AUTHOR: ARTSY CHOW ROAMER

Pick of the Month

SPANISH TAPAS AT ECLIPSE DI LUNA

After taking in a new exhibition at a popular gallery on Miami Circle, my husband and I decided to celebrate my birthday early with an evening of tapas down the street at Eclipse di Luna. We had been there before but not in awhile and I tried to remember if the enclosed patio had been open when we last visited.

I chatted with one of the managers who was training a new server at our table about that and he told me they had also opened a location in Dunwoody and would be opening soon in Alpharetta. He asked what had brought us there and I told him I had been at an exhibition down the street and we decided to drop in to celebrate my birthday on what is normally an all closed on Monday nights situation in restaurant world where we live.

SIGNATURE COCKTAILS

Luna has an incredible list of yummy libations and premium cocktails priced from $10-12 along with great choices in beer and an extensive wine list. My husband decided to try a Caipirinha and I jumped on a Grapefruit Martini with freshly squeezed juice, vodka and a splash of rosewater. The manager said we chose well and would enjoy both.

They arrived super chilled with beautiful color, garnishes and citrus flavor which couldn’t have been better when the temperatures outside were sweltering. They were also the perfect match for the order of Pan Fresco that came out with them giving us warm ciabatta bread slices we could dip in the bowl of Spanish olive oil with fresh herbs that produced the expected pop of peppery flavor on the back of our tongues and throat. This kind of eating always reminds me that it could be possible for man to live on bread alone. 😋

MAKE IT A SALAD PLEASE

The tapas menu offers so many directions for the first thing you might want to try. Staying in my old school American mode, I chose an Ensalada de Manzana with granny smith apples, radicchio, manchego cheese, roasted walnuts and apple cider vinegar dressing.

Fresh micro greens provided just the right flavor notes with the cheese while the walnuts added sweetness and crunch. I don’t know who tossed the greens with the dressing but they have a deft hand and every bite was perfectly dressed from beginning to end. This is salad at it’s best-simple and delicious.

There are several other salad choices such as Ensalada de Couscous y Fava with pearl couscous, board beans, heirloom cherry tomatoes, cucumbers, white balsamic and feta cheese. Rich lush ingredients produce a fabulous starter no doubt. A mixed salad with tuna is playful while a roasted vegetable choice would be great for the vegetarians in your party as a main.

FIRST & SECOND TAPAS

While we were sipping our tasty drinks we looked over the menu. Luna offers two different kinds of paella at $13.50 and $17.00. Verduras is the more traditional with an assortment of roasted summer vegetables while the del Dia mixes a variety of seafood, chorizo and chicken. There is also a whole fish of the day on offer roasted with garlic, shallots, oil and lemon.

We stayed with tapas to try more dishes as is our usual want and began with the Pimientos Rellenos; crispy fried piquillo peppers stuffed with a honeyed goat cheese over a Spanish marinara. They were melt in your mouth perfectly done with careful balance between sweet peppers and honey and the soft tart velvety goat cheese and the pop from the tomatoes in the marinara. One of the best of the evening!

Next up had to be an empanada so we went with the slow braised chicken thigh with mozzarella cheese, black beans, roasted corn, poblano peppers, mango salsa sitting on a bed of smoked chipotle crema. The choice was my least favorite of the night not because it wasn’t good, it just didn’t top the other selections we made. The dough could have been a bit more flakey and tender is the only criticism I could offer.

THIRD & BEST COURSE

Our third choice landed on the table in all it’s beautiful glory. Luscious large shrimp sauteed in garlic and calabrese peppers. I tried to remember when I have had better shrimp and couldn’t come up with anything in all my years of dining. Simple perfection from the chef here. The shrimp were so sweet and fat but tender with garlic juices that just exploded in your mouth. The peppers made one of the best sauces laid down on a plate that night. You can not go wrong with this dish. Next time I would just order two of these with bread and salad and go home happy. 😍

FINAL TAPA

Since we were on a roll with seafood we opted for the P.E.I Mussels next with tomato cream, basil and toasted ciabatta bread. Again, I believe the chef really knows how to pick and prepare fresh seafood in his kitchen. The mussels were plump, sweet and buttery soft goodness merged well with that cream sauce and the fresh basil finished it beautifully.

There are over 30 different tapas listed on the menu including the salads and ciabatta bread mentioned above ranging in price from $4.50 to $16.95. It is both affordable and creative with a good mix of salads, meat, seafood and vegetables-something for everyone including children who there chowing down with their moms and dads.

DESSERTS

Normally we wouldn’t be looking for dessert after so many tapas with breads but the manager who came around to check on our meal insisted we try something. So naturally we went with the flan which he said was made fresh on site every day. While there were several ports and sherries on the drinks menu that would have been lovely with this dish we decided to try a Spanish gin and tonic with sweet fresh botanicals.

Loved the fact that it was served in a big bowl wine glass with sweet oranges, lemons and juniper berries floating inside making it a pretty drink. It was sweet and a wonderful companion to the creamy Spanish flan floating on the traditional caramel sauce. Just another example of the skill in the kitchen-simply delicious!

The bar area was large and comfortable offering more seating if you can’t snag a table in the dining room. Big comfy booths were a plus for me as well as other patrons that were filling up the space on a week day evening. The interior design is funky with lots of color and art. A couple got up to dance to some fun Latino tunes and I hear Sunday nights are crowded with live music and line dancing.

CONCLUSION

I think you can see why we enjoyed our birthday dinner at Eclipse di Luna so much. The atmosphere was perfect funky fun with music that celebrated the culture and made people want to dance. The drinks were imaginative and tasty and the quality of food was high with fresh ingredients and friendly service. Enjoy the video above which highlights the best night to visit and come on out to dance!

If you enjoyed what you read, you might also enjoy other posts under Edible Fare. There you will find restaurant reviews, recipes, foodie tips and best spots to eat in a variety of cities. I also put emphasis on food experiences in my travel posts under Explore the World. Look soon for upcoming posts from my British gal pal and destinations for your bucket list under Snap Shot. Until then…

Cheers!

ArtsyChowRoamer

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