I tried the tastes of the world at Swindon's newest tapas restaurant

My previous attempts at tasting the Spanish tradition had had mixed results because of my fussy eating habits limiting what I tried, or the small servings not being filling enough.

But the newly-opened world tapas restaurant on Wood Street does not focus solely on Spanish cuisine.

That extra adjective - world - promises a wider range of dishes from around the globe, an aspect of Tapas del Mundo which its owner Craig Gavin hopes will help the business stand apart from nearby competition at longstanding local favourite Los Gatos.

The glow of candlelight and warm bulbs bouncing off the restaurant's yellow walls and shining through the front window to cut through a dark winter night beckoned me towards the building like a moth to a flame.

The front window of Tapas del Mundo in Swindon. (Image: Newsquest)

A lone gentleman had set up camp with a backpack and notebooks at the end of the bar while a waitress answered the phone, made cocktails, and delivered dishes to the groups of friends and families sat further back.

Their chatter and the jaunty pop playing over the speakers created a relaxed vibe.

I settled into a long booth that fits three tables opposite the bar, backed by a mirror that makes the cosy setting seem more spacious. 

Seats near the bar in Tapas del Mundo, Swindon (Image: Newsquest)

The mains are split into three categories - meat, seafood, vegetables - with two to three dishes per person recommended, so I picked one from each.

It was difficult to decide - try something different like the Scottish black pudding and chorizo in red wine sauce (£5.95), Tunisian chickpea stew (£4.95), jerk jackfruit (£5.45), Thai-style fish cakes (£5.95) or Cajun seafood jambalaya (£6.95)? 

Or go with reliable comfort food like Italian meatballs in spiced tomato and basil sauce (£5.95), beer-battered cod bites (£5.45), a three-ounce fillet steak in chilli, ginger and soy (£7.50), or cubed lemon and herb chicken thighs in tarragon (£5.95)?

I ended up somewhere in the middle, ordering a pan-seared duck breast with beetroot hummus and a balsamic glaze (£6.95), breaded whitebait with paprika mayo (£5.45), and patatas bravas with tomato sauce and aioli (£4.95). And a £3.15 Diet Coke (maybe I should have tried the £5.95 sangria).

Pan-seared duck breast with beetroot hummus and a balsamic glaze, breaded whitebait with paprika mayo, and patatas bravas with tomato sauce and aioli (Image: Newsquest)

The friendly waitress brought the small dishes over quickly with a large plate to mix them altogether, which allows the different flavours to blend in ways that could be very pleasing or bravely experimental.

It all looked like finger food so I picked away at the crunchy whitebait. One sliver fell into the pot of paprika mayo which, after rescuing it with a fork, created a particularly tasty, tangy mouthful.

Trying a similarly-sized dollop of aioli for the patatas bravas immediately proved to be a mistake.

I pulled a face that, hopefully, no-one noticed and learned that less is more for that sharp and overpowering sauce. In smaller doses, it added a good kick to the mild sweetness of the tomato-covered potato bites.

The bar in Tapas del Mundo, Swindon (Image: Newsquest)

The duck had gone cold in its hummus bed by the time I tried a piece but that did not affect the lovely flavour - smooth, well-cooked, and moreish.

Scoops of vanilla and strawberry ice-cream and sorbets (£4.95, same price as the Banofee pie, a chocolate brownie and Amaretti cheesecake) washed everything down.

The seating in Tapas del Mundo, Swindon (Image: Newsquest)

The bill came to £25, which seemed a bit pricey, but I was completely full and had enjoyed every bite, so there was little to complain about.

Sharing the dishes with others would have cut down the cost-per-person, so I'll have to bring some friends next time to try some of the other tempting options.

Visit www.tapasdelmundo.co.uk/swindon/