La Tapa Orgullosa in Arrecife until 31 August: ten bars, ten tapas

Arrecife is hosting the third edition of La Tapa Orgullosa, the food trail that runs through the capital's bars and cafés. There is time until 31 August — anyone on the island over the next fortnight can still do the whole route.

The format is the classic Spanish ruta de tapas: each participating venue prepares its own creation, you move from place to place and taste as you go. Here the competition is organised into four categories, and the names of the tapas are as much part of the fun as the food.

Where to eat, and what

These are the ten venues taking part and their entries:

Bar Said «El Pelao» — Salmón en Tacones
Hostal España Café — Te Quiero Mucho
Mi Niña Café — Mimos Coloridos
Leito de Proa — Matrimonio Perfecto
Chikketeria — La Chikkrep Trifásica
El Puerto — Ibérico con Pluma
Bar Asturias — Langostino RedVerde
El Baifo GastroBar — Calaba-Queen
Bar La Tentación — Tentación Total
Bar Strava — Este Nido Tiene Plumas

They are strikingly different from one another — salmon to prawn, Iberian pork to pumpkin — and lined up together they show how much cooking in Arrecife has changed in recent years.

More than a food trail

La Tapa Orgullosa was set up with a stated purpose beyond eating: to bring the subject of diversity closer to people through everyday, easy-going language. The names of the tapas, the colourful presentation and the relaxed atmosphere around the tables are all part of that.

It is a way of approaching the question without conferences or posters: you come in to eat, and the message arrives with the plate. It worked in the first two editions, and this year's turnout — among residents and summer visitors alike — has gone the same way.

One practical tip: the venues are all in central Arrecife and within walking distance of each other. Two or three in an evening works better than trying to finish the route in one go.