First look: Barrio

(Credit: Dwayne Steward)

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Last summer Jeff Mathes, owner of Due Amici (an Italian eatery downtown on Gay Street), announced the opening of what was to be downtown's hottest new tapas joint. Now, after several construction delays, the wait is over and Barrio has burst onto the downtown dining scene. The restaurant specializes in the flavors of Latin America, with a full tapas menu featuring Spanish and South American dishes, all offered in an upscale, ultra-lounge atmosphere.

Food: Barrio's menu includes a plethora of tapas choices, broken down by hot—Tapas Caliente (marinated olives, $5, and avocado salad, $7)—and cold—Tapas Frias (the tangy bacon wrapped dates, $8, and spicy shrimp sofrito, $11). There's also a full dinner, lunch and brunch menu. Be sure to try the grilled salmon ($13) and shrimp salad ($12) for lunch, or the strip steak ($33) and Ancho-roasted chicken ($17) for dinner.

For dessert the restaurant has partnered with Jeni's Splendid Ice Cream, serving their seasonal sorbet flavors for $5. There's also the flour-less chocolate cake with raspberry mole sauce for $6.

Libations: The wine closet at Barrio is filled with exotic wines from Argentina and Chile, and there's also a full bar that'll serve whatever you have a taste for. But don't forget the specialty drink list that includes the delectably deceptive Rum Punch.

If you're looking for a companion for your dessert plate, try one of their dessert cocktails—either the poached pear martini ($10) or the hot spiced cider ($8).

Décor: Barrio sports two floors of chic rustic dining. Floor one includes a front dining area with dark wood color scheme, and a back bar area complete with television and a beautiful oak dining table. A cavernous staircase leads to an open upstairs dining room with a smaller personal bar to help quench your thirst so you won't have to send the waiter back downstairs.

Crowd: Barrio mostly caters to the dining elite, but is also has room (and prices) for us common folk. For lunch the dinning room is usually filled with the downtown corporate world—suited lawyers and insurance agents hoping for a quick and classy bite to eat during the lunch hour. However, at night the bar opens up into a posh lounge for anyone looking for a nice night out.

Service: The service at Barrio is exceptional. The waiters retrofit each table with their own chilled oversized bottles of water, eliminating the need for multiple returns for refills. They're also very attentive, each draped in jeans and T-shirts to take away the snobbish aura that sometimes comes with restaurants of this caliber.

Insider tip: Barrio is all about the small plate craze that's taken over the modern dinning scene. So be sure to bring friends and order more then one menu choice to share. Also make sure to check the clock before heading out to Barrio. During the break between lunch and dinner the restaurant only serves hot and cold tapas.

Bottom line: Barrio is a hip tapas-serving restaurant/lounge for anyone who's looking for a healthy option during a nice night out on the town.

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