The grand opening of Sangria’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant in Rawai

PHUKET: Among a fury of tasty tapas, pitchers of fruit-spiked wine and even a fire-spinning show, Sangria’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant celebrated its grand opening in Rawai on July 1.

“Originally it was a salad bar… it was Healthy Options,” explained owner Aimee Grainge. “A lot of people came in and said, ‘there’s no meat’.”

Now, following a change of character and menu, Sangria’s offers enough options to please just about anyone.

“What I did was I looked around and thought, ‘what is Rawai missing’ and it was tapas.”

Aimee, a qualified chef who studied at Westminster Kingsway College, used her creative training to devise a unique tapas menu which currently has 32 dishes on offer.

“I’ve made my own creations of my own version of tapas. I’m not doing the typical Spanish omelet and things like that.

“For example, we have one [dish] that is a big pasta and what I did was I put the bolognese sauce inside of the pasta and it’s then grilled with melted cheese on top. It is all my own creations and my own inventions because as a chef, I am passionate about not copying everyone else and doing the typical stuff that you see everyday. I want to put my mark on it,” says Aimee.

In addition to the menu, Sangria’s offers a well-stocked salad bar, an extensive wine menu and a

selection of shisha. The contemporary eatery will also host special events such as pig roasts and wine and cheese spreads.

Aimee intends for Sangria to be more than a place to stop for a quick bite, it is a place with an easy-going and sociable atmosphere where people can settle in on the outdoor couch with friends.

“My aim is customer service. I want people to come back because they enjoy the company, the surroundings – we are in a beautiful location.”

Sangria’s Tapas Bar & Restaurant is located in the Fisherman’s Way shopping plaza on Wiset Road in Rawai and is open Tuesday through Sunday.

For more information, call 088-768 6046.

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— Jeremie Schatz