Review of the Red Room Tapas Lounge, Raleigh

            One of the top restaurants in North Carolina has to be the Red Room Tapas Lounge in Raleigh.  Every time that we frequent this restaurant, it has been amazing.  It is one of the restaurants belonging to the Rocky Top Hospitality Group, which now includes only the Red Room, Draft, the Mash House, Twisted Fork, & Tribeca Tavern.  Upon entering the Red Room, you realize that the restaurant is aptly named, as the inside is distinctly red.  To the left are a few booths; to the right are multiple tables as well as couches that create the lounge atmosphere.  The restaurant is draped in red, with a bar that runs the restaurant’s length and many tables on the outdoor patio.  The deep red of the restaurant gives it a relaxing, warm feel upon entering, which virtually guarantees a great dining experience.

            When Megan and I eat at the Red Room, we prefer their tapas.  Typically, we order 5-6 for our meal.  One of our constants is the Crab and Manchego Dip.  The crab is baked with Manchego cheese until it is bubbling and slightly brown on top.  Then it is served with beet and yucca chips.  The dip is creamy with a slightly tart tinge from the melted Manchego.  While, the dip might be better with lump crab, it is still a great dip. However, the real star is the chips.  The beet and yucca chips are salty and very crunchy.  They are excellent when paired with the crab dip. 

            Our second staple is the Shrimp Ceviche.  If you are unfamiliar with ceviche, raw shrimp (or another fish or shellfish) is put into a citrus juice, typically lime or lemon.  The juice then “cooks” the shrimp when citric acid causes the protein to become denatured, which in essence, makes it seem cooked.  The shrimp is combined with avocado, mango, and onions, which gives it a sweet and creamy complement to the lime-flavored shrimp.  When combined with the salty yucca chips, or the mildly sweet plantain chips, this dish allows the flavor combination to burst in your mouth.  While many people are scared of the idea of uncooked or undercooked shrimp, ceviche is perfectly safe and absolutely delicious.  

            We always order the Seared Sea Scallops.  They sear four immensely large scallops in butter until it gets slightly golden.  Then it is served with a cauliflower taboulleh salad and a yellow pepper coulis.  The salad and pepper coulis are a new addition to this dish.  Previously, it had a two different sauces and no salad, which was much better.  The coulis is rather bland.  The scallops, however, are the dish in-and-of itself.  There is nothing that beats the sweetness of large, perfectly cooked scallops. 

            Megan’s favorite tapas is the Cheese Plate.  You get five cheeses, a few pieces of crusty bread, whipped butter, artichokes, pita wedges, a fig/fruit puree, green and purple olives, and roasted red peppers on a wooden cutting board.  While the cheeses occasionally change, our favorites are the Mahon (a sharp, tangy, and intense cow’s milk cheese), Murcia (a soft goat’s milk cheese aged in red wine), and Cabrales (a cave-aged Spanish Blue Cheese made from a combination of sheep, goat, and cow’s milk).  The flavor combinations of this dish are endless.  The cheeses are fantastic and this is easily a dish that I will enjoy every time we visit the Red Room. 

            The last of the tapas that we always order is the Grilled Steak Churrasco.  Churrasco is basically grilling, so the name is counter-productive.  But the steak is grilled, then sliced against the grain, and topped with a chimichurri sauce.  Chimichurri is typically a thick blend of parsley, garlic, oil, vinegar, oregano, and spices.  The Red Room’s Chimichurri sauce is an excellent complement to the medium-rare steak.  My only complaint about this dish is that I want more. The six slices are never enough. 

            The Red Room creates a great culinary experience for you.  Between the perfectly spaced out tapas, the great servers, and the exceptional food, this is a great place for a date or just dinner with friends.  While the Red Room also has large plates, paella, and amazing sangria, we’ll keep going back for the tapas.  Oh, and keep in mind, the tapas are half price on Sunday and Monday and there are Spanish dancing lessons on Thursdays.  The Red Room is an exceptional restaurant and as long as the Rocky Top Group doesn’t close this restaurant like they did Hi-5, Bogart’s, or Michael Dean’s, then I would highly recommend going here for your next meal. 

           

Category	Scale 1-5 stars
Food Quality
Food Creativity
Service
Atmosphere
Value for the price