By Crystal Chan, 23 November 2005
The New paper

Tostadas, or Spanish-style bruschettas ($6 to $8), come with a choice of topping like Parma ham and capers and shrimps.

LA Viva, the latest sangria and tapas bar in Singapore, offers the best of Spanish hospitality with its winning recipe of delectable nibbles, cocktails and setting.

For starters, I had a bowl of Andalusian-style gazpacho blanco ($7), a chilled almond soup served with sweet grapes. It was creamy and sweet so it was a good way to start the meal.

Fans of sangria, the classic Spanish red wine punch, will be pleased with La Viva's offerings.

There are six varieties of sangria ($12 to $16 a glass), including its signature La Viva Sangria, a sweet red wine mix infused with spices.

When it comes to the food, La Viva has a wide range of cold and hot tapas.

Meaning 'to cover' in Spanish, they were originally bread pieces used to shield drinks from flies. They've evolved into dishes with herbs, spices and exciting ingredients.

The variety of tapas is wide and includes tostadas, salads and sausages - anything that can fit on a small plate.

I tried some tostadas, or Spanish-style bruschettas ($6 to $8). They came with a choice of toppings like olive-anchovies tapenade, Parma ham and capers, and creamy shrimps.

My favourite was the one topped with cheese and chorizo, a spicy Spanish sausage. I really savoured the saltiness and spiciness of the chorizo.

Other tasty offerings include the baked eggplant with goat's cheese and shrimps ($12) and beef stew ($12).

What I like about tapas is that there are lots of different flavours. And tapas are the ultimate bonding food as you usually eat them with friends over sangria.

I rounded off my meal with a whole pear poached in sangria ($7) for dessert. Unlike the wine punch, the sangria coating was not as strong, so the dessert was pleasantly sweet.

La Viva Spanish Bar and Tapas
30 Victoria Street, Chijmes #01-12/13/14
Tel: 6339 4290
Operating Hours: 5pm to 12am from Sunday to Thursday, 5pm to 1am on Fridays and Saturdays