The setting for a relaxed tapas party was the beautiful restaurant, Raven & the Peach in Fair Haven, NJ. Invited to “come by” as my friend Rick Willgerodt  suggested, I did not know what to expect.  As always, he knew I would enjoy meeting the guests, hosts, and chef.

The passed around platters of tapas were lovely to look at and diverse enough to appeal to everyone’s taste. Chicken pieces on skewers, crab cakes, shrimp wrapped in prosciutto, and salmon on crostini were gobbled up quickly. The offerings were an introduction to their new “all natural, local farm fresh meats and produce” tapas menu.

The menu also includes “sustainable, wild caught seafood”. In addition to the delicious menu, Tapas Tuesday offers a free glass of Spanish wine.

 But of course, there is always the full bar to choose from. The bar tenders were a treat to meet, friendly and well informed.

 Chef Rob awed me with his control of the kitchen and his octopus like moves. Seeing a chef doing multiple tasks at the same time is amazing and a little frightening. It is also very impressive!

 In a consensus between myself and some of the guests, we really liked the Spanish meatballs the best. They were both spicy and tender and just the right size bite for a cocktail party. They need to make this dish a permanent menu item.

 The mix of guests ranged from professional chefs, local business people, friends, and strangers and everyone was enjoying themselves. Charlie Clarke at the piano, added to the fun vibe.

 Youngest to oldest guests had a great time. Tapas Tuesday at Raven & the Peach will be a big hit. Something new and different to get you over the mid-week blues.