Tapas, Wine, and Almodóvar

Spanish auteur Pedro Almodóvar’s new film The Skin I Live In opens Friday, Nov. 11 at the Alamo Drafthouse. During the first two weeks of the film’s run, guests can pair their Spanish film experience with a delectable, authentic tapas menu complemented by a flight of excellent Spanish wines.

The tapas menu was designed by Drafthouse corporate chef John Bullington and the wines were chosen by corporate beverage director Bill Norris. The talented duo put together a smashing meal and previewed it Sunday afternoon at a relaxed tasting party for local film and food bloggers in the backyard at Tim and Karrie League’s comfortable West Campus home.

The entire food menu was delightful, but my favorite bites were a demitasse cup of mellow garlic soup topped with a grilled shrimp, a fritter stuffed with chicken and Spanish jamon serrano served with olive pesto and caperberries, and the excellent romesco sauce pooled under servings of fried calamari. Norris’ wine selections started with a festive cava sparkler, moved on to a citrus-forward white that was perfect for quaffing on a warm Austin afternoon, and finished with a sophisticated red that matched well with both a chorizo dish and the chicken fritter.

This special menu only runs for two weeks and is bound to satisfy lovers of all things Spanish. As an added bonus, folks who buy advance tickets for the opening weekend will get free passes to screenings of two Almodóvar classics, Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown and Bad Education. That’s three movies for the price of one and the chance to enjoy wine and tapas in the bargain. Olé!