Tapas from Sample

bar may just be the best kept secret in the neighborhood. Nestled in a narrow storefront on Smith Street, this cozy bar has a great happy hour, and an even better tapas menu.

Each small item, ranging for cheese and charcuterie to vegetables, nuts and olives, comes served on a wooden tray, accompanied by thin slices of baguette. On a recent evening, we ate proscuitto; a wedge of Humboldt fog; slices of olive oil dribbled Mahón cheese, a hard cow's milk cheese from Spain with a rind flavored with paprika; feta stuffed peppers and marinated artichokes.

The peppers were my favorite. They had a serious bite to them. But after the initial spiciness, the creamy feta flavor took over. Delicious.

Eating tapas in Spain is about as enjoyable an experience as you can find, and eating them at Sample comes awfully close.