Cafe Ba-Ba-Reeba

Life is short, so why not start with dessert first?

Of the many and varied elements there are to love about Café Ba Ba Reeba!, the mini desserts are near the top of the list. For a mere $1.99, you have your choice of a dozen offerings, each good for perhaps four or five bites. From the caramelized banana with vanilla ice cream to the lemon cake with yogurt sauce, they're all dang near perfect.

In fact, there's plenty in the way of perfection with Café Ba Ba Reeba!

A disciple of the original in Chicago, this outpost of Spanish tapas dining has modified itself to cater more to the tastes of Vegas diners. Tapa literally means "cover" in Spanish and, while there are several stories for its meaning, the notion that eating tapas covers the time between eating your next meal seems the most appealing. It's logical, considering the fact that you can nosh on several small plates of food as you imbibe your beer, wine or glass of sherry. However, the practice of making an entire meal out of tapas has gained in popularity and that's certainly what you should do at Ba Ba Reeba! Also, instead of offering only small plates, this location has altered the menu to be equal parts tapas and full entrée portions. Perhaps the allure of the tapas concept is simply that it seems to fit so many occasions.

The dining rooms are warm and inviting, with wood floors, high ceilings, soothing lighting and deep red velvet curtains that seem to emulate the sweeping motion of a toreador. Several private rooms offer opportunities for business meetings, wedding parties or any affair that requires more intimacy. If nothing else, take a quick tour and check out the wine room and the terrific painting of a bullfighter in the "Sala de Toro."

There are also two rockin' outdoor patios. The north side offers live salsa/merengue music on Thursdays and Saturdays starting at 7:30 p.m. It's popular with visitors and locals alike, so get there early. The front patio provides a bird's-eye view of all the action on the Strip--and yes, there are plenty of misters to cool you down on those hot summer nights.

The open kitchen pours forth with food expeditiously and consistently. Some items, such as the traditional tortilla espagnol (a potato and onion omelette) or the chilled citrus-cured salmon with cucumber toast arrive before you can down your first glass of sangria. Speaking of which, you have your choice of several wine sangrias including white, red, a sweeter peach or the cava (made with sparking wine). When in doubt, stick with the red.

The menu highlights a number of special dishes, including the most incredible roast dates wrapped in bacon (for that unbeatable sweet and salty flavor treat), a spinach pizza with spinach and pine nuts and the toothsome beef tenderloin with blue cheese--a winning combination if there ever were one.

Two distinctive offerings at Café Ba Ba Reeba! are the toro skewers and the paella. The former is a unique presentation wherein a large hanging hook is delivered to your table upon which a skewer of shrimp, lobster, chicken or beef is placed, served with its own special sauce. The latter -- a traditional rice dish with as many variations as there are regions in Spain -- requires a little extra waiting time, as each order (priced for two or four people) gets special attention from the kitchen. As you move closer to the coast of Spain, the paella includes more seafood. However, the most common would be the "mixta," which includes chicken, chorizo sausage, pork and shrimp. Since the preparation involves so many steps, save yourself the trouble of making this at home and enjoy the fruit of the chef's labor at Café Ba Ba Reeba! Considering the convenient location, the wide choice of menu selections and portion sizes, the speedy service and the marvelous atmosphere with free live music, Café Ba Ba Reeba! truly becomes the restaurant for all reasons and seasons.

-- Review by Thom Wise