Though returning to the classroom has put a limit on how many nights we can escape to the city during the work week, nothing could have prevented us from celebrating the 1st Anniversary of Aro Bar de Tapas, one of our favorite date spots in WNY.

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Last Wednesday, we sat down to a lovely assortment of new and old favorites. Of course the evening began with a toast of bubbly, a Spanish cava to kick off the anniversary favorites. However, as America’s 1st gintoneria, we made sure to sample the brand new gin and tonic, The Perfect Serve?, as well as the Violet Beauregarde. Fresh, fruit forward, and of course the dry ice pour makes for a lovely 1st look. We have both always been connoisseurs of a good G&T, and we are never disappointed at Aro.

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The Violet Beauregarde

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The Perfect Serve?

Though I was devastated to find my favorite broccoli dish disappear from the menu, I instantly forgot about my loss with the Crispy Brussels Sprouts. Many of my favorite tapas in DC include brussels, and to have a mouth-watering iteration in WNY soothes a little of the DC longing. However, I can’t pick a favorite between the brussels and the Berenjenas Con Miel (fried eggplant, tossed in a honey syrup presented on a bed of rosemary),  which we have never had before. Words cannot do this dish justice, and it may be my new favorite item on the menu. Savory, sweet, and fried. The trifecta of perfection.

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We indulged a bit much that evening, and also ordered the Rossejat (toasted fideos noodles, shrimp, mussels, clams), Spanish Fried Chicken 3.0, and the Queso a la Parrilla (think grilled 4-cheese sandwich), which we’ve had before and absolutely love.

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But when at Aro, never forget dessert. We ordered both the Churros and the brand new Flan de la Pación (flan, passion fruit, orange meringue, caramel) and though I always prefer savory plates to sweet, I cannot wait to get back for another round of the flan. It sits on a dish of dry ice, which again, makes the entire meal magical.

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Scott and I are always of the mind that every date night out affords the opportunity to try something new, but when you find a place that you love as much as we love Aro, there are never enough excuses to return.

SPEAKING OF: We have decided to host our very first DC Minute Happy Hour in WNY at Aro Bar de Tapas on Wednesday, March 22!! The bar area is the perfect spot to get to know new people, and we are excited to host at one of the first places we went out after moving home to WNY. Mark your calendars, and we hope to see you there! A post with all the details is forthcoming…

Congrats on a successful first year, Aro, and many more to come!

Cheers!