I saw the gambas al ajillo, or garlic shrimp, make their way to my table, I knew I was in for something different from the classic Spanish tapas experience. The typical version of this dish has plump, peeled shrimp swimming in a bath of piping hot garlic oil. At Roberto Treviño's Bar Gitano, the shrimp arrived whole, skewered pincho style, and brushed with a garlic and herb seasoning. Tasty, sure, but gambas al ajillo? These are not the tapas I knew from my years in Spain.

The shrimp weren't the only surprise. One of my favorite tapas from the old world, chipirones en su tinta (baby squid cooked in their own ink) was reinvented as calamari and fried in squid ink. Even the classic tortilla Española, a kind of omelet tart, was a shade different from what I was accustomed to.

These culinary liberties would mean little if the taste wasn't there, but Bar Gitano delivers on flavor as much as on ingenuity. I enjoyed the food even more because I found myself wandering how each dish was going to get the Treviño treatment.

For the signature paella, Bar Gitano returned to its old world roots, serving up the typical moist combination of saffron-infused rice, shrimp, mussels, clams, fish, and sausage. For dessert, however, it was back to the creative drawing board, with rich churros accompanied by a chocolate espresso dipping sauce.

Bar Gitano is a creative and whimsical dining destination, perfect for sampling "New World" tapas, old world wines, and the culinary creations of the star chef who competed on "The Next Iron Chef" and brought the outstanding Budatai to San Juan.