El Tapeo Restaurant Launches New Menu, Endless Paella Night

OAK BROOK, IL — Fans of El Tapeo Restaurant have something new in store next time they visit the tapas restaurant. Executive chef Matthew Cappellini has tweaked the menu to put the spotlight on locally sourced cuisine and simple, but inventive Spanish dishes, including the restaurant's rave-worthy paella. With the new menu comes a weekly paella night that includes bottomless portions of the traditional Valencian dish.

"The new offerings in El Tapeo seek to use flavors, ingredients, and techniques found in Spain’s culinary heritage in a manner that creates a comfortable, fun, and engaging experience," Director of Food and Beverage Elmer Stunkel said in a press release. El Tapeo's revamped image focuses on the food instead of the flair.

El Tapeo's new menu includes large and small plates that can be paired with imported bottles from an extensive wine list. Some standout items include charred octopus with tarragon, oranges, fennel, and black pepper or the cremini mushroom fritters. Of course the paella will remain a hit, with guests having a choice between Paella de Pollo with chicken, serrano ham, chorizo, peas, onions, pepper, and lemon aioli or Paella de Catalano, a tempting melange of shrimp, squid ink, lobster, mussels, clams, bomba rice, peppers, onions, and lemon aioli. Now, that's a mouthful.

The restaurant's new paella night gives diners a chance to try endless helpings of the chef's choice paella for the night. Paella night will take place every Friday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. and costs $18 per person to enjoy the bottomless bounty.

Other new events include prix fixe menus on Wednesdays and chef's tables nights that explore the finer art of cooking Spanish cuisine with executive chef Cappellini.

To enjoy the new dishes and endless paella, visit El Tapeo on ninth floor of Le Méridien Chicago in the Oakbrook Center at 2100 Spring Road, Oak Brook, Illinois.

>>Image provided by El Tapeo