THEY say small is beautiful and in the case of the city's new tapas bar, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Back in November, La Tasca opened its heavy double-glass doors on to Back Swinegate, in the heart of York's trendy going-out zone, The Quarter.

It is an imposing two-storey restaurant, housed in what was once a warehouse for the neighbouring Browns department store.

The restaurant is part of a small chain, with franchises in Harrogate, Leeds, and Newcastle.

Within weeks of opening in York, La Tasca has become a popular draw on the increasingly competitive eating-out circuit.

Tapas are the traditional food of choice in Spanish bars and comprise small dishes featuring seafood, meat, chicken and vegetables.

An evening visit to La Tasca early in December with two girlfriends was a big success. We loved the food, the Latin atmosphere and the authentic Spanish waiters. And the place was packed.

At the start of the festive holidays, I returned at lunchtime with my mum and dad. It was busy downstairs, so we took the spiral staircase to the upper floor, which also has its own bar and houses the loos (although there are disabled facilities at ground level).

The decor is very Spanish - dark wood, patterned cushions, terracotta-coloured walls. Even during the day, there is a cosiness to the place. Each table is candlelit, making it the perfect place to sneak away for a lazy lunch with a loved one.

There is a good value lunchtime menu offering three tapas: patatas bravas (roasted potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce) a mixed salad and a choice of one of four other tapas for £4.95. However we wanted to order a broad mix of dishes, so selected from the extensive main menu. There are six appetisers featuring various types of breads and olives as well as 34 main tapas dishes to choose from, including a wide selection of vegetarian and gluten-free options.

From 6pm, paella is also available, although you can choose a tapas-sized portion at any time.

An impressive drinks menu features sangria, Spanish beers, wines and cavas.

We plumped for glasses of red rioja (£3.25 for a small, £4.55 for large) and then put in a hefty food order, which amounted to three tapas each, which we all decided to share.

In the style of Bruce Forsyth's Generation Game, here's what we had...

u Albondigas a la Jardinera (£3.45) - melt-in-the-mouth meatballs in a tangy tomato sauce. Totally moreish;

u Gambas Gabardina (£3.75) - succulent king prawns deep fried in a light batter with a garlic-mayo dip. I'd have given back my Christmas pressies to have had this dish to myself;

u Cordero en Salsa (£3.55) - another all-round winner was this slow-cooked lamb with potatoes;

u Patatas Bravas (£2.35) - this substantial bowl of deep-fried potatoes in a spicy sauce is a must-have for all tattie lovers;

u Boquerones en Vinagre (£2.95) - Zingingly-fresh anchovy fillets topped with garlic, olive oil and vinegar. A taste sensation not to be missed;

u Calamares Andaluza (£3.15) - squid (not the rubbery-kind) in batter with more of that garlic mayo. Another winning combo;

u Croquetas de Pollo (£3.25) - mashed potato and chicken in a light breaded batter. Utterly yummy and a world away from the croquettes of school dinners.

u Costillas de Cerdo (£3.45) - pork spare ribs in a tangy sauce, where the meat fell away from the bone at first bite.

u Paella Valenciana (£3.25) - paella rice with mixed seafood and chicken - a tasty mix giving an authentic taste of Spain.

Didn't we do well!

More to the point: didn't La Tasca do well. All the food was extremely tasty, with the only complaint being that the ribs and paella were not warm enough. We also ordered a basket of bread - essential for soaking up all those sensational sauces - and it was impressive too: pillow soft with a light, crunchy crust.

For puddings we had Tocino de Cielo (£3.35) - a Spanish cheesecake with pine nuts and raspberry coulis, and Trufa Chocolate (£3.25), a chocolate sponge cake with mousse topping served with vanilla ice-cream. The chocolate dessert was divine: soft and light and not too rich. The cheesecake was less of a success, mostly because the cheese filling was topped with a thick layer of soggy creme caramel, which is not a favourite of mine.

Over very good milky coffees (caf con leche, £1.50 each) to finish, we reflected on what had been a very enjoyable lunch.

Our only other quibble had been with the service, which had been slow, and required us to wave our hand at the waitress for attention and even go to the bar to prompt the delivery of our drinks. However, the waitress - in her heavy Spanish accent - did apologise and said they were short staffed because people had gone home for Christmas.

And with it being the season of good cheer and all that, we smiled, told her not to worry and left her a big fat tip.

Maxine visited on Thursday, December 23, 2004

La Tasca, Spanish Tapas Bar and Restaurant

21 Back Swinegate, York

Tel 01904 521100

Food: tasty

Service: Spanish

Value: good

Ambience: Mediterranean

Disabled access: Yes

Restaurant reviewers aim to be fair and accurate. Any comments on this review should be addressed to Chris Titley, Features Content Editor, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN or email features@ycp.co.uk

Updated: 08:40 Saturday, January 08, 2005