An Iberian Experience:
A Journey Through the Foods & Wines of Spain

Spanish food and wine are a match made in heaven and both complement each other wonderfully. On the 15th March in Cava, Galway, there will be a special food and wine night put together by Cava and Iberian Wine Tours. With their expertise in food and wine, this evening will be a special treat for those who are interested in the various different food and wines of Spain and what make their specific geography (terroir) unique. From the seafood and white wine of Galicia to the big reds and meats of of Rioja.

The cost of the evening is €30 and bookings are limited to 50. Supported by the Spanish Tourist Board. Tel: 091 539 884 or Email food@cavarestaurant.ie for more details.

Celebrate the Seville Tapas Fair this February
with Cava's new Pintxos Menus and Free Sherry Tasting

To celebrate the annual Seville Tapas Fair, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway has launched a special Pincho Menu which will be available each day throughout February.

Popular in Spain, Pinchos are small Spanish canapés which can be eaten in one or two mouthfuls and are usually eaten in bars or taverns as a small snack while socialising with friends.

As part of the celebrations, Cava will also host a FREE sherry tasting evening each weekthroughout February on Thursdays between 6 and 7pm.

Spain is the nation of the ‘Fiesta’ and one of the first festivals of the year is The Seville Tapas Fair which takes place in February each year. A four-day event, the festival involves almost 50 restaurants and bars creating mouthwatering tapas and inviting guests to sample them with the accompaniment of beer, sherry or wine. Regarded by many wine experts as ‘underappreciated’ and ‘a neglected wine treasure’, Sherry is a fortified wine made from white grapes which are grown near the town of Jerez de la Frontera in Spain.

Cava’s Pincho Menu will include, amongst others, Serrano ham, quince and manchego cheese; dry aged sirloin with caramelised onions; grilled free range pork and Torta del Casar; Piquillo pepper stuffed with crab; Smoked octopus; Chicken with roasted garlic mayonnaise. Serranitos, which are small sandwiches of grilled pork ham popular in Seville, will also be available. They are served with Patatas Bravas and Mojo Picón sauce. Pinchos or tapas offer groups of friends the perfect opportunity to taste and to share a wide selection of dishes from different regions throughout Spain. Three pinchos cost €4.50 while a Serranito costs €6.50.

Cava are now selling a range of Spanish condiments
to bring a taste of Spain to your cheese plate

As well as producing our own sauces, Cava are now selling a range of Spanish condiments that match cheeses; such as quince paste, fig cake, red wine marmalade, honey, almonds. All of which are great accompaniments for some delicious Spanish cheese & cured meats.

Pop in to Cava Restaurant on Lower Dominick Street to see our full range.

Cava Wins “Georgina Campbell’s Ethnic Restaurant of the Year” Award

Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar has been named ‘Ethnic Restaurant of the Year 2012’ in the ‘Georgina Campbell’s Ireland Hosp itality Awards’. Run and owned by husband and wife team JP McMahon and Drigín Gaffey, Cava first opened in 2008 and has since become one of Galway’s most popular eateries.

Speaking after the awards ceremony which was held in Bord Bia in Dublin last week, Georgina Campbell said, “What we look for in the ethnic category – over and above the usual qualities of a well-run restaurant with good cooking and service - is a sense of authenticity. At its best that means that customers who have visited the country in question, and know the cuisine, will feel that they are being ‘taken back’ to it by the experience; while others will be inspired to go and see it for themselves. And that is certainly the case at Cava, where the experience is driven by a passionate owner-chef whose innovative cooking displays both knowledge and expertise.”

Offering a truly Spanish experience Cava’s ‘50-dish tour of Spanish cuisine in miniature’ menu is in the Spanish language, with English sub-titles; while the wine list includes Ireland’s largest range of Spanish wines.

”There has been an ‘Ethnic Restaurant’ category in our awards since their inception in the early ‘90s and, until now, the title has been interpreted as ‘oriental’. But a lot has changed in Irish dining and, in addition to a surge of new oriental restaurants (many of them excellent), authentic cuisines from all over the world are now well represented here, including a range of European traditions. So we decided to open up the criteria, to include all restaurants that truly represent any specific culture – and this year’s winner is an excellent example of the authenticity we admire, having brought a true taste of the Iberian peninsula to Galway city,” said Ms Campbell.

Ireland’s longest-running hospitality accolades, the Georgina Campbell Awards are completely independent and not affiliated with trade associations or marketing groups. Every year Georgina Campbell and her team of experienced assessors comb the country’s hotels, country houses, guesthouses, restaurants, pubs and cafés, seeking out the best consumer experiences.

Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar mark Spanish celebrations and festivals with special dishes and music in the restaurant. Watch out for promotions surrounding The Sherry Festival, Taste of Madrid, Cava Week, Paella Festival and Seville Festival - all bringing their own special influence to the Cava menu.

Have A Sherry September!

Spain has a number of festivals every year, some of which are well known outside of Spain such as bull running in Pamplona, others are less well known such as the annual Sherry Festival which place during the month of September.

The first Saturday in September sees the annual Sherry Festival in Jerez which marks the culmination of the grape harvest. Sherry advocate and owner of Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar Jp McMahon says “The sherry drinking trend is becoming more and more popular with our diners. Sherry has outgrown its stereotype of being the tipple of choice for elderly ladies as more people educate themselves on its appeal and the varieties to choose from. The drinks menu is Cava is designed in order to allow people to experiment and combine sherries with different foods”.

According to Jp “Sherry is produced in a variety of styles, ranging from dry, light versions such as finos to much darker and sometimes sweeter versions known as olorosos. The perfect serve for Sherry such as Fino and Manzanilla is ice cold from the fridge, and is wonderful with fine ham, good bread, fresh olives and nuts and other delicious, savoury finger foods and seafood. The more complex oloroso goes well meaty dishes and the sweet deep Pedro Ximenez is great with dessert. Furthermore, sherry can be used in cooking to augment many dishes. Seafood cooked in sherry tastes fantastic!”

Get a taste of the Spanish September celebrations in Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar on Dominick Street where they are marking the month with special promotions on Sherry, including a number of free tasting sessions, special tapas cooked in sherry and some wonderful sherry and food matches put together by Jp.

Keep an eye on our Facebook page for the latest specials or phone us on 091 539 884 for more information.

Cava Launch New Take Away Menu & Outside Catering Brochure

Due to growing popularity of its take-away service (collection only), Cava have launched a new extended take- away menu that encompasses most aspects of the food served in Cava. Now you can enjoy a little taste of Spain from your own home. In conjunction to this, Cava have also produced a new outside catering brochure. This brochure details many of Cava's most popular outside catering menus.

Cava Outside Catering was established in 2007 and caters for all sorts of events in the greater Galway area. The Film Fleadh, Cuirt, The Corrib Princess, Abu Media, Baboro and The Galway Arts Festival are a number of Cava's notable patrons who use this service.

Click on the links below to download Cava's New
Take-Away Menu and Outside Catering Brochure.

Download Take-Away Menu

Download Outside Catering Brochure

A Month Dedicated To The Taste of Madrid

During the month of May the capital city of Spain pulls out all the stops to showcase its culture, music and cuisine. This May, representing the colourful and diverse Spanish cuisine in Ireland, Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar in Galway is featuring an array of special dishes and wines from Madrid.

Explore the tastes of the region with classic Madrid tapas such as meatballs, calamares and tortilla. Also, enjoy nightly specials such as Madrid-style marinated oxtail and free range pork fillet with piquillo pepper marmalade. For the month of May, Cava will also be offering two tapas and a glass of wine from Madrid for €15. Not forgetting Madrid’s
proud history of fine wines, headlining the line up at Cava,
and recent visitors to Galway, are the wines from Bodegas
Francisco Casas with their Camparron range. These renowned wines will be on special, with 20% off the Camparron bottles of wine. Soak up the Madrid atmosphere in Cava this May, with live flamenco music to accompany your tapas and wine.

The Fiestas de San Isidro, pays homage to Madrid’s patron Saint by an organized pilgrimage (Romería) lots of outdoor celebrations, and of course good food and tapas. This time of year also ushers in the famous Feria Taurina or bullfighting fair which also carries the name of the patron saint of Madrid and lasts from the middle of May to the middle of June.

For more information phone 091 539 884. Advance booking is recommended.

Seville Tapas Fair – A Tapas Feast Made For Sharing

To celebrate the annual Seville Tapas Fair in February, Cava has announced its exciting 2011 Tapas Fiesta Menu.

This popular excuse for a get together offers groups of 8 or more the chance to taste and to share various tapas from different regions throughout Spain including 8 exciting meat, fish and vegetable dishes. The menu is only available for the month of February.

Mouth watering additions this year include free range duck in Pedro Ximénez sauce; the amazingly light tortillitas de camarones – shrimp fritters; Andalusian olives; roasted pepper salad; tiny Boquerones – fresh anchovies; Calamares – rings of tender squid; grilled pork loin; and Albondigas Con Salsa de Almendras y Azafran - Meatballs in Saffron-Almond Sauce.

The menu is priced at €25 per person based on 8 people or more which includes a tempting Spanish Chocolate cake as desert and glass of beer or Spanish wine. Booking is essential.

For more information phone 091 539 884. Download the Seville Tapas menu here.

Cava Launch New Wine Menu

Cava's new wine menu showcase over 140 Spanish wines, making it the most comprehensive Spanish wine list in the country. Included on its new wine list are numerous new sherries and cava's (Spain's own sparkling wine). The menu also includes new wines from many different parts of Spain. While these DO's do not have the prestige of Rioja or Reuda, they are now producing excellent young and aged wines which taste fantastic and have very individual characteristics.

The new wine menu represents a journey across Spain, just as Cava's Tapas menu showcase over 50 regionally inspired tapas. The menu, easy to navigate in terms of weight and taste, is available online and can be viewed in the menus section on the website.

Speaking about the wine menu, chef-patron, Jp McMahon said "We just wanted to showcase the depth, quality, and regional diversity of Spanish wines now. In the last ten years Spain has really found its own footing with its own indigenous grapes and has started to produce amazing quality reds and whites. Though we shouldn't forget sherry and cava. They too are wines!".

In all, it seems that Cava is the place to be in terms of Spanish food and wine at present, not only in terms of eating and drinking, but also in terms of learning about Spain's truly colourful culture.

Cheers! It’s NovemBeer

Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar on Dominick Street is christening this month ‘NovemBeer’ offering enticing beer and tapas promotions to whet your appetite.

For the month of November Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar are knocking 10% off all beers. Head chef and owner Jp McMahon has also developed a range of special beer-complimenting tapas to accompany your ‘cold one’ such as pork fillet with harrisa and local venison sausages with caramelised onion and quince. Featured beers include Estrella Damm -a favourite in Barcelona; the traditional 1906 Reserva Especial and the popular Estrella Galicia. Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar also serve the exclusive Estrella Inedit beer. Developed by the world famous El Bulli chef Ferran Adria, Inedit has a distinctive bottle and is served ice cold in wine glasses. One bottle serves two people so grab yourself a beer buddy and taste the exclusive at Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar.

To mark World Beer Festival taking place throughout Galway’s West End during weekend of 18th to 21st, Cava will be running special beer promotions such as an ice bucket of three Estrella Damm’s for €10 or two tapas and a bottle of beer for €12.

Please contact Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar on 091 539 884 for more details

Award-winning cava maker coming to Cava on Monday 25th October 2010

On the 25th October, Cava will welcome a cava maker from Dominio de la Vega, a vineyard located in the heart of the Requena - Utiel region. Although most cava is produced in the region of Penedes, these cava makers have won many awards due to the vineyards dedication to commitment and quality.

Dominio de la Vega produce cavas according to traditional methods, with loving care and great devotion. Nevertheless, this has not prevented them from using the latest wine-making technology to carry out, supervise and control a complex process by which the grapes of their vineyards are transformed into fine, elegant, pleasant and enjoyable wines, which help them to express their emotions freely and to obtain greater happiness, if possible, for an instant, and to make this instant endure amongst them.

Dominio de la Vega strives to produce wines that offer pleasant sensations to those who drink and taste them. Therefore, they take great care with the process and strictly control the whole winemaking process, from the grapes in the vineyard to the bottle on the table and up to that triumphant moment when all the effort put in is rewarded by the appreciation of our consumers. www.dominiodelavega.com

Dominio de la Vega wines and cavas are imported into Ireland by Colm Carter of Honest2goodness Wines. www.honest2goodness.ie

Please contact Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar on 091 539 884 for more details

Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar Presents ‘Cava Week’ 4th – 10th October

This October Spain celebrates the 21st Cava Week festival paying homage to the bubbly beverage. Cava Spanish Restaurant & Tapas Bar could not let the week go by without celebrating its namesake.

Monday, 4th October 6 – 7pm Learn Basic Spanish – ‘How to Order Food and Drinks’

Tuesday, 5th October 6 – 7pm
Opening of exhibition “Walking on the stars” by Spanish artist, Samuel Urtxaga

Wednesday, 6th October 6 – 7pm
Cava Tasting with Hugh Murray, Classic Drinks

Thursday, 7th October 8pm - late
Music by Alalé – A fusion of Irish and Spanish Music

Friday, 8th October 8pm – late
Music by Gypsy Jazz Band, Tribal Swing

Saturday, 9th October 8pm – late
Flamenco Music by Esteban Moreno Trio

Sunday, 10th October 2 – 5pm:
Join us for lunch and some family fun including face painting, flamenco dancing for children, Spanish games and children Spanish lessons. Special Children’s Menu available. Kids tapas €3

Sunday, 10th October 8pm – Late:
End of Cava Week Celebration with Spanish Fiesta DJ

All Week:
Enjoy a Glass of Cava for €5
Complimentary Spanish Treat with Lunch
Every day a lucky customer will WIN A FREE BOTTLE OF CAVA

All customers who dine in Cava during this week will be entered into a draw to WIN A TRIP FOR TWO TO SPAIN
2 night’s accommodation and flights to Madrid (sponsored by Camparron Wines), to be announced on Sunday 10th October in Cava. Runners up will receive a special Spanish hamper.

Buddy Mondlock & Jon Hughes Perform in Cava, as part of Galway’s Americana Festival

On Sunday 19th September, customers in Cava will be treated to a rare and exciting event, combining two talented artists. Buddy Mondlock, a famous songwriter, and Cava’s own, chef and musician, Jon Hughes will perform in Cava.

As part of Galway’s Americana festival, Cava are delighted to welcome Buddy Mondlock to play in the restaurant. Mondlock, who currently lives in Nashville and is originally from Illinois, is a great songwriter, with artists such as Guy Clark, Nanci Griffith and Janis Ian covering his songs. His new album, "The Edge of the World," is his most personal recording to date. The song cycle is an introspective journey from childhood through to the disintegration of a marriage and beyond. And while always a wry observer of the social interactions of human beings, the song "Big Fish, Shallow Water" takes on a political edge as well.

Cava chef, and musician, Jon Hughes will support Mondlock. Hughes, originally from Wisconsin, released his first album, “Becoming Detailed” at the age of seventeen, with Bluegrass and folk influences, and was warmly received. Hughes' latest release, “Voices from a Broken Window” can be described as alt-folk/alt-rock with a twist of psychedelic (think Nick Drake, Woody Guthrie set to the production of REM). Hughes' voice has been compared to Cat Stevens and Nils Lofgren of the E Street Band. Hughes will kick things off at 2.30pm,
followed by Mondlock at 3pm, on Sunday 19th September.

All welcome. This is a free event.

Enjoy a Sherry with Paella this September for only €15

Spain has a number of festivals every year, some of which are well known outside of Spain such as bull running in Pamplona, others are less well known such as the annual Sherry Festival or the tasty Paella Festival both of which take place during the month of September.

The first Saturday in September sees the annual Jerez Sherry Festival in Jerez which marks the grape harvest. Sherry advocate and owner of Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar Jp McMahon says "‘The sherry drinking trend is becoming more and more popular with our diners. Sherry has outgrown its stereotype of being the tipple of choice for elderly ladies as more people educate themselves on its appeal and the varieties to choose from".

According to JP “Sherry is produced in a variety of styles, ranging from dry, light versions such as finos to much darker and sometimes sweeter versions known as olorosos. The perfect serve for Sherry such as fino and manzanilla is ice cold from the fridge, and is wonderful with fine ham, good bread, fresh olives and nuts and other delicious, savoury finger foods and seafood. The more complex oloroso goes well meaty dishes and the sweet deep pedro Ximenez is great with dessert.”

Over of the East coast of Spain outside Valencia, the city of Sueca celebrates a two week long Paella Festival starting in September. The quintessential Spanish dish of Paella is served up in its many varieties, fresh from the pan over open fires to the waiting masses. Although we may be more familiar with seafood or chicken paella, this Spanish festival also serves it up with rabbit, bean and snails-in-their-shells varieties.

Get a taste of the Spanish September celebrations in Cava Spanish Restaurant and Tapas Bar on Dominick Street where they are marking the month with a very special promotion of ‘Sherry and Paella’, enjoy a glass of sherry and a plate of meat, seafood or vegetarian paella for €15. Available Mondays and Tuesday evenings. Matthew Long of Mitchells Wines will be conducting a Sherry Tasting on Monday 6th September, all welcome to attend. For more information phone 091 539 884.

Cava is Nominated Best Restaurant in Connaught

Cava is nominated Best Restaurant in Connaught by the readers of
Food and Wine Magazine. Food and Wine Magazine is Ireland's 'food and drink bible'. The annual Food and Wine Magazine Restaurant of the Year Awards, now in their year, are regarded as the most prestigious hospitality industry awards in Ireland. Cava is nominated for the award due to its commitment to showcasing Spanish food and wine with their extensive tapas and drinks menu. Their menu features over 50 regional tapas and 80 Spanish wines.

The awards will be held in Dublin on the 23rd of August.

Rolling on the River with the Corrib Princess

Cava Outside Catering have teamed up with the Corrib Princess to create a memorable midweek retreat. From Wednesday 12th May 2010 until the end of the summer, individuals, couples, or a group of friends will be able to book a space on the luxurious Corrib Princess and enjoy Cava’s delicious culinary flair while taking in the idyllic waterways views. Cava will cater for all tastes, with dishes ranging from Salmon and beef stroganoff to Cava’s signature tapas selection. Tempting desserts will also be available. The voyage includes two hours of entertainment from Galway’s finest musicians. Tickets cost €45 per person and include cruise, barbecue and entertainment. Sailing time is 7pm -11pm. To reserve a place please contact Corrib Princess bookings 091 592 447 or email info@corribprincess.ie

Every other day of the week, the Corrib Princess can be hired for private parties. Please see the Corrib Princess Menus available on our menus page.

Cava help celebrate 25 years of the Cúirt International Festival of Literature

Cava are joining up with the Cúirt International Festival of Literature to celebrate their 25th Anniversary. The Cúirt Festival 2010 will be running from the 20th April to 25th April. Cava will be sponsoring the food at the official opening in the Galway City Museum on the 20th April. To mark the festival’s 25th anniversary, Cava will have a special Cúirt festival menu for €25, which will include a selection of tapas, dessert and a glass of wine. Cava are also very excited to be hosting a reading by the renowned art critic and poet, Enrique Juncosa on 22nd of April at 6.30pm. Mr Juncosa, who is originally from Mallorca in Spain is now living in Dublin and has been the Director of Imma since 2003. He has published five books of poetry in Spain. The tickets for this event are €15 and will include a glass of wine and canapés. Cava will also be hosting other events throughout the week. You can log onto www.cuirt.ie for more information about the Cúirt festival.