TOUR DE TAPAS BRINGS TASTES OF EUROPE TO LA MESA VILLAGE

An East County Eater review

By Miriam Raftery

April 29, 2025 (La Mesa) – Now you don’t have to venture to a tapas bar in Spain or a sidewalk café in France to savor the flavors of Europe.  Tour de Tapas in La Mesa’s historic downtown village offers small plates featuring cuisine of Southern Europe including Spain, France and Italy.

“We’ve tried to be as traditional as we can,” owner Gerald Torres told ECM. “I know tapas is a Spanish concept, but we tried to expand that.’

Torres has launched a series of successful restaurants. He was a cofounder of Tiramisu Trattoria and also launched several Mexican eateries across our region, including City Tacos in La Mesa.  His executive chef is Franch-trained and formerly ran Maximo’s, a globally-influenced Mexico City restaurant listed in the prestigious Michelin Guide.

Tour de Tapas also offers European beers and an array of wines including French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, and Californian as well as champagnes.

“We tried around 600 wines,” Torres says, adding that the focus was on “quality, not well-known brands, to keep pricing affordable.”

The menu features cold and hot plate appetizers, soups, pasta and rice dishes including Spanish paella, delicious and surprisingly affordable entrees, as well as luscious desserts.

My companion and I began our feast with Moules à la Crème et au Vin Blanc—fresh mussels in a creamy wine white wine sauce with herbs that were, in a word, divine.

Next we sampled two soups—first, a classic French onion soup topped with Gruyere cheese, as rich as any I’ve had in French restaurants or, for that matter, in Paris. We also enjoyed crema de Serrano, a white wine and fresh herb based soup with Spanish Serrano ham and bacon bits, topped with paprika or red pepper.

Next, Gerald brought out a trio of entrees for us to savor. Poulet Cordon Bleu, the classic French dish consisting of Panko-breaded chicken breast filled with ham and Brie cheese with a creamy antique mustard sauce, was hearty and satisfying. Salmon Beurre Blanc sauteed in white wine, capers, basil and lemon zest  was also delicious, as was Filetto al Vino Rosso.  My companion also savored a petite filet mignon in red w

ine reduction served over a poached potato and seasonal vegetables, topped with gorgonzola cheese, which I had to forgo due to an allergy,

It was a delight to discover Crepes Suzettes on the dessert menu, a rarity even among French restaurants locally. This rich French crepe dessert is served here with orange liqueur, apricot, caramel and orange supreme—sweet and satisfying; the apricot was a delightful original touch.

We also sampled Membrillo and Cheese, a Spanish dessert consisting of guava fruit paste, mascarpone cheese, honey drizzle and pecan served atop a bread slice in a pleasing explosion of flavors.

 The employees here are part-owners, including Gerald’s son,  Hector,  so they all have a stake in making sure the restaurant delivers delicious dishes and excellent service.

Rounding out the ambience, the décor includes replicas of famous paintings by European artists, such as da Vinci’s Mona Lisa smiling enigmatically.

I highly recommend giving Tour de Tapas a try. Come early, since this culinary destination is quickly become a popular hotspot in the heart of La Mesa’s downtown village, East County’s continually evolving restaurant row.

View their menu and learn more at  https://tourdetapas.com.